Lincolnton Saturday Night

The second night of Lincolnton is in the books!  The track was much more favorable this evening for the competitors of the Champions Tour and required a tremendous amount of power.   Below are the results from tonight’s competition.  My thoughts on the event will be posted early in the coming week.

 

ULSS

1)Taking Care of Business Aaron  Hull 303.95

2)Bambi Duane Keener 300.53

3)Lesson’s Learned Neil Gettinger 299.35

4)XXX Frank Keener 295.16

5)Out of Time Aaron Hull 285.91

6)Fully Loaded Jeff Hothem 283.15

7)Runin Bare Jeff Hirt 281.99 

TWD 

1)After Midnight John Mumma 307.79

2)MAV TV Keith Long 306.91 

3)Big Ed Red Donnie Sullivan 301.70

4)Midnight Madness Jordan Nelson 301.46

5)Midnight Gambler Jeremy Nelson 299.50

6)Lil Whip Donald Nelson 298.71

7)Ridin Dirty Keith Long 298.70

8)General Tire Cutting Edge Grayson Shelton 295.76

9)Gamblin After Dark Mark Austin 295.62

10)Midnight Revenger Jared Nelson 295.29

11)Full Throttle Lisa Tatum 292.90

12)Stimulus Package Chris Smith 292.18

13)Parts City Tony Tatum 290.99

14)Driller Tim Messer 285.38 

Modified 

1)Takes A Lickin Steve Bunnage 317.43

2)75^th Edition Joe Eder 313.08

3)Mr. Twister Scott Tedder 305.15

4)Mav TV/Lucas Oil Ricky Long 298.99

5)Shannon Leischner 298.16

6)Shel-Shocked Stan Shelton 293.67

7)Down and Dirty Michael Stewart 287.92

8)The Apache Darrick Barga 282.92

9)DirtChallenger Shannon Leischner 281.68

10)Texas Bullwhip Donald Nelson 272.17

11)The Judge Ron Barga Jr. 266.25

12)The Kentuckian Wayne Sullivan 216.16

Lincolnton, North Carolina

Night one in Lincolnton, North Carolina is in the books and was a success!  The track left many veteran pullers scratching their heads as they needed to find a means to get the rear tires hooked and pulling.  The folks of North Carolina were thrilled to have pulling back in Lincolnton after a few decade hiatus. 

Full results are posted below for the three classes of action.  Pulling will resume tomorrow evening at 7pm EST. 

Modified Tractor

1 Takes a Lickin Steve Bunnage 314.64

2 Mr. Twister Scott Tedder 286.18

3 The Judge Ron Barga Jr. 285.25

4 Kentuckian Wayne Sullivan 281.16

5 Dirt Challenger Shannon Leischner 271.51

6 Texas Bull Whip Donald Nelson 257.02

7 Mav TV/ Lucas Ricky Long 251.59

8 Dirtslinger Shannon Leischner 243.74

9 Shel-Shocked Stan Shelton 233.01

10 The Apache Darrick Barga 219.28

11 Down and Dirty Michael Stewart   178.68

12 75^th Edition Joe Eder 174.92

Super Modified Two Wheel Drive

1 Donald Nelson Lil Whip 314.31

2 Jordan Nelson Midnight Madness 308.73

3 Jared Nelson Midnight Revenger 306.56

4 Jeremy Nelson Speedco Midnight Gambler 304.31

5 Tim Messer Driller 297.62

6 Mark Austin Gamblin After Dark 290.39

7 Keith Long Mav TV 285.60

8 John Mumma After Midnight 280.06

9 Tony Tatum Parts City 269.12

10 Donnie Sullivan Big Ed Red 268.25

11 Chris Smith Stimulus Package  265.64

12 Grayson Shelton General Tire Cutting Edge  364.89

13 Lisa Tatum Full Throttle 257.47

14 Keith Long Ridin Dirty 254.86

Unlimited Super Stock 

1 Jeff Hothem Fully Loaded 295.76

2 Aaron Hull Taking Care of Business 285.44

3 Aaron Hull Out of Time 280.76

4 Neil Gettinger Lessons Learned 274.55

5 Duane Keener Bambi 273.45

6 Billy Keener XXX 255.62

7 Jeff Hirt Runin Bare 195.67

Do you know Larry Koester?

2010 photo of Larry in action!

Do you know Larry Koester?  Sure, I am confident you could pick him out at a tractor pull or in a room full of people, but do you truly know him?   Do you know the family man that he is?  Have you seen his eyes well up and his heart melt at the site of his granddaughter?  Do you know the successful businessman that operates a company from his home in Wadesville, Indiana?  Have you looked beyond the surface to gather an understanding of how this man has become the giant that he is in so many people's lives?

I ask these questions not to exude some arrogance for the knowledge I have of Larry and his family but more to encourage all of you to look beyond his initial appearance and see the real him.  Don't just allow yourself to assume you may know his character because you watched him make a full pull or heard him ask for help for the kids of Northwest Ohio.  Those actions are daily. They are ingrained in the man that is Larry Koester and are more of the makeup of this man than a measure of his character. 

Carsen meets Grandpa!

As you all know, I often draw on my childhood in the sport to find comparisons and a stronger understanding of what truck and tractor pulling is today.  As a child growing up within pulling there were few people that impacted my life more than Larry Koester.  I knew Larry Koester before he was the successful professional tractor puller that spent his off season at appearances and meet and greets for his sponsor Shell.  I knew Larry Koester when he traveled the circuit with a Chevy dually and a short enclosed trailer, but my true understanding of who he is didn't occur until I looked beyond Larry's physical appearance and saw the man he is inside.  The lessons that Larry can teach one are immeasurable and grow depending upon the amount of time you can invest with him.  

The big walk, as he escorts Ashley!

To see Larry standing tall on his daughter Ashley's wedding day was truly an experience that I will never forget, but to those who know him, there are no legs to be worn that can make him as tall as we see him already.  Larry is a loving husband, a proud father, a successful businessman, a professional puller, a tireless philanthropist, but most of all he is real.  He has the ability to share a moment with everyone; from a young boy who Larry helped gain a wish with the Make a Wish organization, to an adoring fan on the sidelines at a pull or a Fortune 500 Companies CEO, Larry can look a person square in the eye and gain their respect for more than just his character in the face of adversity.

What makes this man tick is an undying self motivation, a focus on being successful and a true devotion to go above and beyond the norm.  His passion and zest for life are contagious, spreading through his inner circle like a wild fire.  He stays grounded by pouring himself into the things his most passionate about, his family, his friends, pulling and music.  Did I ask if you knew of Larry's love of music?  Have you heard his baritone voice belt out an Elvis song?  If you haven't heard him sing, I challenge you to join in on one of the impromptu karaoke sessions conducted on his John Deere Gator after a pull.  Watching him sing will only punctuate Larry's strong passion for life!

Larry signs autographs with Bill Goldberg!

One may ask the question, how do I know Larry Koester?  The answer is simple.  Though I have grown taller, Larry still reaches my height in every occurrence.  Larry's favorite saying is:  "You don't need feet to kick butt".  What Larry has taught me is you don't need feet for a lot of things especially the measure of a man.

Do you know Larry Koester?  Do you truly know him?

Photo credit to Tracy Waters

Grayson Shelton is the new man in town!

Photo Credit Jesse Post JP Pulling Productions

Since he was a little boy, Grayson Shelton has been his fathers sidekick as they traveled across the country to pulls on the circuit.   Though he may not have a full memory of all of the trips he made as a young man, one memory rings true and that was at the age of ten when someone asked him if he would drive a pulling truck someday?  The young man from New London, North Carolina was quick to answer the question with a very simple, Heck Yes!  From that moment, the next generation puller began to pay a little bit more attention, but it wasn't until a few years ago that Grayson began making mental notes in preparation of the time when he would be able to strap in behind the wheel of 2500 horses.  With full intentions of having his chance to pull in the future, Grayson began to ask his father pulling legend Stan Shelton more and more about pulling.  Having shared such a special bond of loving the sport, Stan couldn't have been more proud to share his knowledge with his son and over time he began to give more team responsibilities to Grayson.   What the high schooler took with him into his debut last weekend in Saluda, South Carolina was a an open mind and a willingness to learn a new facet of the sport.  "We tried really hard to make sure that Grayson was prepared to do all of the little things that add up before he would actually begin his pull.  It can be trying for a puller to get backed up to the sled and remain composed.  Grayson practiced backing up to me at home before we left for the pull and I felt like he was prepared to just focus on driving," stated a proud father Stan.

As a proud father stood track side on Friday night, a nervous son worked his way back to the pulling sled.  After pulling forward just slightly to tighten up on the drawbar, Grayson took a deep breath to compose himself and then bent the throttle over on his General Tire Cutting Edge Ford.  Just about ten seconds later, Grayson found himself floating through the air as he powered down the track, which was all part of the plan his father had set up for him.  "We wanted him to have to drive the truck so we did not weigh the front of it down.  Grayson did a great job driving the truck and gradually applied the brake to bring the front of the truck back down," added Stan.

Photo Credit Jesse Post JP Pulling Productions

As an avid hunter and outdoorsmen, Grayson has developed a tremendous amount of patience and maturity for a young man.  Both maturity and patience are attributes that his father and team believe will allow him to grow and experience longevity behind the wheel of a truck.  For now Grayson will focus on winding down his sophomore year at North Stanly High School with full intentions of spending a summer on the road with his new truck and his mentor father!    
 

Miles Beyond 300 took a minute to catch up with Grayson after his big weekend in Saluda for a Question and Answer session .

Can you describe the way you felt leading into the pull and how it felt to burn the tires in with your Ford Ranger?
My first pass in the truck meant so much to me after watching all those years and then finally getting my chance to drive was just indescribable.

What did you learn from Friday Night to Saturday?
One thing I learned in transition from Friday night to Saturday night was driving style.  On Friday night, the plan was just the typical ease into the throttle and get the truck going, but on Saturday night, my dad told me to get after it a little quicker, which I did.

What was the most challenging point of the run for you?
The most challenging part of the run was the first part and easing into the throttle in attempt to avoid burning the tires off the truck.

Was it as easy as you may have thought or more difficult?
Going into the pull I was thinking that I had a good idea at what I was doing and how to drive the truck.

Photo Credit Jesse Post JP Pulling Productions

What is it like being the youngest person in the league?
Being the youngest puller in the league is so cool.  My dad and crew member's tell me that since I am a rookie, nothing is expected out of me.

Other than your father did you receive advice from your competitors?
I didn't really receive any advice from my competitors, but they were all wishing me luck telling me I would do fine. Most of them came up and shook my hand after the pull and told me I did a great job which really meant a lot to me.  It just goes to show what a good group of competitors the Pro Pulling League has!

Can you describe your experience in Saluda in a word?
One word to describe Saluda...Incredible.

Were you nervous, What did you do to manage your nerves?
I wasn't really nervous until the television interviews started and I started suiting up to compete.  When I got in the truck and all ready to go, I was nervous beyond belief!

Did you develop any sort of ritual you hope to follow with each pull?

Photo Credit Jesse Post JP Pulling Productions

Before every pull I like to take a deep breath and relax.  I just try to tell myself that this is my time to shine, and it's just me and my truck.

What are your goals as you head into your rookie season?
My goal for each pull is to beat one more competitor than I did last time and hopefully have good finishes by the end of the season.

What did your dad tell you after you drove off the track? 
My dad told me when I drove off the track that I did a great job, which meant a lot to me!  My dad is my mentor and the person I look up to.  Pulling is our thing together as we get to spend a lot of time throughout the summer traveling, and I am so excited as we plan to pull together this season.

What advice would you give to the ten year old boy or girl who is dreaming of being in your shoes someday?
Pay attention to the game and learn everything you can.


Special thanks to Grayson and Stan Shelton for sharing this story with Miles Beyond 300 and to Jesse Post of JP Pulling Productions for the photos. 

Watch Grayson take a ride over the weekend, as well as his father's first pass of the season on Shel-Shocked! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM67DCHyWlE

Mother Nature delays debut!

Last night's exciting debut of the two modified tractors we revealed on Miles Beyond 300 was delayed by rains that swept in during the two wheel drive class.  Four competitors of the sixteen entries made full pulls and were slated to come back to settle the score when in the middle of it all came a downpour.  The four trucks were last years point's runner-up Brad Moss Ridin Dirty, the point's champion Jeremy Nelson Speedco Midnight Gambler, Jared Nelson Midnight Revenger and John Mumma After Midnight.  These four trucks split top honors as the focus will now move to Saturday Nights competition at the Saluda Young Farmers Spring Pull!

Top Ten
1 Brad Moss
1 Jeremy Nelson
1 Jared Nelson
1 John Mumma
5th Tony Tatum
6th Jordan Nelson
7th Lisa Tatum Hardin
8th Chris Smith
9th Mark Austin
10th Wayne Sullivan

Long time coming!

Ask any of their friends in the sport of pulling and you will hear the same story; the story of the Long Brother's discussing the topic of building a modified tractor for several years.  However, it wasn't until the last couple of years that the discussion became serious.  Very few people are as observant to the happenings of the modified class as Keith and Ricky have been over the last few years. Their attention became more focused when their close friend and competitor, Stan Shelton, decided to make the jump and build a mod to run with the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League. 


The Long Brother's have been involved in the sport for over 30 years as their dad, Billy Long, competed out of Glasgow with a 540 International Super Stock tractor on alcohol.  Shortly after Billy debuted his 540, Keith debuted an International 460 which he ran for many years on the circuit.  Competing in the Super Stock class may have been Keith's introduction to tough competition, but his passion quickly turned to Two Wheel Drive Trucks.  In the late 1980's, Keith debuted a Chevy S-10 known as Long Gone.  The S-10 was campaigned from the late 1980's to the mid 1990's when Keith sold the truck and got a 23 T known as the Varmit.  In 1993, Ricky Long made one of the best pulling choices he could make when he purchased his first two wheel drive truck from Billy Johns.  Johns, a native Kentuckian, had made a name for himself on the national and state circuits with his hot pink Willy's known as Willy Makit.  The name came with the truck, and from the early 90's until February 2012, Ricky was the pilot of one of the most recognized trucks in the sport, Willy Makit.  In the late 90's, the Long's really began to hit their stride and became known as two tremendous threats at every event they rolled into, but the 90's were only an introduction of things to come.  In 2000, Keith built a new Chevy S-10 known as the Bullseye, and he seemed to predict the future as that truck became one of the most revered trucks in the class.  From 2007 to 2010, Ricky and Keith claimed three of the four Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League Champions Tour Titles.  In 2010, they added to their program with a sweet running Chevy S-10 known as Ridin Dirty.  Dirty, as the Long Brother's refer to it, has been one of the most consistent trucks in the class since its debut.

In 2012, Ricky and Keith Long said good bye to an old friend and welcomed in a new.  Willy Makit was sold to the Barbee family of Springfield, Tennessee to make room for a brand new toy the MavTV sponsored Modified.  The chassis was built over the winter by Modern Machine in Van Buren, Indiana and will house four Miner Brothers racing Hemi's, which the Long's have become known for over the years.  The excitement is building for the Long Brother's as they near the debut of their newest pulling machine tomorrow evening in Saluda, South Carolina.  If history has anything to do with it, the Long's can find strength in the fact that their friend Stan Shelton won the points championship debuting a new tractor last year with the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League, and they know they have found the winning combination before.

Throughout this process Ricky and Keith have worked to reaffirm one another that they have made the right choice in choosing to run a modified, but if you ask their father, chances are he would tell you that they are crazy!

Big shoes to fill for the "Kentuckian"

There is truly no doubt that one of the most recognized names in the sport of truck and tractor pulling is Sullivan, but what may even surpass their last name is their pulling vehicle's name, the Kentuckian.  What began as a single engine modified with Rodeck power in the early seventies, grew to a three Rodeck combination in the nineties.  When the final pass was made on the old Kentuckian, a new Super Modified Two Wheel Drive Truck was built that featured the all too familiar name.  Understand that the driving force for the Sullivan Team and secret to success was their tight knit family.  As the family continued to grow so too did the roster of capable drivers who were just waiting for a chance to jump into the seat of one the nationally renowned pulling machines they brought from Warsaw, Kentucky.  Whether it was the single engine Papa Smurf or the Chevy S-10 aptly named the  Tuff Cookie fans from around the country began to take notice of the entire family from the Bluegrass state.

The father of this pulling family was Hansel who  got the ball rolling many decades ago and if he were here today, it is a certainty that he would be grinning from ear to ear with all that his namesakes have achieved.  What began with a Ford tractor has grown exponentially over time.  In the seventies the team relied heavily on who I refer to as Daddy, Wayne Sullivan,  for the driving duties. In the eighties Wayne’s late brother Eddie jumped into the fun with his Underdog four wheel drive and Underpup two wheeler.  Quickly on the heels of their Uncle Eddie were Wayne’s oldest boys Donnie and Danny.   Donnie has piloted a large variety of vehicles from a single engine mod, a dual turbine and of course a barrage of Two Wheelers.  Danny has been very active in the two wheel drive class since the late eighties having piloted the  Young Gun, Tuff Cookie. and Thumper all before the two most recently family driven Rentawreck and Hansel Sullivan Memorial Chevy.  In the mid nineties, Donnie and Danny introduced their little brother to the saddle of a blown two wheel drive in the form of the Kentuckian Chevy S-10.   Paul darn near took the ring home with him from Bowling Green, Ohio in the very early stages of his driving career and from time to time finds himself in the saddle of his dad’s Big Ed Red.  Waiting in the wings of this pulling dynasty is the fourth generation of drivers, Donnie’s son, Brandt.  Brandt not only has spent a life time following his grandfather, uncles and father all over the country but he has also developed his own personality within the sport.  It is certain that it is in his blood as he awaits his shot to bend the throttle over on one of his families’ vehicles very soon.  

The name the Kentuckian has not been used by the Sullivan family for many years but in 2012, the name has been revived with a new Modified tractor.  The tractor was constructed to compete in the Modified classes with the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League Champions Tour and the NTPA Grand National Light Unlimited class.  Having been some of the forefathers of the modified class it is only right for them to find their way back to the saddle of a multi engine tractor.  This weekend as the Champions Tour for the Lucas Oil series kicks off in Saluda, South Carolina, Wayne Sullivan will strap in for the maiden voyage of the new and improved Kentuckian.


Tractor Specs 
The chassis was formerly owned and run by Ken Veney Funny Farmall
The sheet metal was done by Ted and Tony Dibble at Binder Lite and is an exact replica of the old Kentuckian, which featured a Massey Harris shroud. 
Power will be found in the form of the 3 Hemi's mounted right in front of the driver.  The Sullivan's run a variation of a Sassy Racing Engine.