No one can say Fernando Cuadra doesn’t know how to overcome adversity.
Cuadra was competing in NHRA’s Pro Stock class in 2004, and then he had to abruptly quit because of a natural disaster.

“In 2004, we were in the Tsunami in Indonesia,” Cuadra said. “We have a business established in North Sumatran, Medan, in front of Singapore. The Tsunami just hit the business. We had 1,500 people working for us on the island and it was full of snakes and lizards and all that. So, the company was based on exotic leathers. When they called me on December 27 and said, ‘did you see the Tsunami?’ Nobody knew what was going to take place. When I saw the news and tried to call them, and nobody answered, I sent people to Singapore and it was a disaster. It was washed out completely. Family, kids, wives, everybody was gone. Died. At that time, I sold all my equipment. Sold everything including my house.”

Cuadra’s life was turned upside down and he immediately tried to figure out to how to get himself back on track.

“I was living Mexico, but I have a house in the United States and have a heavy lien on my properties and business here,” Cuadra said. “I reinvested and we’re doing it again. It took me six years to rebuild my business and 14 years to come back to Pro Stock. I sell exotic leathers and cowboy boots. We make cowboy boots for the domestic industry here in the United States. We have 29 locations to sell our product, Corral Boots.”
With his businesses succeeding again, Cuadra wanted to race Pro Stock again.

“It just so happened that I approached Greg Anderson and Jason Line, KB guys, and we had a conversation and I asked them to do me a favor and give me a chance to run in their camp,” Cuadra said. “And they looked at me and said, ‘are you ready?’ I said ‘well, I’ll see you in 48 hours at 5:45 in the morning.’ I flew from Leon (Mexico) to North Carolina and got over there at 5:15 just not to be late. They treat me better than family.”
The relationship with KB Racing formed quickly for Cuadra.

“Yeah, five or six races ago,” Cuadra said. “Then, when we got the license, Jason (Line) signed me up.”

This is Cuadra’s sixth race of the season – Epping, N.H., Denver, Sonoma, Calif., Seattle, and Brainerd, Minn., and now Indy.
Through three qualifying sessions at Indy, Cuadra is No. 13 in the qualifying ladder, with a 6.661-second elapsed time 206.67 mph.

“I came back from Mexico, got everything done and we flew back again in 48 hours,” Cuadra said. “Since then we’re having a lot of fun. My son is all excited. I have all my three sons here. We ordered a Mustang I didn’t know that they (KB) were sponsored by Chevrolet. So, I got a Mustang and Jerry Haas told me ‘you need to build another car.’ I said, ‘yeah we’ll finish the Mustang and we’ll order a Camaro for 2019.’”
Presently Cuadra is driving a Chevy Camaro, a car Greg Anderson used to campaign.

“To get the chance to try to be close enough, we’re four hundredths or five hundredths off of the whole field on race day,” Cuadra said. “Let me tell you (Saturday), we have a lot going on where we’re going to have a lot better runs (and they moved into the field at No. 13). They help me, in person, Greg and Jason and Rob Downing, it’s not that they send me somebody. First-class people. This is my first experience (at the U.S. Nationals). It is beautiful, outstanding, big, and nice.”

As for next season Cuadra acknowledged he has big NHRA Pro Stock plans.
“We already signed for 2019 all 24 events with KB with a new car,” Cuadra said. “Camaro for me. The Mustang is going to be my son’s, Fernando Jr, which will be delivered in three weeks. He’s going to run in Pro Stock. He’s getting his license in 15 days in Tulsa, Okla. He’s going to run the track, make the rounds. Also, my crew chief and friend, Julio Rodriguez, he’s coming to Pro Stock too. He was racing in Mexico. He’s going to be getting his license. He’s Dodge Mopar guy. I said, ‘fine you can have your Dodge engines.’”

Cuadra said the Pro Stock Rodriguez will drive is a 2016 Dodge Dart, the one Erica Enders used to drive.

“That car is good,” Cuadra said. “It’s not that fast like KB and he knows that, but he will make rounds and get 10 rounds before he shows up which is going to be probably in Dallas (when he makes his NHRA debut, Oct. 4-7). That will be the first appearance for him. We will have three of us in Pro Stock. We don’t know until they release the information with what’s going on here. If not, we will just get some experience in Dallas, Vegas and Pomona (the final three races of the year).”

Cuadra said his son, Fernando Jr. will compete full time in Pro Stock next season.

“Both of us are going to be racing,” Fernando Sr. said. “Hopefully, I will see them in one of the eliminations, father and son.”
Cuadra’s all-in approach to Pro Stock, and he would not have it any other way.

“This is the proper time,” Cuadra said. “All the controversy with Pro Stock this and that, this is the proper time. There is a good saying in cowboy business, ‘never waste a good recession.’ I put a little in my business when everybody is pulling out thinking that this is not going anywhere. This is the right time to get in especially with the support of KB people, they are first class.”