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Jay Snyder
| DRIVER INFORMATION |
| Driver Name: |
Jay Snyder |
| Residence: |
Bethesda, Md. |
| Birthplace: |
Washington, DC. |
| Date of Birth: |
5/4/63 |
| Years
Competing: |
Since 2005 |
| Marital Status: |
Married, incredibly supportive wife Cathy |
| Children: |
Mia and Cory |
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DRIVER HISTORY
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Jay Snyder and his team have been working for five years to build a monster truck that could catch the racing circuit on fire. Driven by an underlying desire to compete, and fueled by the pure excitement of the sport, Snyder, his brother, Matt, and their friend and fellow enthusiast Dave Waple have systematically taken themselves through monster truck school over the past five years. Although none of them has much of a racing background, their mechanical abilities, work ethic, and untiring dedication to their goal has helped them create a solid and complete monster truck racing team.
After refurbishing the original 1955 Cadillac hearse monster truck, The Undertaker, the team from Bethesda, Md., found there was not much of a market for a truck that, at 15,000 pounds, could not compete with newer trucks on the racetrack. They did some research, and found a much newer truck to purchase and re-build, this time one with a more race-friendly chassis, Screamin' Demon. However, this new truck had one very important missing part, the engine; the original owner wanted to keep that for another truck.
The team that started working in a tent because they didn't have a garage wasn't about to let a little thing like an engine stop them from creating a racing monster truck. They hauled the truck to Guy Wood's shop in Missouri, where he helped them re-mount a new Chevy- style Merlin III motor, change the truck from a left drive to a center drive, and make few additional important changes to the roll-cage and chassis. Why did Wood want to help get their truck race-ready? Jay, Matt, and Dave had been crewing for Guy for several years on the East Coast, and could see their potential. "When Guy offered to help us with the truck, we jumped at the chance. He has given us a lot of advice, not just about the truck and driving, but about how to present ourselves as a team, things that help make us look really professional."
The best advice that Guy gave the team, "don't go half-prepared." That mantra, in addition to a work-ethic stemming from years of involvement in the special event and entertainment industry, helps make the Screamin' Demon team a sure-fire fan favorite.
Jay is the full-time owner of a special event lighting production company, Atmosphere, Inc., based in Silver Spring, Md., about twenty minutes from the White House. Jay's company provides lighting for special events in the Washington, D.C. area, such as concerts, press conferences, theatrical productions, awards ceremonies, gala events, theme parties, and social events. "Working in the special event business for 20-years, you learn how to handle deadlines and make sure everything is ready to go at show time." Everyone on Jay's team has the same type of attitude: they will do whatever it takes to make sure that they are show ready each and every time, even if it means working all night or driving 100 miles to get a new part to be ready for the next event.
Jay, Matt, and Dave have gotten help and advice while working on Screamin' Demon from some of the best drivers and mechanics in the monster truck business. Guy Wood, John Seasock, Andy Sifko, Dan Patrick, Kirk Dabney, Trey Myers, and Mike Vaters have all been invaluable in the completion of Screamin' Demon for it's 2006 debut. Says Jay; "Just last week I was pitted next to Madusa and Superman, and I got some great safety tips and advice on suspension setups from their famously talented mechanic, RL. I mean, how lucky is that?" Has all the hard work paid off? It certainly appears that the Screamin' Demon team is a welcome addition to any Monster Jam, both on and off the track.
About the Truck Screamin' Demon, originally owned by Gary Bauer and built from a Marty Garza chassis design, became the pride of Jay Snyder, his brother Matt, and their mechanic friend, Dave Waple, in 2003. Re-building the chassis with the assistance of Guy Wood, moving the left drive steering to center drive, and re-mounting the motor, Screamin' Demon was well on it's way to becoming a full throttle race truck. Snyder brought the truck to Mike Vaters garage in Hagarstown, Md., for some help with the suspension setup and body. Screamin' Demon has a black-based body with a modern edged flame job that dances up the side panels. The fire paint scheme was designed by Mattel but applied by Trey Meyers of Iron Warrior. The fiberglass body covers a 540 cubic-inch blown & injected Chevy-style Merlin III motor, built by Stouffer Engine in Waynesboro, PA, and a modified Turbo 400 transmission, from Accelerate Transmissions in Allentown, PA. The combination gives the truck about 1500 horsepower.
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Fun Facts |
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Favorite Food: |
Steak & Baked Potatoes |
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Favorite Color: |
Red & Blue |
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Type of Music You Listen to: |
All kinds of Rock |
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Favorite Song: |
Anything from Pink Floyd |
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Hobbies: |
RC Cars, Rocketry, and Caving (when I have time) |
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Superstitions? |
None |
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Favorite Movie: |
Star Wars |
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Favorite TV Show: |
Comedies |
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TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY STATEMENT| COPYRIGHT and TRADEMARK NOTICE
© (2008) Feld Entertainment Motor Sports
United States Hot Rod Association®, USHRA®, Monster Jam®, Blacksmith®, Blue Thunder®,
Bulldozer®, Captains Curse™, El Toro Loco®, Grave Digger®, High Roller®, Maximum Destruction®,
Monster Mutt®, Power Forward®, and Ragin Steel® are trademarks of Feld Entertainment Motor Sports.
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