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Esdon Lehn powers Red Line Fever down the track at the Darke County
Fairgrounds
Tuesday in the NTPA's 8,000 lb Diesel Super Stock
competition. Lehn (Dayton MN.) finished third
with a pull of 292.490
feet. Photos by Dylan Knoop
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Big power at
the fair proves to be scary at times
By George Starks
GREENVILLE- Trucks and tractors were never built to pull excessive
amounts of weight, let alone be souped up to run massive RPM's.
Monday, that's exactly what was happening front of the grandstands at
the Darke County Fair Tuesday.
The days events started at 10 am. with the annual Darke County Tractor
Pullers Association.
Ten different classes with 142 entries filled the morning/afternoon
card.
Of the 142 entries, 40 of those fell into the classification of
antiques.
In the 5500 lb. class, 31 tractors took to the track with David
Risselman of Rushville, IN. coming home with a winning pull of 230.02
feet, nearly five feet ahead of Charlie Starky, also of Rushville.
In fact, the top four spots were held by drivers from Rushville while
the fifth position went to Tirey Latham, of Kenton Ohio.
Kirt Drew of New Madison was the top Darke County puller, finishing
ninth with a pull of 189.11 feet with a 1950 Super M.
In the 7500 lb. antique class, Lloyd Lee of Eldorado took top honors
with a hook of 231.16 on a 1954 Fordson Maj.Diesel.
Frank Marchal of Greenville was sixth with a pull of 205.385 riding a
1957 John Deere 720.
Eight, 9,000 lb. Farm Stocks took the track with Taylon Reynolds
winning it all with a pull of 344.99 feet.
The lone Darke County driver, Jack Bingham, finished seventh. Bingham
is from Greenville.
In the V8 Hotrods, it was a lady taking top honors as Priscilla Taylor
of Fletcher Ohio rolled off with a 308.63 foot hook. That wasa two feet
better that her counterpart, Barney Taylor with a pull of 304.01.
Of the seven entries, Rick Kimball of Arcanum was seventh overall at
276.545 feet.
Seven Trucks also took center stage in the 8,000 lb. Diesel Trucks with
Roger Straley of London Ohio winning the class in a 1990 Dodge and a
distance of 314.1 feet. Michael Carpenter of Greenville was second with
Derek Martin of New Madison coming home in third.
No Darke County driver won an event in the DCTPA pull but in the NTPA
that evening, it was a different scene.
The first hook of the night went to Greenville's Mike Palmer and he Red
Avenger.
Palmers test hook went 309.015 feet and Palmer took that pull and made
it stand up.
With 25 tractors in the 8,500 lb. Light Pro Stock division, the closest
puller on the night would fall well short of the magical 300 foot mark
as Kyle Woodruff of Sabina Ohio would net 291.920 for second place.
Palmer would be the only Darke County driver to post a win on the night.
In the 6200 Modified Four Wheel Drive Trucks, Darrell Varner of Midway,
KY would record a 311.720 foot pull.
In the Modified Two Wheel Drive Truck Division, Doug Theobald behind
Wicked would go 326.730 feet for the win.
in the 2500 lb. Open Modified Mini Tractors, it was Jason Hathaway of
Washington, PA. driving Honkin Donkey Black. Hathaway nearly pulled the
sled off the track, stopping with a whopping pull of 357.660 feet.
Even that was barley enough to beat out Adam Koester's Beast of Burden
at 356.875.
In the 8000 lb. Diesel Super Stock Tractors, it was Steve Burge of
Lynn, Indiana with a winning pull of 321.335 feet.
All results can be viewed on line with the DCTPA at dctpa.com and the
National Pullers on the link provided at http://www.ntpapull.com/pullresults/2015-GrnvOH-01.htm
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Crew members look over what's left of the Allis Challenger that was
driven by Kenny Bryan of
Jamestown, Ohio after it blew the engine half
way through its pull Tuesday night.
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