Gene Snow
Gene Snow began his drag racing career with cars off his Fort Worth used car lot. In the 30 years that followed, he raced a long series of super stocks, match racers, and even a stable of both top fuel and funny cars. Snow always prided himself on innovation and race primarily for the pure enjoyment of it. He pioneered direct drive funny cars, rigid suspensions, and experimented with turbocharging and compressed air induction. In 1965, he built his first in a series of “Rambunctious” and “Snow Man” Dodges. Using an injected late model Hemi, his first Dart featured fiberglass doors and front end predating all plastic one-piece bodies. The car (then classified by NHRA as a fuel dragster) was equally impressive on gas or fuel, winning, Comp and Super Eliminator titles at NHRA national events from 1966 through 1968. In 1969, became the first NHRA funny car driver reach 200 mph. In 1970, Snow won seven major events and became the first to win both NHRA and AHRA season championships. His $130,000 in prize money was a record amount for any professional drag racer. The next year he retained the AHRA title and was NHRA’s runner-up. He pioneered the car team concept in 1972 with a top fuel dragster, three funny cars, and three hired drivers. In 1980, Snow switched driving roles from funny cars to top fuel. A true sportsman, Snow helped Eddie Hill the first driver in the fours. Six months later, he ran the second four second time and the first in NHRA. Snow won his eighth NHRA title at the Cajun Nationals in 1989 and retired from top fuel racing in 1993. Nearly four decades after starting his career, he still occasionally spends a weekend at the wheel of his A/Fuel dragster. He says, “It makes you feel good to know that people still remember you”. If that’s the case, Gene snow feel good for a long time to come.