Limited Pro Stock

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! 

It is just not possible to truly narrow down this list of tractors.  Tradionally one of the higher entry submission classes, there are only 24 spots divided across two evenings of competition.  Win a points title, or finish high in one of the top points races in order to punch your ticket in to the prelims.  This is my best guess at the competitors.  

Last year the competition was intense with Kevin Lindstrom taking top on honors on the Thursday Night Preliminary and backing it up with a very impressive Saturday Night.  

Limited Pro Stock Tractors 

1)Kevin Lindstrom Hyper Harvester (NFMS Champion 2024)

2)Danny Barker Rhapsody (NFMS 2nd 2024/ITPA Champion)

3)Jerry Martin JD 5020 NTPA  Region II Champion

4)Dean Holicky Killin' Time NTPA Region III Champion 

5)Jarrod Wortmann Goliath PPL Silver Champion 

6)Adrian Cox Hickory Hooker PPL Western Champion

7)Keith Myers Weezer PPL Western 2nd 

8)Josh/Jacob Dutton Time 4.1 More PPL Silver 2nd 

9)Josh Kutz Diggin Deere Badger State Pullers Champion

10)George Beyer Side Piece Outlaw Points Champion 

11)Steve Bousema Nebraska Bush Points Champion 

12)Tyler Audet Pure Bred Red NYTPA Champion

13)Isaac Conway Operation Detonation United Pullers of Minnesota Champion

14)Colby Counce/Jed Pettus Dixie Deere Mid South Pullers Champion 

15)Ray Herren Red Power Express Did Not Run Points (Wins in Hillsboro, Fort Recovery x 2, Nashville)

16)David Novak The Mean Farmer 2nd Outlaws 

17)Chad Russell Shoot to Thrill 3rd PPL Silver 

18)Jacob Ohl Just Add Dirt 2nd NTPA Region II 

19) Randy Stuckenschneider Family Feud X-Caliber Champion 

20)Darin Ratermann Full Boar 2nd ITPA  

21)Tony McDonald Well Spent 2nd Badger State Pullers

22)Rod and Gage Schottel Ole Black Magic 3rd PPL Western

23)Garrett Boldry Smoke Fever 3rd NTPA Region II

24)Tory Keefe NTPA Region III 2nd 

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! 

Modified Four Wheel Drive

                                        

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! 

There is a lot of history in the Modified Four Wheel Drive Class.  I remember the years of my childhood sitting in the stands watching as the historical figures of the class made their attempts toward the sand pile.  Four decades later, the same excitement is there for this group to power down the track in Freedom Hall.   

Defending Champion Ted Skelton leads my list of competitors for the Wednesday Night, one and done sessions of the Modified Four Wheel Drive Class.  A tough out wherever he goes, Skelton was impressive in 2024 in Louisville.  Skelton out distanced Layne Thornton by just over a foot to take the top prize, while perenial favorite Steve Clem was third.  Thornton is back this year driving a different ride "Ram Rod", while the "Ratical" Chevy and Clem make a return as well.  

While this group doesn't contain the respective points champions of the NTPA Grand National or Pro Pulling League Champions Tour circuits, lets not rest on the fact that twelve absolutely tough running trucks make up this field.

Former Champions 

Ted Skelton 22' and 24'

Rob Foster 06' (Carmen Foster 23')

Jake Zaring 07'

Scott Phillips 08'

                        Modified Four Wheel Drive 

1)Ted Skelton The Rock (Defending Champion)

2)Jake Zaring Rule #19 (3rd NTPA GN) 

3)Rob Foster Foster Child (4th NTPA GN)

4)Scott Phillips Yankee Blue (5th NTPA GN)

5)Steve Clem Ratical (2nd PPL)

6)Justin Grace Just'n Time (3rd PPL)

7)Charlie Hinds Runnin Wild (5th PPL)

8)Ryan Thornton Back Draft (Outlaws Champ)

9)Layne Thornton Ram Rod (Outlaws 2nd)

10)Chris Taylor Grain Hollers Mafia (NTPA Reg II Champ)

11)Will Hitchcock Homewrecker (East Coast Champ)

12)Mason Brizendine Cut Loose (Dragon Motorsports 2nd)

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! 

Light Pro Stock Tractors

                                 

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! 

This class continually makes me scratch my head with just how to decide who gets in.  There are some incredibly tough tractors that finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th, in Regional Series or State Series that could come to the show and win, but continually I stick to my guns and reward points champions.  With that, there are still points champions or key event winners that I am leaving off the list.  The Utt family tractor (The Storm) finished a top the points for Pull Off Points, Jeremy Ploetz won Session 1 at Hillsboro and Session V at Tomah, and Jeff Mikloiche was the East Coast Champion.  If one or all three of these tractors are selected it wouldn't surprise me one bit.  

On this list everyone is a points Champion with the exception of last years NFMS Champion Kurt Afdahl.  Kurt was second in WTPA and NTPA Region III with the "Weekend Mistress", but with his win in Louisville 2024, I felt like he warranted being back after a hard summer of running.  Five of the twelve on my list were in last year for competition.  The top 3 return as Afdahl, Dirksen, and Cook made the winners circle.  How many of you recall the first pass Henk Dirksen made last year in Freedom Hall?

Light Pro TOP 3 2024

1)Kurt Afdahl Weekend Mistress Defending Champion/ 2nd NTPA Region III/WTPA

2) Henk Dirksen Unchained OTTPA Champ 

3)Alan Cook Black Thunder Region III/WTPA Champ

4)Kevin Banion Forgiven NTPA Region II East Champ

5)Jordan Stround Never A Nuff NTPA Region II West Champ

6)Perry Walters Smokin Up A Storm NTPA Region IV Champ

7)Matt Smith Fast Forward PPL Silver Champ

8)Luke Ross Livin On A Prayer PPL Western Champ

9)Andy Cartwright Grey Area Badger State Champ

10)Cory Frank High Standards OSTPA Champ

11) David Rieff Red Exception IPL Champ

12)Mike Weakland Just Hookin Up FULL PULL Champ

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! 

Light Super Stock

                                   

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! 

If the predictions for these hold true, the top six tractors from the 2024 NFMS Championship Tractor Pull will find their way back to the Derby City in February for a chance to win the prestigious Saturday Afternoon Session IV in Louisville. Lead by Terry Blackbourn and his teammate Codey Chizek, the Chizek team will look to add to their already dominant history in the Light Super Stock Class with eight wins dating back to 2010.  This list contains, local favorites the Phillips family (Brandon and Larry) with their tractors as well.  With each passing year the Light Supers have put on a tremendous show, and it should definitely be one to keep us on the edge of our seats.  

Former Champions 

Terry Blackbourn 16’,17’, 22’

Larry Phillips 19’

Martin Daniel 23’

                 Light Super Stock Saturday Afternoon 

1)Terry Blackbourn Considered Armed & Dangerous 

2)Adam Spiegelberg Detonator Black 

3)Brandon Phillips John Deere 7310R

4)Larry Phillips Extremely Insane 

5)Martin Daniel Over the Edge 

6)Bobby Jones Field Sobriety 

7)Daniel Northcut On the Edge 

8)Marcus Wettleson Gun Powder and Lead 

9)Codey Chizek Armed and Dangerous Excessive Force (LSS Rookie in Louisville)

10)Brian Shramek Red 

11) Frank Bohaboj Green Lightning Outlaw Champ

12) Kevin Essary Evening Thunder Mid South Champ

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! 

Super Modified Two Wheel Drive Truck

      

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! 

This class has traditionally been one that I predict fairly well on but as of the last few years the applications have increased, the champions have increased, and my percentage of successfully predicting the field has decreased.  A few new faces submitted apps, and a few historical locks for the field did not.  

For 2025, the field will immediately look different as last years champion, Jared Nelson, the Midnight Revenger, and his wife NFMS Runner-Up Bethany Nelson, did not apply for competition. I am not sure what the historical archives will tell us for how far we must go back to where, Jared or his brother Jeremy were not in the field for competition, but in 2025, they will not be.  While Jared may have been the only certain acceptance with his second place PPL points finish, Bethany and Jeremy would have received strong consideration with her success in Louisville and eighth place PPL finish, and his sixth place finish on the Champions Tour.  

Some new blood will appear in Freedom Hall on Thursday and Friday evening, but there are many returners and some former champions in this field.  My list below has three returners from last years finals; the third, fourth, and fifth place finishers Alan Cain, Donnie Sullivan, and Will Teasley.   The field will be highlighted by the respective champions from each of the national touring organizations.  With two of those three trucks making their debut in Louisville, it might be any ones game! 

Super Modified Two Wheel Drive Trucks 

1)Chase Richardson (Suffering Sanity) NTPA GN First

2)John Hunt (Taz) NTPA GN Second

3)Jessie Petro (Buckeye Hauler) NTPA GN Third

4)Donnie Sullivan (Big Stick) NTPA GN Fourth/NFMS 2024 Fourth 

5)Wesley Foster (Barbwire) NTPA GN Fifth

6)Jason Sullivan (Cornburner) PPL First

7)Michael White (Addiction) PPL Third

8)Dr. Tim Messer (Invisalign) PPL Fourth 

9)Chad Mayhill (P5) PPL Fifth

10)Richard Morris (Buffalos Chips) Outlaws First 

11)Donald Nelson (Whip It) Outlaws Second

12)Mendi Nelson Brown (Lil Whip) Outlaws Third

13)Dustin Corliss (Texas Bullseye) Outlaws Fourth

14)Cameron Paschall (High Cotton) Outlaws Fifth 

15)Will Teasley (Apex) Mid South Champ 

16)Brandon Lee (Wild N Blue) NTPA Region IV/UPOC First

17)Craig Corzine (Rekindled) ITPA First

18)Joe Schoenaman (Ol Blue) NTPA Region II SE First

19)Kurt Timmerman (Hot N Nasty) Badger State First

20)Alan Cain (Madd Maxx) 3rd 2024-8th NTPA

21)Chase Carey (Monkey Business) TNT Motorsports First

22)Crystal Willson (Her Dirty Money) NTPA Region VI First 

23)Ross and Dallas Tolliver (Pain in the Cash) OSTPA First

24)Lisa Tatum (Parts City) PPL Seventh 

Statistics 

Here is a breakdown of the numbers per organization including the member states and regional affiliations.  There are a few other vehicles that I considered, and there are a few on this list that I don't know if they applied.  It will be very interesting to see who makes the final cut.  If this list holds true, five rookies will make the field and debut in the magical grounds of Freedom Hall. 

NTPA-9 (NTPA GN-6, NTPA REG II, IV, VI)

PPL-8 (Champions Tour-5, OSTPA-1, Mid South-1, Badger State-1)

Outlaws-5

TNT-1

ITPA-1

5 Rookies 

4 Former Champions-Jessie Petro 2010, 2020, Mendi Nelson Brown 2016, 2022, Donnie Sullivan 1998, Will Teasley 2007. 

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! 

                                     

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) 

NTPA 

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)

PPL 

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! 

Dual of Fuels NFMS 2025 Prediction

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! 

Today we start with the Dual of Fuels, one of the most talked about classes in the National Farm Machinery Show for the last five years.  Putting the Diesels and the Alchohol tractors in one class has proven that any tractor can win!  In the four years of competition in Louisville, two alcohol tractors and two diesel tractors have won the Championship Finals.  In 2025, the tie will be broken. Here is my guess on the 12 tractors that will be vying for the 6 qualifying spots for Saturday Nights Finals.  

History

2020-John Strickland (GALOT) Inagural Winner 

2022-Travis Schlabach (Bone Twister)

2023-Josh Blackbourn (Considered Armed and Dangerous HD)

2024-Colin Ross (Triple By Pass) 

In this field three former champion drivers, and all four champion vehicles from the past will be entered.  Headlined by the 2024 defending Champion, and NTPA GN Champion, Colin Ross.  Ross captured eleven wins in 2024 in route to what was one of the most impressive seasons on record.  

Terry Blackbourn, the NTPA GN Super Stock Open Champion, and Jeff Hothem the Pro Pulling League Unlimited Super Stock Champion, both hit this list and will be vying for a coveted win on Saturday Night. 

Diesels 

Colin Ross- Triple By Pass 

Travis Schlabach-Bone Twister 

Kent Payne- Super Rooster 

Steve Burge- Lock N Load 

Stan/Steve Blagrave- Red Horse 

Brandon Hunt- Liv'n A Dream 

Alky's 

Terry Blackbourn- Extremely Armed & Dangerous 

Cody Chizek- Considered Armed and Dangerous HD

John Strickland- GALOT

Jeff Hothem- Fully Loaded

Jeff Hirt- Runin Bare

Neil Gettinger- Lessons Learned 

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!