Madison Snow

Madison Snow (born December 26, 1995) is an American race car driver who currently competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship.^[1] In 2018 he became the second driver in IMSA history to win two championships in the same year, winning both the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GT Daytona (GTD) class as well as the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Pro class.^[2] He scored his second GTD class championship in 2023.^[3]

In 2024, Snow became a factory BMW M Motorsport works driver.^[4]

Career

Porsche Cup

After just over a decade spent in karting, Snow moved to sports car racing in 2010, competing for a short time in Miatas before transitioning into the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge for 2011.^[5] In his opening season of Porsche cup competition, at just 15 years of age, Snow was crowned Gold Class champion, winning six of the 15 scheduled races and collecting 12 podiums.^[6] Two years later, he was crowned champion of the Platinum class, making him the youngest overall champion in series history.^[7]

At the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona, Madison and his mother Melanie became the first mother/son pairing in the race's history. At the tail end of the 2013 season, Snow was drafted in to complete Flying Lizard Motorsports' Petit Le Mans lineup alongside Spencer Pumpelly and Nelson Canache Jr.^[8] The team would finish the race as class winners.^[9] Due to his successes in the Porsche GT3 Cup car over the course of the previous three seasons, Snow was also invited to take part in the North American Porsche Youth Driver Academy at Barber Motorsports Park.^[10]

Alongside a full-season drive in the newly-formed IMSA SportsCar Championship with his family-owned team, Snow also competed with Extreme Speed Motorsports for a partial schedule in the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites during the 2014 season.^[11] Tallying three podiums in IMSA, he finished seventh in the GTD-class standings alongside co-driver Jan Heylen.^{[citation needed]}

Paul Miller Racing

After running a partial season in 2015 with Wright Motorsports and Park Place Motorsports; Snow returned to full-time IMSA competition in 2016 with Paul Miller Racing^[12] and was paired with Bryan Sellers in a Lamborghini Huracan GT3. They finished 3rd in the championship that year with a total of three podiums, including a win at Virginia International Raceway. In 2017 the duo had two podium finished, and after a penalty resulting in loss of championship points, they finished 9th. In 2018 Snow and Sellers won the GTD Championship, as well as the 2018 12 Hours of Sebring and the Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park. The duo took 9 podium finishes out of 12 races. They narrowly beat Katherine Legge in what remains the hardest fought GTD championship to date, requiring an average finish of third place. Following the conclusion of their championship winning season, Snow left racing as a result of driver rating adjustments that would have prevented him from competing alongside Sellers.^[13] While his FIA Drivers' Categorization status would remain Silver, defining him as an amateur driver, IMSA was set to upgrade his status to Gold, defining him as a professional driver in IMSA-organized competitions.^[14] Due to competition requirements that GTD class entries must field one professional and one amateur driver, Snow would not have been able to continue alongside Sellers due to both holding a professional status, contributing to his decision to end his racing career.^[15]

However, his retirement was rather short-lived. IMSA rescinded their promotion after Snow sat out the 2019 season, focusing instead on his full-time job which he still maintains today, and he returned to Paul Miller Racing in 2020.^[16]

In Snow's first race back in 2020 he captured a win at the 2020 24 Hours of Daytona along with Corey Lewis and Andrea Caldarelli. Due to Covid-19, however, they were unable to complete the full season and instead participated in only select races. Snow, Sellers, and Lewis did however win the 2020 Michelin Endurance Cup, setting a record for points accrued that still hasn't been broken. That year, Snow also competed solo for Change Racing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, claiming the Pro class title while brother McKay won the Pro-Am class alongside other co-driver Corey Lewis.^{[citation needed]}

In 2021, Snow once again teamed up with Sellers in the Lamborghini Huracan GT3, taking their first win at the Long Beach Grand Prix. They stood on the podium seven out of 12 races, and finished second in the championship behind Pfaff Motorsports.^{[citation needed]}

In 2022, Paul Miller Racing switched to BMW from Lamborghini they had been with since 2016. They did not receive their car until after the first race of the season, eliminating them from contention for the full season honors before their first race. They debuted the car at Sebring International Raceway and ran well until contact from a faster class car put them behind the wall for several hours. The defending race winners at Long Beach took pole and victory once again at the southern California event. Snow and Sellers would win in Lime Rock Park once again as well, finishing out the season with top-five finishes at every race except Sebring and Watkins Glen, where they (along with many others)^[17] were disqualified. Their average finish in 2022 was the best of the field.^{[citation needed]}

In 2023, Snow continued sharing a race car with Bryan Sellers, tying Wolf Henzler for Seller's longest driving partnership. The duo clinched the championship in record setting fashion, sealing it with still a race to go. They achieved victories at the 2023 12 Hours of Sebring, a third consecutive win at the Long Beach Grand Prix, their first wins at both Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Road America, as well as win at the site of their first success in 2016, Virginia International Raceway. They also took home their second consecutive Sprint Cup.^{[citation needed]}

The duo clinched the championship in record setting fashion, sealing it with still a race to go.^[3] They achieved victories at the 2023 12 Hours of Sebring, a third consecutive win at the Long Beach Grand Prix,^[18] their first wins at both Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Road America, as well as win at the site of their first success in 2016, Virginia International Raceway. They also took home their second consecutive Sprint Cup.^{[citation needed]}

Ahead of 2024, Snow was added to BMW's factory driver roster,^[19] a move which he stated "[opened] doors" for him to expand into programs beyond his role at Paul Miller Racing.^[20] The promotion accompanied a step-up to the GTD Pro class.^[21] The duo enjoyed a strong start to the season, claiming a podium finish at Daytona, but would have to wait until August's round at Road America to return to the Pro-class podium. The following race at VIR saw Snow take the overall pole, allowing them to jump out early and take their first victory in GTD Pro.^[22][23] Following finishes of eighth and seventh in the final two races of the season, the duo finished fourth in the class championship. The entry, however, scored the GTD Pro class title in the Michelin Endurance Cup.^[24]

For 2025, Sellers departed Paul Miller Racing's driver lineup, leaving Snow as the more experienced driver on the roster for the first time in his career.^[25] Snow and new co-driver Neil Verhagen scored their first podium finish of the season at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Snow comes from a racing family, having grown up at Miller Motorsports Park where his parents both competed. He drove alongside his mother, Melanie, at the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona, and inherited his championship-winning IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge car from his father, Martin.^[26][27]

Racing record

Career summary

^* Season still in progress.

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

^* Season still in progress.

Notes

1. ^ Despite remaining Silver-rated by the FIA, Snow had his rating bumped to Gold by IMSA for 2019.^[14]

References

1. ^ "Madison Snow – IMSA". imsa.com. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
2. ^ "History Made as Madison Snow Wins Second IMSA Championship of 2018". imsa.com. November 16, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
3. ^ Oreovicz, John (September 19, 2023). "Tight-Knit Paul Miller Racing Clinches Second GTD Championship". IMSA. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
4. ^ "BMW M Motorsport introduces the works driver line-up for the 2024 season.". www.press.bmwgroup.com. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
5. ^ "Madison Snow - Wright Motorsports Driver". wrightmotorsports.com. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
6. ^ "Madison Snow, 15, wins 2011 IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge". torquenews.com. September 22, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
7. ^ "Congratulations to Madison Snow, the Youngest Champion of the Porsche IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge". flatsixes.com. November 6, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
8. ^ "Snow, Sandberg Complete Flying Lizard's Lineup for PLM". sportscar365.com. October 14, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
9. ^ "Petit Le Mans Race and 2013 ALMS Championship Results | Flying Lizard Motorsports". Retrieved 2024-07-03.
10. ^ "PYDA Reflections. Madison Snow, Class of 2013.". newsroom.porsche.com. April 18, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
11. ^ "Madison Snow to Pilot Extreme Speed Motorsports IMSA Lites Entry at Road America". speedwaydigest.com. August 7, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
12. ^ "IMSA: Madison Snow solidifying presence with Paul Miller Lamborghini". motorsports.nbcsports.com. August 5, 2017. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
13. ^ Malsher-Lopez, David (30 November 2018). "IMSA champion Snow retires aged 22". motorsport. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
14. ^ Dagys, John (November 20, 2018). "Snow Facing "Massive Jump" in Silver to Gold Ratings Bump". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
15. ^ "IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD champion Madison Snow leaves Paul Miller Racing". autoweek.com. November 30, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
16. ^ "Snow Returns to Paul Miller for Full-Season Campaign". sportscar365.com. November 27, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
17. ^ "Both GT winners excluded from Watkins Glen IMSA race". www.motorsport.com. 2022-06-27. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
18. ^ "Three-peat achieved! Paul Miller Racing scores third consecutive Long Beach win". Paul Miller Racing. 2023-04-16. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
19. ^ Dagys, John (January 10, 2024). "Snow Added as BMW Factory Driver". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
20. ^ Euwema, Davey (January 25, 2024). "Snow: BMW Factory Driver Role "Opens Up Doors"". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
21. ^ Euwema, Davey (November 14, 2023). "Paul Miller Sets GTD Pro Lineup; Van der Linde Joins for Daytona". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
22. ^ Dagys, John (August 25, 2024). "Paul Miller's Snow, Sellers Take Controlling VIR Win". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
23. ^ Dagys, John (August 25, 2024). "Snow: Clean Air Key to Breakthrough GTD Pro Win". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
24. ^ DiZinno, Tony (October 31, 2024). "Speed and Strategy Deliver Michelin Endurance Cup Titles in 2024". IMSA. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
25. ^ "Snow & Foley Becoming New American BMW Stars". Speed Sport. May 14, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
26. ^ Jeppesen, John (April 21, 2022). "Racing Is All In The Family". Speed Sport. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
27. ^ Peterson, Tim (July 19, 2011). "Teen MMP racing phenom keeps on winning". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved June 28, 2025. Martin retired from competitive racing in 2009 and decided to give his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car to his son for his rookie season.
28. ^ "Madison Snow – 2014 Tudor United SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
29. ^ "Madison Snow – 2015 Tudor United SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
30. ^ "Madison Snow – 2016 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
31. ^ "Madison Snow – 2017 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
32. ^ "Madison Snow – 2018 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
33. ^ "Madison Snow – 2020 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
34. ^ "Madison Snow – 2021 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
35. ^ "Madison Snow – 2022 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
36. ^ "Madison Snow – 2023 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
37. ^ "Madison Snow – 2024 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
38. ^ "Madison Snow – 2025 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
39. ^ "Madison Snow Results". motorsportstats.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.

External links

• Madison Snow at Motorsport.com