Team Shelton Motorsports Reveals "Cuttin Down" International 1066!

 

For years the name Shelton has meant so many things in the sport of Truck and Tractor pulling.   And this weekend it will only mean more as the next chapter of an already Best-Selling book will be written.  To further illustrate the family and their massive reach in the sport, I wanted to share some descriptive words that truly capture their impact. 

We will start with Champion; the family pedigree has led to multiple championships across several classes over the years. It hasn’t been easy to win those titles in the competitive divisions they run, while also facing hours upon hours of road miles to get from event to event.  Local pulls to these guys are eight hours away, and that has not been a deterrent to their being able to pull it off and be there to fight for a title. 

Professionalism is another very easy descriptive word to further illustrate the Shelton Family and team.  They are always presented well, attract sponsors to the sport, perform on the highest stage, and when given the opportunity to speak in an interview, they are polished and prepared to not only answer a question but also engage the audience.  

The next word is Intensity, which in truth might actually capture them the best as when you find Grayson, Reese and Camille in their element, they are geared to win. They will show raw emotion on the track in victory or defeat, and for our sport that is often needed.  A fist flying through the air after passing a leader gone, and a bow from the driver’s seat, or a head shake with a tap of the wheel are often indicators of how things went on the track. 

Welcoming, is a twofold description as it not only describes the family and their willingness to greet the fans of the sport and show them an up-close experience but also is fitting of their desire to welcome new challenges that come in form of changing classes and fighting to stay in the front, or even more switching Motorsports.  

While the words above are all true and clearly describe the Team Shelton Motorsports, it may be a word in the final paragraph that ultimately encapsulates who these hard-working men and women are.  

Challenge is defined by Websters as, “a stimulating task or problem.”  

For their most recent challenge, the family from New London, North Carolina, called upon Chaos Fabrication in Washington, Pennsylvania. Champion puller Colin Ross and Chaos Fabrication owner Kevin Campbell were tasked to help the Shelton’s align their goals and vision, by stepping into the Pro Stock class.  In adding not one but two Pro Stocks, the beautiful 1206 International formerly known as the “Red Edge Pro” of Cody Shay, and Tony Wortmann’s “Tapped Out” International 1066, to their stable, the team is stepping into an all-new class, power plant, and fuel. 

The classy look and vision Team Shelton Motorsports had in mind for the newest tractor reveal, certainly fit the style of tractors that have been produced by the amazing team at Chaos Fabrication.  It truly seems like a perfect pairing as Shelton’s attention to detail and meticulous focus on the presentation and performance couldn’t really describe Chaos Fabrication any better.

After getting the tractor, the Shelton’s stripped it down to the bare frame.  Chaos Fabrication went to work on the sheet metal and frame, with the frame rails being cut off at the roll cage and built new. The Shelton’s got the chassis powdered coated and did all the body work, and paint in their shop.  The intricacies of hiding the intercooler and focus on the sleek lines are touches that very few have presented in the class.  (If you are in Louisville, you will want to stop by Broadbent and feast your eyes on this beauty.)

Having become known for tuning Hemi’s for the Pro Modified division, and in the Modified/Mini classes, Reese Shelton has proven he has the knowledge and understanding to take the horsepower they are building and apply it to the track/conditions.  In stepping out of the Hemi’s there is a new science to learn, but as the team has only proven over the years, it will be a quick study and competitive from the hit of the throttle. 

For the fans who might be asking the same questions I did, Reese was quick to share the answers with me.  The first was why Pro Stock, and the second, why International?

Question (1)

“The Pro Stock class is something we have always enjoyed as a family.  We always knew if we had anything other than a vehicle with a Hemi, it would be a Pro.  After years of campaigning two Mods, and three Minis, it was time for a new challenge.  We knew absolutely nothing about a Pro Stock but aligned ourselves with some top-notch guys at Chaos to help us in our journey.  The learning curve is something we will tackle as a family, and hopefully be contenders in the future.”

Question (2)

“We get asked “Why Red?” quite often.  Ironically, we farm and own John Deere equipment, besides one old Super A Farmall of my late grandfathers.  In pulling we typically try to be different than everyone else and there are way more green Pro Stocks, than red, orange, blue, etc.  So, we decided to build some classic sheet metal Internationals, not to mention Chaos at the time only had the DT466 Engines combination available. It worked out all the way around and we couldn’t be happier with our decisions.”

In closing, to the outside eye, Chaos ultimately may be a descriptive word for how things would be if it was any other family but the Shelton’s.  The question is raised of how do you manage four NHRA Pro Modified Drag Cars, two Modified Tractors, three Modified Minis, and now two Pro Stocks?  How do you handle the logistics of multiple haulers heading in opposite directions for competition on the dirt or asphalt.  As the past has shown us, the Shelton’s and their loyal team from the Tarheel state will certainly figure it all out and quickly if history repeats itself. 

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