Myatt Snider might not cut loose with footloose but he wants a Round of 8 spot. (Photo: Josh Jones | The Podium Finish)
While Myatt Snider faces a 24 point margin for a Round of 8 Playoff spot heading into Saturday’s Drive for the Cure 250 at Charlotte, he remains confident and optimistic about his challenges.
Following an exciting victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Snider has experienced a feast or famine season. With eight subsequent top 10 finishes after his Homestead win, one would think that Snider and crew chief Andy Street need to make drastic changes.
Instead, the 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native intends to stay the course. When asked about what he would apply into the Playoffs, as the Four Tops once sang, “It’s The Same Old Song.”
Myatt Snider worked with his Cup teammates regarding his recent pendulum swings. (Photo: Michael Guariglia | The Podium Finish)
“Well, I talked with a lot of people actually, Tyler Reddick and Austin Dillon included,” Snider shared ahead of the Playoffs. “And, you know, the thing that I concluded from what is the best method for us in the Playoffs is just to keep doing what we’ve been doing and not not make any big changes, because that’s when you start making mistakes.
“So, for us, I feel like we’re starting to peak at the right time, because outside of a couple of races, pretty much since coming back from the two week break, we’ve been in the top 10 pretty much all race. And we had a lot of speed of Bristol and a lot of speed at Michigan. You know, I feel like you know, if we just keep being consistent like that, and being a top 10 like that, the results will start showing. So yeah, I don’t think we’re gonna make any big changes here. And I think we’ll have the speed to compete going forward.”
Snider has put the effort forth to contend in the Playoffs. However, the young racer encounters misfortune as a victim of circumstances. Promising top 10 runs turn into frustrating afternoons like at Nashville, Road America, Atlanta and Michigan to name a few.
Race time is game time for Snider. (Photo: Michael Guariglia | The Podium Finish)
Then again, Snider turns up the wick at the grittier tracks like Pocono (10th), New Hampshire (seventh), Indianapolis (seventh), Daytona (eighth), Darlington (ninth) and Bristol (eighth).
All things considered, Snider faces an incredible but not insurmountable challenge. Perhaps the cutoff race being contested on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL evens the odds for Snider. Mathematically, Justin Allgaier, Daniel Hemric, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Haley, Brandon Jones, Noah Gragson and Harrison Burton have yet to lock their Playoff spots.
Given the pressures of a highly competitive series like the NASCAR XFINITY Series, Snider compartmentalizes as efficiently as possible. Maybe the biggest adjustment made by the steady wheelman has been enjoying his opportunity.
It’s not often easy and not often kind but Snider doesn’t have to make up his mind about his Playoff dreams. (Photo: Landen Ciardullo | The Podium Finish)
“Well, you know, it’s, for me, it’s making sure that, you know, I’m not not taking care of myself during these times,” Snider said. “You know, I think it’s so easy to just get so focused, and so caught up on all this that you kind of, you know, forget to let yourself have fun. And, you know, I’m going to drive race cars, which is inherently a really fun thing to do. So I can’t let the fact be lost.
“I’m getting to live out my dream. And you know, thanks to TaxSlayer and great partners like that, and Superior Essex and Louisiana Hot Sauce and Crosley Furniture, all those people, all those groups allow me to do this. And, you know, I can’t lose that fact. And, you know, work with a great team like RCR.”
When Snider starts from the 13th position for the 67 lap race, he may stare ahead of his opportunities one position at a time.
“All of that is kind of just icing on the cake of getting to do this, you know. So it’s just making sure I keep things in perspective, and not losing sight of the goals and not not staring too far deep into them.”
