"Ladies First" in the Altered Single/Twin class
Jessi at the wheel (3267 kb mpg clip)
|
After taking a hiatus from Prairie Pullers Spring Shootout in 2011, we were looking forward to getting back into the battle. Our
2012 season officially started by attending their 8th annual pull in Des Moines. We were planning to take all three rigs so the
kids and their dad could each get in on the thrills, but unfortunately spring farm work took priority over "toy" prep
and dads tractor stayed home.
|
|
But it was still an action packed thrill ride for all of us as Jessi and Jake each pulled twice down the track. Jessi once in the
Altered class where she won some big bucks with a third place finish and once pulling with her brother in the Sport Stock class
where she was mid pack but still in the money with a ninth place run. Jake pulled once in the Pro V-Twin class and got in the money
with a sixth place run and really had a good time in the Sport Stock class where he got in a pull off with two other full pull
competitors and wound up with second place and some big bucks for himself!
|
"déjà vu" in the Sport Stock class
Jake at the wheel (4417 kb mpg clip)
|
"Ladies First" in the Sport Stock class
Jessi at the wheel (4121 kb mpg clip)
|
Jessi had alot of fun during the 2010 season running "Ladies First" in the Stock 17-20 governor class.
The only complaint heard was, "This class is kinda slow." So she practiced driving the open rpm
tractors during the 2010 season, taking turns driving the "déjà vu" and "Mercy!!" tractors.
Finally in December of 2010, her own "Ladies First", was upgraded to open rpm status for the Kansas
City pull. So for the 2011 season Jessi and the "Ladies First" tractor have moved up to the open rpm
Sport Stock Twin class. Now she's happy. Her ride has got some ground speed and some noise. And she looks good
too in her bright yellow fire suit and helmet!
|
|
Ever have the feeling after solving one problem that you've created two more?! Well Jessi practicing with
"Mercy!!" during the summer of 2010 was causing some anguish with little brother. And who can
blame him. He'd been pulling continuously since he was eight years old while during that same time she had
only gone down the track just a few times. If either of them should take over drivin' the hot rod, well it
seemed only fair that Jake should! But then there was the issue of the rules, specifically the minimum age
required for the Stock Altered Twin class. Well the KC pull in Dec '10 found Jake old enough to pilot
an Altered Twin, and he did it with ease. But that was "dad's" tractor, what should we do with
"déjà vu", retire it? No way!!! That little Cub 1200 got this family back into pulling so it was
time to give it a "makeover" and upgrade the motor to an "Altered" state of tune. The
results can be clearly seen in the video clip!
|
"déjà vu" in the Stock Altered Twin class
Jake at the wheel (4417 kb mpg clip)
|
"Mercy!!" in the Stock Altered Twin class
Jessi at the wheel (4099 kb mpg clip)
|
The kids have come a long way since piloting the twelve horse back in 2004. At the Kansas City pull in Dec '10,
their dad also practiced a new role, that of "pit crew". No driving, just assisting with weighting and
pushing. They did so well driving in KC as well as at Des Moines in the spring of 2010, and they have so much fun
flying down the track, why hold 'em back? So along with driving their own tractors they have been taking turns
with the 'ol man's too and makin' him mighty proud in the process! Just take a look at Jessi's first place run in
this clip (the clip above shows Jake in the same class finishing right behind sis for a second place in the
class).
|
|
Our 2010 season began with the 6th Annual Spring Shootout in Des Moines Iowa which is sponsored by the Prairie
Tractor Pullers from east central Iowa. We have been participants in the event since 2007. We keep learning
and each year we finish a little higher. You may be the big fish in the little pond where you come from, but at
the Spring Shootout, you're up against the rest of the big fish, and they're tough!
|
"déjà vu" in the Pro V-Twin class
Jessi at the wheel (3267 kb mpg clip)
|
"déjà vu" in the Sport Stock class
Jake at the wheel (3441 kb mpg clip)
|
We received our first payback in 2009. Out of four classes we entered, the best finish was a forth place in the
Sport Stock class. At the 2010 event, every hook we had placed in the money with the best result being a third
place in the Stock Altered class. This was Jake's third Shootout while Jessi's trip down the track was her first
in Des Moines. (note: the Shootout Sport Stock Twin class is nearly identical to our local WIGTP's Stock Altered
Twin class)
|
|
Jake did quite well in the Altered class at the Shootout, placing third out of twenty three. That class is tough
with the distance from first to second at about five inches and the distance from second to third at one inch.
We'll be watching the leader next year to see how they hold their nose!
|
"déjà vu" in the Stock Altered class
Jake at the wheel (3169 kb mpg clip)
|
"Mercy!!" in the Pro V-Twin class
Jeff at the wheel (3683 kb mpg clip)
|
Jeff's pass with the Pro V-Twins revealed the obvious differences between those rigs made for the class with
forty five cubic inch motors and the folks with thirty eight cubes. The big motors made full pulls while the
smaller motors got three to five feet less. Nonetheless, it's a fun ride and gives us an additional pass down
the track.
|
|
During the 2009 season we pulled a pair of v-twins. New for '09 was a Sport Stock Twin motor in the
déjà vu chassis. Based on an ungoverned 38 cube Kohler Command v-twin, it used stock reworked heads,
stock lift cam, with a stock plastic intake and stock Command carb on gas. It ran well enough for it's driver,
Jake, to pull off the WIGTP 2009 points championship for the Sport Stock Twin class.
|
"déjà vu" sport stock twin
Harlan '09 (4883 kb mpg clip)
|
"Mercy!!" altered twin
Kimballton '09 (4543 kb mpg clip)
|
The other tractor called MERCY!! has run in the Stock Altered Twin class since the latter half of 2007. It's
equipped with a Kohler Command 38 cube v-twin with a flat tappet cam, stock reworked heads, tube intake, and a
1.2 carb switched over to alcohol. It also performed adequately enough for it's driver, Jeff, to win the WIGTP
2009 points championship for the Stock Altered Twin class.
|
|
During 2008, we ran one single cylinder and one v-twin. New for '08 was a Sport Stock Single called
déjà vu. Based on an ungoverned 32 cube Kohler K301, it used a stock lift cam, with a stock
reworked carb on gas. It ran well enough for Jake to be the one to beat in the Sport Stock Single class in '08.
|
"déjà vu" sport stock single
McClelland '08 (4299 kb mpg clip)
|
"Mercy!!" altered twin
McClelland '08 (4501 kb mpg clip)
|
The MERCY!! tractor got it's name, a coat of paint, and a cam and carb upgrade in '08. Still equipped with the
same 38 cube bottom end from '07, and still running E85 just as in '07, it also ran well enough for Jeff to be
the one to beat in the Stock Altered Twin class in '08.
|