Lights Super Stocks at the NFMS!

The Light Super Stock class continues to grow in popularity on the National scene, as well as the regional and state level.  The 2010 NTPA Grand National Circuit truly showed that Esdon Lehn is the King of Smoke when he introduced a new light super (Redline Light) and scared all the Alky boys with his potent IH.  I had the distinct pleasure of watching Kevin Lynn pilot Redline Light in Brandenburg, Kentucky and my mouth dropped to the ground several times over the weekend when Kevin was hooked to the sled in competition.  What Esdon's tractor proved is that a smoker can still fight with the Alky boys, and with that I am wondering how many smokers may be added to the docket for Saturday Afternoon.  The 2011 season looks to be very exciting for the Light Super Stock Class, as the Pro Pulling League has announced they will run a Champions Tour points race next season.  I again changed my rubric/criteria slightly for the Light Super Stock portion of the NFMS!  Filling the class was no easy task as there are numerous competitors that earned the right but will unfortunately not receive an invitation. 

My rubric- Unedited!
1) Start with the Saturday Night Qualifiers
2) NTPA and Pro Pulling League Top 5 Competitors
3) Points winners from the : Outlaws, Badger State, Ohio State, BOB, ITPA
4) NTPA and Pro Pulling League Top 10 Finishers
5) Region Winners for NTPA/Pro Pulling League
6) Previous Years finish at NFMS
7)Champions Provisional
8)Points Champions from other state and regional pulling associations
9)High Points Finishers from the Outlaws, Badger State, Ohio State, ITPA, BOB

Criteria 1 (Typically I would take the finalists from Saturday Night, in this instance I took the top 5 and put them in the field)
1)Brian Korth Considered Armed and Dangerous
2)Kevin Lynn 504 Rocket
3)Team Red Thunder (Norby/Pichler/Schmidtknecht)
4)Larry Phillips Extremely Insane
5)Larry Phillips Insanity

Criteria 2 (NTPA Top 5 in Points)
6)Brian Korth MX210 NTPA Champion
7)Esdon Lehn Redline Light NTPA 2nd
8)Mark Peissig The Bomb NTPA 4th

Criteria 3 (Outlaw/Mid South Pullers/ ITPA)
9)Chuck/Cory Schlueter Barn Buddy Outlaws Champion
10)Kurt Kessler JD 4430 ITPA Champion
11)Kenneth Hale Nite Trouble Mid South Pullers Champion

Criteria 4 ( I altered this to taking the NTPA/PPL top 8, rather than top 10, since there is not PPL points race we move on to the next step )
12)Jason Irvin Drunkin Punkin NTPA 6th
13)Rex Kuhn Git R Done NTPA 8th

Criteria 5 (NTPA/PPL Region Winners )
14)Travis Morphet Diehard Diesel NTPA Region II Champion

Criteria 6 (The rest of my rubric is null with the exception of step 9 which is reserved for high points finishes from organizations like Outlaws, Mid South, ITPA, BOB, etc)
I made a decision for spot # 15, out of a large pool of tractors
15)Bob Barbee Stormy (Bowling Green Top 5)

I chose to put Bob Barbee in the field over several highly competitive tractors based on his performance against the Grand National Field at Bowling Green.

Others Competitors that I considered!
Jay Fuqua Tennessee Tracks (2nd Mid South Pullers)
Mike Wilhite Blue Blazes (A proven threat on the National Circuit)
Todd Maedge Monkey Mayhem (NTPA 10th in Points/ITPA State Fair Champion)
Glen Frese Red Ink (2nd Outlaws)
Justin Hoffman Red Power (3rd Outlaws)
Al Koch The Entertainer (A legend in the class)

NFMS Super Farm Predictions !

Here you go Smoke Fans, feel free to leave your feedback!

Remaining true to my rubric, I followed along my steps almost identically as I have in previous years but I realized that it is not always going to be spot on accurate like I first believed.  In Criteria 4 of the Super Farm Class I maded a few amendments, and cut the PPL/NTPA Top 10 to 8.  In doing that it freed up three spots for me to look further, as Josh Miley PPL #10 was already a qualifer from Criteria 1.  Super Farm has alot more tractors to choose from than the Super Modified Two Wheel Drive Trucks as sanctioning bodies around the U.S. offer some form of Super Farm Class.  I chose to remain loyal to the larger sanctioning bodies for the bulk of the numbers based on the fact that last year PPL had 10 of the 30, while NTPA had 9 of the 30 when including their Regions. However, I did stick to my guns and provide a Champion from many sanctioning bodies a bid over a lower finishing competitor on a Grand National or Champions Tour Circuit.  Next class I will take a guess at is the Light Super Stock Tractor Class

Super Farm Class Predictions

Criteria 1

1)Wayne Lamoureux Fear the Deere

2)Ryan Salenbien Never Satisfied

3)Nick Skaar Screamin Norwegian

4)Darrin Hunt Dreamin Too

5)Justin Wagler Real Deere

6)Shawn Wildermuth The Replacement Deere

7)Mark Roberts Spankys Toy

8)Josh Miley High Maintenan$e

Criteria 2

9)Russell Counce Dixie Deere NTPA #1

10)Brown/Wells Green Reaper NTPA #4

11)Russ Freeze Deere Trax NTPA #5

12)Al Wright Runnin Red Hot PPL #1

13)Tom Gallitz Runnin in the Red PPL #2

14)Don Slama Fast and Furious PPL #4

15)Steve Kriedeman Pale Rider PPL #5

Criteria 3

16) Scott Holtgrew Deerestroyer Outlaws Champion

17)Randy Barreau Tool Time Badger State Champion

18)Brian/Don Rhoades Gamblin Man OSTPA Champion

19)Greg Lamb Black Viper BOB Champion

20)Larry Dean Never Enough Mid South Champion

21)Darren Pinkesh Rabble Rowser ITPA Champion

Criteria 4 (Changed Slightly- took top 8 finishers from PPL/NTPA)

22)Dean Wildermuth The Replacement Deere II NTPA #6

23)Jamie Morrow Yes Deere NTPA #7

24)Travis Wisel Irrational Behavior NTPA #8

26)John Kutz Diggin Deere PPL #6

27)Blain Fraker Agitator PPL #7

28)The Hartman’s International Addiction PPL #8

29) Dean Hollicky Big Green Tractor NTPA Region III Champion/Pullers of Minnesota Champion

30)Sietsema/Smits Wolverine Deere NTPA Region II Champion

Others in Contention

Tim Perry Road Gear Deere Pacific Tractor Puller’s Association Champion (Brother Jeff has been in the last several years) All the way from Hillmar, California

Harley Sietsema Wolverine Deere III Wolverine Pullers Champion

Adam Cox NTPA Region IV

David Pedley Wide Loose Deere NTPA Region V        

Taylor VanBeek Extreme Pleasure Outlaws Runner Up

Gerald Gerlach GForce Badger State Runner Up

Jerry Wisel Constant Conflict NTPA #9

Chad Darlage Showtime PPL #9

National Farm Machinery Predictions

Every year hundreds of competitors send their applications to the National Farm Machinery Show committee for review.  I have always loved the excitement that swarm's around the message boards in November as pullers start to receive their letters of acceptance.  Every year making the field becomes increasingly harder as competitors from around the world are now trying their hand at the "Big Show" of pulling.  In 2009, I sat down to devise a rubric of how I thought the fields would be set and who would make it in based on their seasons achievements. 

The first limiting factor is I truly have no idea who submitted an application and who did not. Secondly, I have no idea how the NFMS Committee evaluates the competitor pool and what they put the most emphasis on when reviewing applications.  Third how will they navigate multiple truck teams.  (Note- If the committee caps multiple truck teams my rubric will be incorrect)

The rubric I followed got me relatively close last year in my estimates of who would be accepted.  Certainly, I did not get everyone correct but I was pleased with the results.  Over the next few weeks I am going to release my guesses as to who I think  matches my rubric the closest.  In some cases the same truck meets numerous criteria, in that case I took the first instance and moved forward.  (ie- Petro wins NFMS 2010, Petro finishes 3rd 2010 Points)  Another major discussion revolves around multi truck teams and whether or not they should get all of their trucks in.  My philosophy in the beginning was if the trucks have seperate drivers, they are not to be considered a team.  In 2009 the Petro's dominated the NTPA circuit and rightfully earned their three trucks being in the 2010 show, it was with that I changed my mind entirely and decided to follow the rubric regardless. 

My rubric-

1) Start with the Saturday Night Qualifiers
2) NTPA and Pro Pulling League Top 5 Competitors
3) Points winners from the : Outlaws, Badger State, Ohio State, BOB, ITPA
4) NTPA and Pro Pulling League Top 10 Finishers
5) Region Winners for NTPA/Pro Pulling League
6) Previous Years finish at NFMS
7)Champions Provisional
8)Points Champions from other state and regional pulling associations
9)High Points Finishers from the Outlaws, Badger State, Ohio State, ITPA, BOB

Super Modified Two Wheel Drive Trucks

Criteria 1
1)Jessie Petro 2 Timin
2)Randy Petro Kathy's Complaint
3)Dan Walsh Irish Challenger
4)Ricky Long Willy Makit
5)Jordan Nelson Midnight Madness
6)Ryan Writsel Lucky Stryke
7)Keith Long MAV TV
8)Will Teasley Bad Boy

Criteria 2
9)Chuck Knapp Back Forty NTPA 2nd
10)Randy/Jessie Petro Buckeye Hauler NTPA 4th
11)Renee Theobald Pretty Wicked NTPA 5th
12)Ricky Long Ridin Dirty PPL 3rd
13)Wayne/Donnie Sullivan Big Ed Red PPL 4th
14)Jeremy Nelson Midnight Gambler PPL 5th

Criteria 3
15)Robert Zajicek Gun Smoke (Outaws Champ)
16)Carey Motorsports Destination Unknown/All Fired Up (BoB Points Champs Tied-1 truck in)
17)John Mumma After Midnight (ITPA Champ)

Criteria 4
18)William/Heather Beeler Fearless NTPA 6th
19)Geoffrey Bartley Lumberjack NTPA 7th
20)William/Heather Beeler Unforgiven NTPA 8th
21)Kyloe Knapp Eighty Acres NTPA 9th
22)Stan Shelton Cutting Edge PPL 6th
23)Chris Smith PPL 10th

Criteria 5
24)Jeff Writsel At it Again NTPA Region 2
25)Dustin Amundson Jack Pot NTPA Region 3
26)John Gott Sled Slayer NTPA Region 4
27)Corey Kielmeyer Beer Wagon NTPA Region 5
28) Keith Slayden American Made NTPA Region 6
29)Jared Nelson Rockstar Chevy PPL Midwest Region

Criteria 6
Doug Theobald and Lisa Tatum both were a top 10 finisher.  I gave the final spot to Tatum based on Criteria 7.

Criteria 7
30)Lisa Tatum Full Throttle Champions Provisional


Always in consideration:

Been in Numerous times
Doug Theobald Wicked Willy
Adrian Hunter The Hunter
Chase Richardson Gutted
Danny Sullivan Hansel Sullivan Memorial Pull

Solid Points Finishes elsewhere
Allen Brown Sweet Thang
Randy Wendling Broke and Busted
Bill Oberste Missouri Gambler
Oz Hay Nitroholic
Carey Motorsports 2nd Truck
Tony Tatum Parts City Auto Parts

Final Remarks
Multi Truck Teams have claimed a huge amount of spots in my rubric, this may be the flaw in how I devised my list. 
The current list has 3 Petro's, 2 Sullivans, 2 Knapps, 2 Writsels, 2 Beelers, 3 Longs, 4 Midnight Trucks (18 Trucks)
Petros- 1,3,4 NTPA
Sullivans-OSTPA Champ/Top 5 PPL and Stimulus Package Top 10 PPL Champions Tour Event Winner
Knapps-2,9 NTPA
Writsels-Top 8 Returner, NTPA Region II Champ
Beelers-6,8 NTPA
Longs- 1,2,3, PPL Champions Tour
Midnight-Jordan Nelson Top 8 Returner, Jeremy Nelson Top 5 PPL, John Mumma 1st ITPA/7th PPL, Jared Nelson Midwest Region Champion

I hope you all enjoy this!  The next class I guess at will be the Super Farm Tractors!