Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) race director Bob Harris will step down from his position with the all-eighth-mile series on January 1, 2019, it was announced Sunday evening via email. Harris, who served as race director since the PDRA was formed in 2014, will be replaced by interim race director Tyler Crossnoe.
Harris’ full statement appears below:
With a heavy heart as of January 1, 2019 I’m stepping down as director of the Professional Drag Racing Association (PDRA). I have spent the last 5 years working every minute to make PDRA a great family racing association. I think I and others have accomplished that. It’s time for new blood and different ideas. I am 65 years old and for 42 years raced, owned a racetrack or headed up a racing association. It’s time to go racing with my son Jason and enjoy my grandkids. I owe it to them, my wife and myself. I would like to thank the Franklins, the racers, the crews, the families, the media, sponsors, and most of all the employees that work at PDRA. It’s time to move in a different direction and start smelling the roses. I wish the PDRA and its family of racers the very best. I plan on being in the pits with the Boone-Harris PN World Champion Team. I hope the person that takes my place does a better job and puts as much love in PDRA as I have.
Please continue to support PDRA because we need this wonderful place to race.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.
Sincerely,
Bob Harris
PDRA owner Tommy Franklin released the following statement to thank Harris for his service and to address the future of the race director position.
I’m very thankful for what Bob Harris has given to the PDRA for the first five years of existence and we wish him well and look forward to seeing him along the tour. We are very excited about PDRA’s future as 2019 is shaping up to be a great season with a lot of positive changes in store to make our show even better than it’s been in the previous years. In the meantime, PDRA has named Tyler Crossnoe the interim Race Director, so please direct any questions to him at (731) 345-9058 or [email protected].
This story was originally published on December 16, 2018. 
