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Snider
Crowned Champion of PDRA’s Quickest and Fastest Category
PITTSBORO, N.C. (November 8, 2016): It’s never an easy
thing to jump behind the wheel of a machine that can power
from 0 to over 230 miles per hour in just 660 feet. To
perfect this feat, both in tuning and driving, going to
six final rounds and winning three in just nine events in
a single year is, quite simply, remarkable. Brandon Snider
has done just that to be crowned the 2016 NAS Racing Pro
Extreme World Champion.
Snider’s always had a love of fast cars and his passion
quickly led him to the local track where, in the mid ‘90s,
he began honing his skills. He raced local quick 8 events
until he decided to step it up. He went straight to the
top, competing in professional eighth-mile drag racing’s
quickest and fastest category, Pro Extreme. Throughout the
PDRA’s tenure, Snider has made a serious run at the
championship, finishing second in 2014 and fourth in 2015.
After those two narrow misses, Snider told his crew that
this would be their year. Those prophetic words started
taking hold at the very first race, where Snider not only
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the season opener at Osage
Casino Tulsa Raceway Park, but reset the Pro Extreme National ET Record
with a 3.486 - a number that still stands. He continued pounding all
season, going to the semi-finals or finals at nearly every event, also
scoring six number one qualifier awards along the way. Although defending
champion Jason Scruggs put in a strong bid, Snider was not to be outdone.
A first round win at the PDRA World Finals solidified his first ever
championship.
“The last race in Virginia we had to win the first round to seal the
championship,” said the Atmore, Alabama native. “That was probably my
happiest moment all year. If we had gone out that round Jason could have
potentially overtaken the championship. But once we won first round I knew
we had it won. Jason ended up going to the finals and we did, too. He had
engine trouble and we made a clean run with a 3.52 to take the win.
“We had a really good year that could have been better; we could have won
six of the nine, but stupid stuff happened, whether it was me late on the
tree, or this or that. Overall it was a very good year. The car was more
consistent this year than it ever has been. We worked the past two years
really hard on our engine program to be able to go out and run with Jason
and the other top runners. Over the winter we just worked and worked and
worked to try to make our engine program better, to build more horsepower.
That played a major role in it - me and Jimmy digging, working harder,
being on the computer more, figuring out what the car wants and likes.
These hot weather setups on 135 degree tracks where everybody struggles,
it would go right down. We worked hard to make the car consistent through
June, July and August. And we did, we went rounds. We went to the finals
in Michigan, in Maryland, and then won Memphis. That was three hot weather
setups in a row we went to the finals”.
Those events played a key role in Snider’s championship. Getting down the
track when others struggled was something Snider prided himself on this
season. As the tuner and driver of the car, the former Army National
Guardsman combines his on-track and off-track knowledge to finesse his
program.
“When you get into a car to drive that you put the tune up in, I think
you’ve got an advantage there because you get to feel what the car does,
you know what the car likes, and you can come back and correct stuff.
Being hands on on both aspects helps a lot. But I’ve also stood behind
cars and tuned them and been able to make the right adjustments even when
drivers couldn’t give me feedback. When you look at the computer, it
doesn’t lie. Numbers are numbers. If you go by that you can correct. But
at our level of racing, both being in the driver’s seat and tuning I think
does give a little advantage.”
Although Snider handles two roles on the team, he is quick to point out
that he could not compete at the highest level without his team of crew,
supporters and sponsors. In fact, Snider says it was more important to him
to win the championship for them than for himself.
My crew, crew chief Jimmy [Crenshaw] and Michael [Elsberry], go and make
absolutely no money; they take off of work and lose money just because
they love it and believe in me. Them and the fans that support me, text
me, email me, call; all the folks from my hometown- nobody here is really
known for racing or having fast cars; and my sponsors; it’s all for them.
It’s not about me - I mean, I’m happy we won, but it was for everybody
that believed in me. Those are the people I'm happy for. I’m happy that
they got the championship, that they were part of it. You can’t ever take
this from us. We won it fair and square. We worked hard.
“My mom is probably one of my biggest cheerleaders,” Snider continued,
giving credit where credit is due. “My wife stays back and doesn’t go
because of the kids’ school. She supports me while I’m gone racing and
tuning. Mama has to take care of the home front while I’m gone.
“Jimmy and Michael have been my two crew. Me and Jimmy tackle the car here
at the house. Michael is out of Georgia. We pick him up on the way. It’s
just basically a three man crew. They get the car serviced between rounds.
I’m in there on the computer trying to make it run faster. Those guys help
out tremendous. Without those guys I wouldn’t be able to do it.
“Q80 was a big part of our success this year, but they will not be back
next year. This was a one year deal and I knew that going in. We’re
currently seeking marketing partners, primary or associate. Without these
guys here we’re not going to be able to be out there next year. I cannot
fund it out of my own pocket. I’ve got to have major help. We’d like to
come back and defend our title, but without additional sponsorship we
won’t be able to. The team is on board and in place to do it; it’s just
that extra help we’ve got to have.”
Snider also thanks product and associate sponsors Quick Drive, Liberty
Gears, SCE Gaskets, Valvoline, Moroso, Hammer Superchargers, Dan Olson,
Manley, Trend Performance, Bullet Cams, Fragola Performance Systems,
Precision Racing Suspension, Neal Chance Converters, Pro Fabrication,
Diamond Pistons, Rage Fuel Systems, Hoosier Tire, NGK Plugs, MBE Cylinder
Heads, Richmond Gear, Total Seal, Jesel, Clevite, MVM, Alky Pro, Reid
Rocker Arms, CarSon Innovation Inc, Jerry Bickel Race Cars, Motorsports
Unlimited, Flagship Transportation.
“I really want to thank everybody that’s got a decal on this car,” added
Snider, who also co-owns an HVAC business. “They’re on here for a reason -
either because they support me with product or semi-sponsorship. I want to
thank all the sponsors that believed in me and stayed with me over the
past two years. We finally got it this year. We finally pulled it off.”
Snider’s ‘69 Camaro will be on display at the Performance Racing Industry
(PRI) Show in the PDRA booth, December 8-10. Then in February Snider will
head to Australia to serve as tuner for Frank Mammone before coming back
to the states to defend his championship.
“I’m just the idiot looking at the graph and driving the car. If it wasn’t
for all these other people helping out we wouldn’t be able to do it,”
Snider added gratefully. “It’s hard for me to take credit for it. I just
appreciate everybody that’s stayed with me. And really I want to thank
Tommy, Judy, Mitchell and Jason for stepping up and having a place for us
to go race. If it wasn’t for PDRA, we’d be back quick 8 local racing.
Those guys, all of them, stepped up and kept going even through rain-outs
and hard races. Everybody still got paid. That says a lot for this
organization. I want to thank them for supporting us and having us a place
to race.”
Photo: Gary Rowe /
PDRA660.com
ABOUT THE PDRA
Based in Pittsboro, North Carolina, the Professional Drag Racers
Association is the top sanctioning body in the United States for the sport
of eighth-mile drag racing. The PDRA’s professional categories include Pro
Extreme, Pro Nitrous, Pro Boost, and Pro Extreme Motorcycle along with Top
Sportsman, Top Dragster, Pro Jr. Dragster, and Top Jr. Dragster. The 2016
PDRA schedule consists of nine national events. For more on the world’s
premier eighth mile drag racing organization visit
www.pdra660.com.
Follow the PDRA:
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram,
YouTube.
PRESS CONTACT: Lisa Collier
Professional Drag Racers Association
lisa@pdra660.com
704.692.4636
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