31 - Gary Snyder Sr. - Waynesboro, Ms

Late Model - Jackson International Speedway - 1971

Donated by Rick McKenzie

As told by Gary Snyder II : I want to thank you for posting the web site showing most of the asphalt racers back in the 60's and 70's, and I was really pleased when I saw the picture of my Dad's racecar that I help him build back in 1970.  Car #31 from Waynesboro Mississippi was built and drove by Gary Snyder Sr. and that is a picture of him in white t-shirt talking to either Gene Tapia or one of the other drivers about how to set the car up.  My father drove the Hudson Hornet #11 from 1967 to 1970 and won many events from Pensacola to Jackson. He received a letter from the Hudson Corporation recognizing him for being the last official driver for the Hudson. When the rule changed that only allow cars 15 years old, that forced him to retire the car and build a "Grand National" car.   We would go to the races with him, which started Thursday night at Laurel Speedway, Pensacola on Friday night, Mobile on Saturday night and Jackson speedway on Sunday afternoon. 

Dad grew up in Gadsden Alabama and raced against Bobby and Donnie Allison back in early days, and they all had remained friends throughout. Once Donnie called my Dad and offered him a chance to drive a car for another owner who had a car set to race at Talladega and needed a driver.  The other piece of history is that my Dad was a Mississippi Highway Patrolmen. Often he had to work his racing schedule around his work detail. This caused him to miss a few races and or work long shifts to get time off. My dad passed away back in 2005 at the age of 69.