Friday National Farm Machinery Show 2004 (originally posted February 16 2004)

Published January 26, 2009 01:56AM, by Jake MorganViewed: 3909 times

Friday Night NFMS

A capacity crowd at Freedom Hall as usual. We’ve got two extremely tough tractor classes tonight with an excellent two-wheel drive truck class sandwiched in between. It will surely be a great show. I’d like to give 2 thumbs up to the selection committee this year for all the classes, this show truly has the best of the best and there are no pullers who don’t deserve to be here, and just being invited is a victory.

Superfarm are set to get us rolling.

Larry Wolff Wolfgang’s Warrior, the JD 4255 has been stout here in the past. Larry eases the big deere out of the hole right of center. It’s a great pass again for the deere. Larry pulls back on the throttle and easily puts the deere into the sand pile. He’s almost got the back tires touching the sand when he come to a stop, the crowd erupts and larry is marked at 249.01
John Hoffman and the Mark 50 Case IH stands it up tall and heads straight down the right side of the track. He’s back on the wheelie bars twice and has a strong run, the front weights are just hanging over the sand and he’s measured at 242.87.
Massey Fans, you can’t find a cleaner tractor to root for than the Superhick of the Batliners, David doing the driving. The big perkins v-8 fires up on the line. The v-8 has a great sound and these guys are gaining all the time. They are becoming a threat in this class. The big perkins has tons of torque and the V-8 lugs David out to a real strong pass. David is a few feet off the pace, they don’t snuff the motor but the clutch says there ride is over 236.36. Keep an eye on these guys in the coming years
Michael Fanning and the White IH known as the bad habit starts out right of center. The tractors wants to head left but he gets it straightened around and he runs out of boost at 232.76
Daryl Bax and the new Holland know as Hyper Active. I’ve never seen this New Holland before but it is great to have a little extra color in the Superfarm class. Right of center and the New Holland builds boost. The motors sound pretty good but he is probably giving up a few cubes to the top tractors. He new get the front off the ground and drives his way straight down the track. The motor labors hard as the itres are locked into the track and he comes up shy of the mark at 220.59. Nice pass for a rare New Holland.
Justin Kavan driving the Magnum Force, and these guys are tough. Justin is right of center and the binder roars down the track and easily joins the pulloff with the front high in the sand at 247.81
Another extremely stout Superfarm on the line, Mike Linnehan from Sparta Wisconson and the Green power. Mike is no stranger to winning and could easily join the pulloff. Mike hammers it out of the hole, and big damage on the green power, Mike starts to build boost and the tractor just snaps in half. The transmission housing just let go, the tractor folds in half, it just fold up and drops down on the bellybars. Its brakes the tie bars right in half, and I’m not sure yet if the tractor s going to leave the arena in one or two pieces. The ties bars are supposed to be capable of supporting the weight of the tractor, and they didn’t do there job tonight. Luckily no one was hurt in the accident. They get enough straps on the tractor and take it out on one mangled piece. The high lift, a mangled tractor and a low ceiling prove to be tricky getting the John Deere out of the arena. The tractor is hanging together by a thread, and I give a lot of credit to the track crew and all the pullers that chipped in to get this handle safely. Excellent job and fairly quick removal of the tractor considering. The Linnehan family has got a ton of work ahead of them to even get the tractor loaded. Im sure there will be a lot of time in the pit tonight. I wish them luck and look forward to seeing them back out on the track this summer.
Kevin Walker and the thunderstruck gets thing rolling again with a very strong run down the right hand side of the track. He spins out a 243.45 just a hair shy of the pulloff which has been set to 244
Kevin Hillenbrand with the Big bad red tractor. It’s an early Case IH tractor, basically the Case sheetmetal painted red. Right of center for the 2096, he has a good pass but never really gets the RPM up to high and he makes his pass on a ton of torque. The clutch slips a little at the end and he comes to a stop at 230.88
The Zorn Brothers on the line, Tom doing the driving tonight. They are the first ever NTPA Grand National Super Farm Champions, and a very nice pair of brothers, but Tom gets bouncing and it hurts him at 241.34.
Just got word that the Green power tractor broke completely in half after they got it out of the arena. The only thing left holding on to any thing was the blanket. The Wileman family is frantically helping get things straightened out during a very difficult time for the Linnehan Family. It’s great to see competitors pull together and lend a hand.
Don Poppe has a nice pass straight down the track and out to 240.01.
Leon Hellebush and the No Mercy tractor pulls from right to center. The front end is up and the double cuts are locked into the track. He shows good power and the great looking 1066 pulls out to 238.25
Jerry Kuehnlein hooks the green mile hard out of the hole, it stands up tall and the 6030 settle down and makes an excellent run and spins out with power to spare but just short at 241.15
Josh Miley and the new look magnum called High Maintenance has a gear too tall on the binder tonight. The motor never really sounds like it wants to come to life for josh and he struggle to get to 214.89. Disappointing hook for a great running binder
Dan Hensley and the extremely clean Hurricane Deere has a good hole shot but Dan has to pedal the brakes once or twice out to keep the deere staight and he does a good job keeping to the right side of the track at 239.60.
he 3688 War Eagle of the Kaufman family has another smooth pass just right f center. The IH makes a strong run but never gets the ground speed p and just doesn’t have the hook it’s going to take to move on to the how, a respectable 237.07.

Larry Wolff up first. Larry just eases out of the hole again and the deere pushes it’s way up onto the wheelie bars. It settle a bit and stands up tall again. A very strong pass and it is going to take a stout run to beat it at 233.23
Justin Kavan is capable of making a stout run. It’s is a real strong run by Justin just right of center but it’s a hair short 230.51. Green fans let out a roar as the Deere takes it

Twd Truck time

Dan Walsh and the Irish Challenger backs to the sled. Dan spots the sled clear to the left hand side of the track. Interesting move , the advantage of being the test puller. He has a strong pass going down the left hand side of the track with the nose of the truck in the air, and it starts drifting further left on Dan, and he drives it out of bound at the 220 ft mark. Dan decides to drop the test hook.
Dan elects to comeback immediately for his second hook. They move some weight back on the truck to keep the nose down a little lower. They have some problems getting the front clip back on a Mike Witt quickly decides to keep the show moving. Excellent decision by Mike, that’s why this is on of the best pulls in the country, quick thick decisions, and Mike keeps the show running smoothly.
Danny Sullivan and the Rent-A-Wreck dodge. Right of center on the great looking white dodge Dakota. Danny has the nose of the truck low, picked only a few inches off the track and powers out to 226.00. Good hook, the truck worked hard to get the distance so we’ll see if the class is set.
Dan Walsh and the Irish Challenger, Dan has some problems coming out of the hole, the truck finally hooks and Dan loses a cylinder half way down the track and it hurts the truck as Dan can only get to 222.60
Jeremy Nelson brings the Dodge panel van out on to the track. The Midnight Gambler is right of center and pulls toward the left hand corner. It’s a nice pass and the truck is weighted good with the front hovering 18 inches off the ground for most of his pass. He jumps right into the middle of the pack with a solid 222.95
Sabrina Reed and the Mischief Maker the white unlettered dodge Dakota sports funnly car headers and a nice low body, it a really beautiful truck. Sabrina just lays on it and it hops a few times coming out of the hole. The truck wants to hook left on Sabrina and she does a good job driving it out to 217.84. Nice pass considering the bounce.
Stan Shelton and the chopped top cutting edge sponsored by Culp Lumber spot the sled on the far left. It’s a big gamble on this Louisville track. Stan heads for the center of the track and winds up just right of center. The distances seem to be dropping and Stan can only get to 218.86
Darrell Varner and the Rare Breed. There seems to be much discussion around me as to if this is a new truck, an old truck with a new body. I’ve got my own thoughts but I sure someone out there knows for sure. Either way its not the best pass as it falls short at 209.72
Steve Jacks, Shelll Rotella Dodge, as far right as you can get and it pays off. He drifts to the left but powers his way into second place at 223.97. Very strong hook as the track appeared to be going away for the trucks
Lisa Tatum and the Full Throttle truck. The announcers ask for the ladies to cheer but I have a feeling that this driver has much more appeal for the males in the audience, just a hunch. The truck just doesn’t run perfect tonight, and it tae a near perfect pass to win here. It never cleans out and shhe works it to 210.90.
Paul Ramey and the Red Alert truck makes a stong pass, the motor ran clean, and the truck hooked up well at 100 feet with the nose going skyward, but the ground speed isn’t there and he can only muster 206.46
Richard McPherson driving his departed sons truck down the Louisville clay. Far right for Dick, the Bandit has a nice hole shot and looks to be off to the races. The motor loads up and the truck locks to the track. The horses just slowly ease down and Dick runs out of power at 199.01. Butch and Harold give a quick tribute to Jeff McPherson and Dick gets towed off the track. The crowd claps in a somber tribute to the missing Circleville Ohio native. You can hear the sadness in Butches voice and the look on his face tells the story for a number of people hear tonight.
Back to the action, its Roger Veach and a very strong run for this late in the class 217.39
Keith Long and the Bulls Eye spots the sled clear off to the right side of the track, and he rides right inside the chalk and out to 221.81. Seems like the extreme far right may have a lane.
Jared Nelson takes the brand new Full sized Chevy Midnight Revenger for a ride. Just right of center and then off towards the right hand line, a good hook and out to 220.79. The track may be coming around.
Brad Campbell and the purple Grandpa’s Toy tries the right side of the track . and the front shots up at 125 feet and then the motor lugs down, maybe a gear too tall on the truck tonight and Brad struggle to spin out at 214.32
Tom LaRue and the first bucket truck of the class, Poison Ivy make a good pass, he has the nose 3 feet in the air for most of his run, but can’t get the ground speed up and won’t join the leaders today with a pull of 214.58
Another bucket truck, this time out of the Petro stable. Kathys Complaint keeps the front end just hoverin an inch or three off the ground, he is jut right of center for the entire pass, and he never gets the ground speed out of the hole but still makes a good run for this late 220.89.
Shannon Leischner and the Dirt Slinger spot the sled left of center, it’s an awesome pass for Shannon, he keeps the truck on the left side of the track. He nailed it out of the hole and had the best ground speed in the class, he steels the victory out of the Sullivan hands on the last pass with a very impressive 227.73. With track conditions appearing to evaporate Shannon laid down one monster run. Congratulations on a very impressive win.
The truck class has been set tight all weekend but they have put on a real good show even with the tight sled.

Prostock Time

It’s one of the best in the business, it’s th Night Life of Scott Tiepen. Right of center and the tractoreases out of the hole, the motor sounds mean and the nose comes up at 100 feet. The Night Life is hooked up great and Scott lays down a perfect run and sets the mark at 229.98.
Ed Eilenfld and the Nameless John Deere. Ed drifts from right to left and he a nice pass, ed has to ride the brakes a little as he nears the left hand line and ed lays down another stout run at 226.23 This is an extremely tough bunch of tractors.
Almost amazing to be so dominate in this era of Prostock, it the Iron Dragon of Larry Shope. Larry has the same pass as the Nameless tractor, right of center and drifting towards the left 224.83
David Folz and the Runnin Behind Case. There aren’t a ton of Case Pros in the country but this is arguably the best one. Dave can make the old white Case finish with the best of them. Dead center of the track for Dave. She really light, and then lets got, not sure if it was something in the drivetran, or if it came out of gear on dave. The RPM went through the roof and Dave got bucked around in the roll cage a little. David is OK, but the tractor is hurt, and so is David pride, not really he was the Mid South champ, and he will be back to put on a great show another day.
Trent Boyd starts out right of center. The bite-n binder just screams, trent is in a low gear tonight, the big IH is revving hard and spinning the tires with the nose in the air but the ground speed just isn’t there for trent and the IH only gets to 217.44
Another IH on the line, it’s the always stout Jus’ Blowin’ Smoke IH 966. Mikes tractor looks real sleak with the nose dropped so low. Right of center and mike makes a real strong run, the motor sound good in the IH and he spins out with power to spare at 219.17.
Kraig Wileman, and the Die Hard Deere, they spent a ton of time helping Linnehans after the accdent and I hope they get a little luck of their own. The big deere is just rolling, he has a nice pass going but black smoke starts to come out from under the hood and Kraig runs out f horses at 199.01. Kraig may but like may of the Pro guy, make more power and real close to going up a gear, but just a horse or two short of being able to hold it.
Steve Boyd and the Green Streak. The big block deere is just right of center, the deere sound good but not as ood a streak II did the other night, not sure if the motr wasn’t there or if the gear was too tall but what ever the case the great looking deere was not up to snuff tonight, 215.69
Very capable Deere on the line, the immaculate Gang Green of Lance Little. Lance spots the sled clear off to the left side of the track. Lance stands the big deere up and just launches down the right hand side of the track. Lance feathers the brakes a few times, and ride three feet from the line. At 170 feet the tractor creeps to the left and lance just holds on a powers his way toward the far ight hand corner. Lances gamble pays off and the dig block deere is the new leader at 229.44.
Black IH power on the line, it Chris Mangleson and the turn me loose tractor. Chris can sure turn the RPM on the binder. Chris is just roaring down the track when the fire on the IH just goes out. It smoke and it sputters to a stop at 183.06. The noises from under the hood don’t sound good and it’s unfortunate that breakage is keeping the IH from living up to it’s potential
Don Masterson and the tinker toy. Dons winds it up and stands it on the wheelie bars. The wheelie bars dig in and don never looks back, and the front never comes down until don spins out at 228.00. It may not have been the furthest, but it sure was a pretty run for Don, good enough to shake up the order for now.
Troy Baer and the No Fear Deere. The last few pulls I’ve seen troy at he’s had problems but he is very capable, lets hope his luck changes tonight. Unfortunately for Troy it’s not the hook he wanted. The motor sound crisp, and it roars with a deep purr of a big block. Troy bounce down the track like a ping pong ball, and he shake his head in disappointment and just eases out of the throttle at 202.87. Might have be clutch problems for the Carousel Farms Deere.
Dennis Boersen and the Greenline Express spot the sled off to the left. The tractor want to go left on Dennis and he drives it like he’s a veteran here even though he isn’t. he taps the brake and rides the line by 2 inch just infront of me near the 200 ft mark. He ride the line out to 229.82. But he’s not your new leader, he’s out of bounds by just a few inches. The Deere fans let out loud boos, but it’s the right call. There has been controvery here in the past with the chalk line, but not this year, they are running a real tight ship. Compliment again to Mike Witt.
It time for the Linder Brother, they move the sled 6 feet off the left hand chalk and make a monster pass to take the lead at 230.85. They drove right down Boersons track but just a few feet to the right.
Red fans, the victory circle is looking awful green, and Bill Miller is set on the left in between Boersons and Linders tracks. The big IH is hard out of the hole. Bill has to pedal the brakes a few times to keep it in line, and the binder bucks a little and Bill runs out of horses for the gear he’s in and comes to a stop snuffing the motor at 194.96.
Jay Ruff and Brute Force are the last hook in the class. Jay looks like he has a chance to take the lead. The deere is rolling fast. Jay is looking strong and then just a quick as he got it rolling, he runs out of boost and gets under the charger.

Another Excellent session of truck and tractor pulling. And excellent pull management and supervision by Mike Witt. He kept the show running smooth and made a difficult call, and the right one.

Jake Morgan
Owner, PULLOFF.COM
Independent Pulling News

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Friday National Farm Machinery Show 2004 (originally posted February 16 2004)

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