The newly formed Professional Drag Racers Association is ready to put stability back into sanctioned eighth mile drag racing.

The 2013 season impacted the world of sanctioned eighth mile drag racing after the popular American Drag Racing League spurred controversy among racers at the end of the season; with racers not being paid what they were owed. It may have looked as if sanctioned eighth mile racing would be a thing of the past.

However, the 2014 season looks very promising as a group of well-known racers has teamed up and formed the Professional Drag Racers Association with the mission to provide stable sanctioned eighth mile drag racing. The PDRA has a unique advantage among previous sanctioning bodies as the owners do not rely on running the PDRA as their main source of income.

“I think the main thing that separates us among other sanctioning bodies is the fact that we are all business owners,” stated PDRA’s promoter Bob Harris. “There is nobody that is affiliated with this organization that depends on this as their livelihood.”

The PDRA has scheduled eight races over the 2014 season, reaching popular venues such as Rockingham Dragway, US 131 Motorsports Park, and a special “under the lights” event at Tulsa Motorsports Park. Incorporating classes made popular by the ADRL was very important to the PDRA as the series will contest eight eliminator categories including Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous, Extreme Pro Stock, Pro Boost, Pro Extreme Motorcycle, Top Sportsman, Top Dragster and Junior Dragster.

Among these categories, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster will feature a 16 car field along with the return of contingency sponsors which will increase both the prize money and manufacture visibility.

“We are working hard to increase our contingency sponsors for our Top Sportsman and Top Dragster categories,” Harris explained. “It seems that the manufactures can really relate to these categories and it’s important for us to utilize this tool.”

Overcoming the mindset a racer may think of the PDRA being a so-called “country club” of drag racers, Harris admits “If our owners did not step up, who would be there to provide us with safe and competitive eighth mile drag racing?”

Harris believes there are two major elements missing from the sport of drag racing.  

“I believe that both family and overall fun among racers and fans is something that drag racing needs to capitalize on,” stated Harris. “We are putting the family back into the sport of drag racing. We want to make friends among the racers along with making friends with our fans. That is what will make a successful sanctioning body.”

With major talk among racers and fans in the off-season, the PDRA looks forward to its first race scheduled for April 4th-5th at Rockingham Dragway. Harris admits this will be a “stepping stone” into the future of the organization with each race continuing to build off of one another.

“The bottom line and our main goal is to have a first class racing organization that people can brag about,” assured Harris. “The ownership and leadership of our organization is very stable and we can’t wait to see what 2014 will bring.”

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