My friends at JAK Racing Engines present my 2025 predictions for the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky. The applications have been submitted and now the hard part for the committee begins, as they sift through all of the amazing competitors and settle on a field of 192 capable champions to run for the glory in Freedom Hall!
MODIFIED TRACTORS
In previous years I have easily navigated this class to pick my twelve competitors but this year has been totally different. Many questions have arose in my mind as to who might get in to this field, and just how the committee will decide to make their strategic list of a dozen competitors for Wednesday Night.
For the sake of this post, I rewarded finalists from the previous year, and a full body of work for a points race. There are several tractors that might have ultimately made this field but didn't complete a full points race and for that helped me make my difficult choices. The three champions from NTPA, Outlaws, and PPL all finished in the top sixth last year, with Brandon Simon winning PPL, Cameron Neaves winning Outlaws, and Bill Leischner NTPA.
The addition of the Light Modified class, potentially inspires more participation in the Farm Show, as we saw Bill Voreis enter last year. Voreis found himself in a points battle with the Simon's in his first season back in the saddle of the historic "American Thunder".
Regardless of how you decide, this is a really strong group of twelve tractors. The twelve tractors actually represent five different classes with the three NTPA divisions (Light Mod, Modified, Unlimited), Outlaw, and PPL respective classes of Modified. There are really awesome tractors that don't appear on this list that might ultimately get in, or applied but receive a letter of rejection. This class is increasing in participation if you look at all the divisions.
NFMS Finalist from 2024
1) Brandon Simon Simon Sez (PPL Mod Champ/2nd NTPA Mod)
2)Cameron Neaves Cotton Candy (Outlaw Champ)
3)Tommy Owens Ramblin Rose (12th NTPA Mod)
4)Steve Bollinger Money Pit (5th NTPA Mod)
5)Les Korporal Korporal Punishment (7th NTPA Mod/5th LT Mod)
6)Bill Leischner Dirtslinger (NTPA Mod Champ)
7)Ricky Rose Giddy Up (4th NTPA Mod/ 4th NTPA Unlimited)
8)Bill Voreis American Thunder (2nd NTPA LT Mod)
9)Wayne Sullivan Kentuckian (6th Mod/3rd LT Mod)
10)Doug Theobald Full Blown Wicked(3rd NTPA Unlimited)
11)Bret Berg Money Maker (2nd PPL Mod/10th NTPA Mod)
12)Steve Bunnage Takes a Lickin (3rd PPL Mod/8th NTPA Mod/10th NTPA Unlimited)
The photos for all of my posts for the National Farm Machinery Show predictions presented by my friends at JAK, were taken and supplied by Bryan Thurston. Bryan owns Thurston Pulling Photos and he does a tremendous job of covering our sport. In 2024, he captured content at eleven different sanctioning bodies events and traveled roughly 19,000 miles. You can follow Bryan and his tremendous work on all of his Social Media outlets Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube. Thank you Bryan!
