(Scroll down for photos and video from the national championship truck and tractor pull at the 2011 National Farm Machinery Show.)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For 41 years, the basketball court in Freedom Hall on the grounds of the Kentucky Expositions Center has been covered in tons of dirt as a different set of elite sportsmen vie for a national championship title.
The Championship Tractor Pull is held each year during the National Farm Machinery Show. This year’s pull featured five pulling classes in four days, Feb. 16-19.
Championship Tractor Pull FINALS
7,500-pound Modified Tractors: 1. Steve Bunnage, Golden Gate, Ill., Takes A Lickin, Full Pull / 223.32; 2. Bill Leischner, Weldon, Ill., Rockstar Energy Drink Dirtslinger, Full Pull / 214.36; 3. Bob Jostock, Lapeer, Mich., Wild Child, Full Pull / Did Not Hook; 4. Jeff Gueningsman, Winsted, Minn., Aftermath, 240.73; 5. Adam Bauer, Paton, Iowa, Cross Threaded, 239.38.
9,300-pound Super Farm Tractors: 1. Rodney Davison, Cosby, Mo., Red Iron, 244.19′; 2. Norm Kavan, Cedar Bluffs, Neb., Magnum Force, 241.52′; 3. Larry Sheets Jr., Williamport, Ohio, Red Rider, 241.00′; 4. Blain Fraker, Marshall, Ill., The Agitator, 240.39′; 5. Rodney Deck, Winside, Neb., Dream On, 237.49′.
Shawn Wildermuth, Lewistown, Ohio, finished eighth overall aboard The Replacement Deere, with a pull of 236.44 feet.
6,200-pound 2WD Super Modified Trucks: 1. Ricky Long, Glasgow, Ky., Willy Makit, 232.87′; 2. Randy Petro, Camden, Ohio, Kathy’s Komplaint, 224.28′; 3. Jeff Writsel, Orient, Ohio, At It Again, 224.20′; 4. Bill Oberste, Harrisonville, Mo., Missouri Gambler, 222.97′; 5. John Mumma, Philo, Ill., After Midnight, 222.87′.
8,200-pound Super Stock Tractors: 1. Brandon Hunt, Oak Grove, Ky., Livin A Dream, 236.79′; 2. Brian Shramek, Williamsburg, Mo., Young Blood, 233.28′; 3. Matt Goodwin, Farnhamville, Iowa, The Intimidator, 224.83′; 4. Steve Burge, Lynn, Ind., Lock N Load, 220.54′; 5. Stan Blagrave, Ackerly, Texas, Red Horse, 215.55′.
8,000-pound Super Stock Alcohol Tractors: 1. Frank Keener, Ashland, Ohio, XXX, 245.74′; 2. Jordan Lustik, Eighty-four, Pa., Silver Bullet, 242.76′; 3. John Evans, Wilmington, Ohio, Big Toy II, 239.15′; 4. Terry Blackbourn, Newton, Wis., Extremely Armed And Dangerous, 238.45′; 5. Tim Howell, Wilmington, Ohio, Ryans Toy II, 236.66′.
10,200-pound Pro Stock Tractors: 1. Lance Little, Tuscola, Ill., True Grit, Full Pull / 241.42; 2. Don Masterson, Grandview, Ind., Tinker Toy, Full Pull / 214.09; 3. David Justison, Hillsboro, Ill., Living The Legacy, 242.22; 4. Jeff Sapp, Huntsville, Ill., Big Country, 238.9; 5. Brian Shramek, Williamsburg, Mo., Git Er Dun Deere, 236.36.
Here are your top finishers in each pull leading up to the finals:
8,200-pound Super Stock Tractor, Feb. 16:
1. Brandon Hunt, Oak Grove, Ky., Livin A Dream, Full Pull / 241.15′; 2. Brian Shramek, Williamsburg, Mo., Young Blood, Full Pull / 240.21′; 3. Mark Ulmer, Menno, S.D., Lost, Full Pull 231.61′.
From Ohio, David Siefert, of New Washington, and his Renegade Deere, finished in eighth, with a pull of 240.44 feet, and Mike Beck, of Napoleon, went 216.95 feet with the High Tech Redneck.
7,500-pound Modified Tractors, Feb. 16:
1. Bob Jostock, Lapeer, Mich., Wild Child, 243.66′; 2. Bill Leischner, Weldon, Ill., Rockstar Energy Drink Dirtslinger, 239.66′; 3. Jeff Gueningsman, Winsted, Minn., Aftermath, 235.92′.
From Ohio, Keith Horse, of Ansonia, finished 14th, with a pull of 213.80 feet aboard The Fury, and John Evans, Wilmington, had some problems and went only 73.64 feet with Double Stuff.
10,200-pound Pro Stock Tractors, Feb. 16:
1. David Justison, Hillsboro, Ill., Corn Fed, 242.41′; 2. Brad Moss, Adairville, Ky., Young Buck, 236.10′; 3. Tim Brinkmeier, Warren, Ill., Fuelish Pleasure, 235.80′.
Larry Shope, from Bellville, Ohio, finished sixth with a pull of 232.34 feet on the Iron Dragon tractor.
6,200-pound 2-WD Super Modified Trucks, Feb. 17:
1. John Mumma, Philo, Ill., After Midnight, Full Pull / 232.73′; 2. Jeff Writsel, Orient, Ohio, At It Again., Full Pull / 228.45′; 3. Jared Nelson, Altamont, Ill., Rockstar Energy Drink Midnight Revenger, Full Pull / 219.99′.
Another Ohio driver, Jessie Petro, from Camden, finished with a pull of 222.30 feet on 2timin’.
9,300-pound Super Farm Tractors, Feb. 17:
1. Shawn Wildermuth, Lewistown, Ohio, The Replacement Deere, Full Pull / 239.46′; 2. Rodney Davison, Cosby, Mo., Red Iron, Full Pull / 233.82′; 3. John Kutz, Fort Atkinson, Wis., Diggin Deere, Full Pull / 228.22′.
Julia Conny, Beloit, Ohio, on the Mac Daddy, finished 15th with a pull of 230.77 feet.
8,000-pound Super Stock Alcohol Tractors, Feb. 17:
1. Terry Blackbourn, Newton, Wis., MX255, 241.53′; 2. Terry Blackbourn, Newton, Wis., Extremely Armed And Dangerous, 239.97′; 3. Jordan Lustik, Eighty-four, Pa., Silver Bullet, 236.51′.
This class drew several top drivers from the region. John Evans, Wilmington, Ohio, finished fourth, with a pull of 235.97 feet aboard the Big Toy II. Tim Howell, Wilmington, Ohio, followed in fifth place, with a pull of 232.27 feet on Ryans Toy II. Ashland, Ohio, puller Frank Keener placed sixth with a pull of 229.77 feet on XXX; Kevin Campbell, Washington, Pa., pulled 223.40 feet aboard Controlled Chaos to finish eighth.
Larry Roberts, Wilmington, Ohio, pulled 224.58 feet on The Big Toy to place ninth. Jordan Lustik’s second tractor, Silver Bullet Reloaded, went 209.73 feet for 12th place.
9,300-pound Super Farm Tractors, Feb. 18:
1. Blain Fraker, Marshall, Ill., The Agitator, Full Pull / 234.00′; 2. Rodney Deck, Winside, Neb., Dream On, 245.5′; 3. Larry Sheets Jr., Williamport, Ohio, Red Rider, 244.52′.
The other Ohio driver in the class, Dean Wildermuth, of Lewistown, finished seventh, pulling 241.02 feet aboard The Replacement Deere II.
6,200-pound 2-WD Super Modified Trucks, Feb. 18:
1. Randy Petro, Camden, Ohio, Kathy’s Komplaint, 230.77′; 2. Bill Oberste, Harrisonville, Mo., Missouri Gambler, 228.51′; 3. Lisa Tatum HardInd., Bardstown, Ky., Full Throttle, 227.12′.
10,200-pound Pro Stock Tractors, Feb. 18:
1. Don Masterson, Grandview, Ind., Tinkertoy, 237.24′; 2. Randy Bader, Monroe, Wis., No Fear Deere, 233.57′; 3. Brian Shramek, Williamsburg, Mo., Git Er Dun Deere, 233.12′.
From Salem, Ohio, Carlton Cope finished seventh with a run of 231.07 feet aboard Warpath, and Mike Linder, of Edison, Ohio, went 230.20 feet with Linder Brothers, to finish ninth.
6,400-pound Lightweight Super Stock Tractors, Feb. 19:
1. Brian Korth, Newton, Wis., MX210, Full Pull / 243.97′; 2. Marcus Wettleson, Postville, Iowa, Gunpowder & Lead, Full Pull / 230.52′; 3. Todd Maedge, Marine., Ill., Monkey Mayhem, 238.61′.
7,500-pound 4 X 4 Super Stock Diesel Trucks, Feb. 19:
1. Van Haisley, Fairmount, Ind., Rock Hard Ram, Full Pull / 235.22′; 2. Shane Kellogg, Forest, Ohio, Gotta Have It, Full Pull / 228.29′; 3. Curt Haisley, Swayzee, Ind., Off Constantly, Full Pull / 208.25′.
Wayne Greier, Salem, Ohio, finished fifth with his Resurrected Ram and a pull of 232.36 feet. Carl Atley, Xenia, Ohio, took sixth place with the Lethal Weapon, going 232.20 feet, and Calvin Miller, Guys Mill, Pa., placed seventh, pulling 210.68 feet with his Runnin In The Red.
Cory Atley, Cedarville, Ohio, placed 10th with his truck, Agstremely Hooked, going 156.26 feet.
10,200-pound Pro Stock Tractors, Feb. 19:
1. Chris Cain, New Palestine., Ind., Aces Wild, 242.16′; 2. Troy Bader, Monroe, Wis., Forever Green Edition, 240.25′; 3. Dustin Hook, Fulton, Ill., T-bone., 233.93′.
Also pulling from Ohio, Kevin Schmucker, Louisville, finished fifth aboard Rampage, going 230.61feet.
Monte McCoy, Warsaw, Ohio, finished seventh, pulling 229.66 feet with his Dusk Till Dawn tractor.
Wayne Greier, Salem, Ohio, and Resurrected Ram
Carl Atley, Xenia, Ohio, and Lethal Weapon
Marcus Wettleson, Iowa, Gun Powder and Lead
Curt Haisley
Chris Cain, Ace’s Wild, winner of the Saturday afternoon pull, 10,200-pound pro stock tractor class.