Drag Illustrated Issue 139, December 2018 | Page 34

Dirt
Tyler Crossnoe joins Virginia
Motorsports Park as track manager
By Nate Van Wagnen
I
n-demand track prep specialist Tyler
Crossnoe has been named the track man-
ager at Virginia Motorsports Park, it was
announced by track owners Tommy and
Judy Franklin during a pre-race driver’s meeting
at the PDRA World Finals. Crossnoe has also
signed on for another season as the track prep
director for the PDRA.
“I’m really excited to come over here to VMP,”
said Crossnoe, 26, a 2015 30 Under 30 honoree.
“Tommy and Judy are some of the best people I’ve
had the pleasure to know personally, so to have
this opportunity to work at their facility full time
is an honor. I look forward to building the team
that’s already here and growing with the facility.”
Crossnoe has worked extensively with the
Franklins this season as the track prep director
for their eight-race PDRA series in addition to
helping with a handful of events at Virginia Mo-
torsports Park. He displayed a strong work ethic
and broad knowledge of event operations, leading
the Franklins to offer him a full-time position
for the family’s second year of track ownership.
“What we’re most excited about is having some-
one with his passion and vision for drag racing,”
said Tommy Franklin. “It’s another step in the
direction we’re trying to take the track. We’re
making a lot of changes and adding talented
people to our staff so we can be better prepared
to put on big, successful events.”
“We are thrilled about having Tyler join our
family at Virginia Motorsports Park and for him
to be back onboard with the PDRA next season,”
added Judy Franklin. “Tyler is a great person
with a positive, upbeat attitude. He’s young and
so passionate about drag racing. It doesn’t matter
what it is, he is always willing to help and will be
a great asset to VMP.”
Crossnoe’s work as a track prep specialist has
taken him to dozens of racetracks and events
around the country. His new role at Virginia Mo-
torsports Park will allow him to focus on one
facility while still working with five other tracks
on the PDRA tour.
“I’m looking forward to having a home base like
VMP,” said Crossnoe, who will relocate to Virginia
from Tennessee. “The traveling deal has been
fun for the last four years, but it’s more mentally
and physically taxing than most people realize. It
will be nice to call VMP home and still be able to
travel about once a month with the PDRA series.”
Crossnoe noted that the operations of his own
race, the Outlaw Street Car Reunion at Beech
Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky,
will continue as planned.
“Nothing is going to change with my race at
Bowling Green,” Crossnoe said. “Tommy has been
very accommodating in that area and wants me
to continue pushing that race into its sixth year.
I can’t thank him enough for that support.”
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