Female racer Jennifer Snyder is no longer a member of the Harley-Davidson factory flat track team after Harley-Davidson Motor Company has opted not to renew her contract for 2004.
The 20-year-old Snyder, who joined the team at the start of the 2001 season, enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame when she won her Harley factory debut, the Formula USA Colonial Downs Pro Singles National Mile in New Kent, Virginia, on May 3, 2001. Snyder was in contention for a top-five finish in her rookie season when she was critically injured at the Emerald Downs Mile the following September. She returned to racing after a year layoff, but had clearly struggled to regain the form that she showed from the start. Rumors of her being released by the team began to swirl after the Harley factory failed to show up at the Formula USA Del Mar Mile, the last National-level dirt track race of the season. Harley-Davidson confirmed the news of her release this morning.
“Rich King will lead the H-D factory dirt track racing effort during the 2004 season and our focus will be on winning the AMA Grand National Championship,” said Mike Kennedy, Director of H-D Racing, in the statement released by Harley. “Jennifer Snyder’s contract with the Harley-Davidson factory dirt track racing program ended with the close of the 2003 racing season. We thank Jennifer for all she’s done for Harley-Davidson and for the sport of dirt track racing and wish her all the best in her future endeavors. For 2004, we look forward to an intensive effort with Rich and the team to win the AMA Grand National Championship.”
Factory Harley-Davidson mechanic was on vacation at the time of the news release. When reached by telephone, Werner refused to comment beyond the following:
“I enjoyed working with Jennifer,” Werner said. “I certainly wish her the best.”
Cycle News reached Snyder via telephone on the same day that the Harley-Davidson information was released. Snyder declined to comment on the matter, but added that she would be releasing a statement of her own in the coming week.
