Jimmy Snyder (racing driver)

Jimmy Snyder
Jimmy Snyder
Born	James Leroy Snider; March 10, 1909; Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	June 29, 1939 (aged 30); East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S.
Champ Car career
	11 races run over 5 years
Best finish	2nd (1939)
First race	1935 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race	1939 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
First win	1938 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse)
	American football career
Personal information
Weight:	162 lb (73 kg)
Career information
High school:	Englewood (IL)
College:	none
Position:	Tailback
Career history
	Milwaukee Badgers (1925);
Career NFL statistics
Games played:
Games played:	1
	Player stats at PFR

James Leroy Snyder (March 10, 1909 – June 29, 1939) was an American racing driver.^[1] He also played one game for the Milwaukee Badgers of the National Football League (NFL) in 1925.^[2]^[3] Aged 16 during his NFL debut, he was the youngest player in NFL history.

Racing career

Snyder was part of the midget car racing "Chicago Gang" with Emil Andres, Tony Bettenhausen, Cowboy O'Rourke, Paul Russo, and Wally Zale.^[4] These racers toured tracks in the Midwest and East Coast of the United States.

Snyder won the 1937 track championship at the Chicago Armory & Riverview.^[5] He also set a new track record at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for that season's Indianapolis 500.^[5]

Snyder appeared in five Indianapolis 500s. He won the pole for the 1939 Indianapolis 500, setting another new track record in the process. He finished second in the event.^[5]

Death

Snyder died in East St. Louis, Illinois hospital on June 29, 1939, shortly after being injured in a midget racing accident in Cahokia, Illinois.^[1]

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results

Year	Car	Start	Qual	Rank	Finish	Laps	Led	Retired
1935	39	30	112.249	29	22	97	0	Spring
1936	43	16	111.291	32	30	21	0	Oil leak
1937	5	19	125.287	1	32	27	24	Transmission
1938	6	15	123.506	4	15	150	92	Supercharger
1939	10	1	130.138	1	2	200	65	Running
Totals						495	181

Starts	5
Poles	1
Front Row	1
Wins	0
Top 5	1
Top 10	1
Retired	4

References

^ a b "Motorsport Memorial - Jimmy Snyder". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
^ "Jim Snyder Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
^ "Jim Snyder Stats - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
^ Biography Archived 2012-02-06 at the Wayback Machine for Paul Russo at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
^ a b c Snyder's Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame

External links

Jimmy Snyder at Find a Grave

[mem-1] "Motorsport Memorial - Jimmy Snyder". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 31 March 2023.

[2] "Jim Snyder Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-06-07.

[3] "Jim Snyder Stats - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved 2021-06-07.

[NMARHoF_Russo-4] Biography Archived 2012-02-06 at the Wayback Machine for Paul Russo at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame

[NMARHoF-5] Snyder's Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame