FERNANDO CUADRA SR.

ABOUT FERNANDO CUADRA SR.

As a successful entrepreneur and NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock driver, Fernando
Cuadra Sr. understands how to thrive in times of hardship better than most. He leads with his heart in
everything he does in business, with his family, and at the race track. His key to success is simple, “Follow the
rules and live by your word.”

Having spent over 15 years growing his company, Corral Boots, into a global empire, Fernando Sr. was excited
to pursue his passion – drag racing. In 2003 and 2004, the Leon, Mexico native competed in the NHRA Pro
Stock category against some of the world’s best drivers.

Then, in the winter of 2004, Fernando Sr. experienced a tragedy that would have stopped most business
owners in their tracks. On the day after Christmas, a devastating tsunami hit Asia, killing more than 200,000
people in 14 Asian countries including the Indonesian island of North Sumatra, where the Corral Boots factory
was located. It took the lives of all of Fernando Sr.’s 1,500 employees. In the blink of an eye, his thriving
business was destroyed. While Fernando was saddened by the loss of the business he worked hard to build
for so many years, it was the loss of so many lives that shattered him. Drag racing was relegated to the
recesses of his mind as he dedicated himself fully to the crisis at hand.

Fernando Sr. felt that his first responsibility was not only to rebuild his business (although that was certainly in
his plans), but most importantly, to care for the families of his employees, who had lost not only their loved
ones but their livelihoods. He sold off as much of his business as he possibly could to help these families
rebuild. At the same time, he began to establish manufacturing operations for Corral Boots once again, in the
same location.

Many questioned Fernando’s judgment and doubted that the strong-willed business leader could grow a
successful operation out of the wreckage. After all, the entire island was essentially wiped out. His competitors
left but he stayed put. He was determined to help the entire area rebuild and revitalize the local economy with
jobs and opportunities. Thankfully, Fernando Sr. is not afraid of a little hard work. In just three years, he rebuilt
Corral Boots to what it had been before the tsunami.

That tragedy brought the Cuadra family together as they all worked hard and made sacrifices to re-establish
the once-thriving company. As the company began to thrive once again, Fernando Sr.’s thoughts returned to
drag racing. His sons, Fernando Jr., David and Cristian were eager to try their hand at driving as well.

In 2018, Fernando Sr. returned once again to the NHRA Pro Stock racing circuit, part of the NHRA Camping
World Drag Racing Series at the time. In 2019, Fernando Jr. and Cristian joined him in the Pro Stock ranks.
David competes in Top Sportsman in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

In 2022, the Cuadras joined the Elite Motorsports family. Only three races into the partnership, Fernando Sr.’s
Corral Boots Ford Mustang made the quickest pass of his career, 6.524 seconds in Gainesville, Fla.

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