Pulling in the crowd

July 18, 2008 11:47 pm

— Loud, jet-like like sounds roared throughout the muggy summer evening at the Cass County 4-H Fairgrounds Friday night.
The sounds weren’t produced by planes from nearby Grissom Air Reserve Base, but from the seventh annual truck and tractor pull.
From street-legal gas engine pickups to $40,000 engines and wheels as tall as the average man, five classes of trucks and tractors competed in a race to pull a weighted sled as far as their engines would allow on the 300-foot dirt track.
“It’s not how fast you go. It’s how far you go,” announced John Banet, the self-proclaimed tractor pull specialist commentating the night’s event.
People seemed content to pay $8 each to get inside. The crowd nearly filled every seat in the stands.
Most driver’s gave their rides names like, “Old Blue Goose” and “Mama’s Nightmare.”
One driver, with the phrase “O’ Lord It’s Hard to Be Humble” written on the side of his pickup truck, pulled the weight a mere 37 inches and got an “Ahh shucks” from the commentator.
Many of the Econo Modifieds, which look like a farm tractor with a long snout topped with a huge engine, made the “full pull” by pulling the weight the entire length of the track.
The tractor known as “Korporal Punishment - Consider yourself warned” made one to the applause of fans. Like several others, the tires lifted off the ground while the back tires slung dirt.
Daryl Wilder, a member of the Richland Center Tractor Pull, said, “It’s a fun ride.” He talked about the tires lifting off the ground and what constitutes a good ride — solid, smooth and straight.
Wilder’s role at the tractor pull was arranging the drivers and their machines before they were hooked to the heavy weight. Richland Center Tractor Pull was hired by the Cass County 4-H Association to operate and maintain the track.
Banet commented that track conditions were perfect, not too wet and not too dry.
Jody Thompson of New Waverly placed second in the 4X4 Street Legal Gas Pickup class in a truck he used to drive daily before gas prices jumped to more than $4. His finish pleased him, as did the $55 he won.
“It was worth it,” he said grinning wide.
The entry fee was $20 so he came out ahead financially as well as with the value of the experience.
“I just love it,” he said.
With no pressure, he took his truck plus a heavy load 250 feet down the track, only 5 feet short of the champion.
He said there is technique to truck pulling. A driver can’t just floor it.
“You got to know you’re truck,” Thompson said.
Winners got a plaque and cash prizes. Complete results were not available prior to publication.
Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com

Want to go?
• There’s another chance to see and hear the excitement of a truck and tractor pull. Day two begins today at 7 p.m. at the Cass County 4-H Fairgrounds. Entry is $8 per person.

Photos

Dan Musselman of Logansport demonstrates his truck’s power during the Seventh Annual Truck and Tractor Pull at the Cass County 4-H Fairgrounds on Friday night.

These guys may have had the best seats in the house for the truck and tractor pull at the finish-line end of the track.

Kenny Wheeldon of Burnettsville executes a what is known as a “full pull” in Mama’s Nightmare during the truck and tractor pull Friday. He took his Econo Modified tractor 300 feet.