Holy Cow Tractor Pulling Team

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Fort Recovery (session 2)
So, what to do. It is a 4 hour round trip to go home to get the 3 motor box. But, in a Grand National Class, a 270' pass with a good setup or an 8' pass with a sled bump all pay the same and yield the same points. Brad's son was celebrating his first birthday with us, and it just didn't make sense to hassle with getting it fixed. So, that is what we did. There were 8 of us in the hook, and I pulled a whopping 24'. Ron Linder was unable to get his motor fixed and missed this weekend, so we gained about 50 points on him. Terry lost a motor also on Friday night and attempted a three-motor pass, and only managed 160' in his 4 motor gear. Bob Jostock would lose a motor in the pull-off, also throwing a rod and windowing his block.

So, we are down to three motors, but the 5 pre-committed tractors are all guaranteed a slot in the Enderle and a top 5 finish. In the past 7 days, 4 of the 5 top Mods all lost a motor.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Fort Recovery (session 1)
We drew last hook and new we needed to get it out the gate to come back by the time we pulled to the line. We hooked to the sled and layed down a killer pass. About 100', I started seeing smoke coming from the left side. The motors never slowed down, so what to do? Did I hurt something, no of course not, if you lose a motor, you lose rpm. Must be a gasket or something. So, I stayed in it. The smoke got thicker, but still, there was no indication of anything wrong. Finally, it was obvious, I wasn't going out the gate, so I backed out, "just in case something was wrong." Brad looked the tractor over and apart from a copious amount of oil, not obvious damage. Then, as the tow tractor pulled me off the track, he found the rod bolt in the dirt.

So, the #3 rod just broke, and windowed the block on both sides. Bummer. 4 hooks left in the season and we lost another motor. The spare is still not together, so at this point we are down to 3 motors. Worst, my 3 motor gear box is at home.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Bowling Green (session 3)
We drew an early hook. Again, it seemed like a tight sled and we only pulled a 279.8. Somewhat a disappointing hook, but the leading distance as we left the track (of 2!). It turns out the sled was really tight, and we were in 9th or so. We had a two point lead on Ron Linder coming into BG, but fell to Ron by two positions, so we were tied coming into this session. Ron drew a late number, but had problems, lost a motor, and finished just behind me at 278.6. I looked at the line up and two hooks left, Double Stuffed and Predator, which was a Per-Hook entry. So, the only way to get my two points back would be to have Double Stuffed finish in the 1/2 window between Ron and I. I said to Brad, wouldn't it be great if Double Stuffed we 279.1. And, in the oddest set of circumstances, that is what happened, Double Stuffed hit that small window and pulled EXACTLY 279.1.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Bowling Green (session 2)
We drew later in the class and found that many of the mods had a problem bouncing off the line. It looked like peddling it a little easing it into it was the key. That is exactly what we did and made a nice run to 294. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough and we finished 8th. Maybe getting into harder and earlier would have finished a little better, or bounced and finished much worse.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Bowling Green (pre-pull activities)
We arrived over a day earlier than the previous year and there was less parking. It seems with the cost of fuel and so forth, that everyone had cut back there pulling schedule, pulling closer to home, and then splurged on Bowling Green. There were A LOT of vehicles I had never seen before. It was a fun and relaxing day punctuated by the Danger Brother concert again at the end of the track. Unfortunately, the concert was cut short due to inclement weather, which really never amounted to much.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Boom
Following Monroe, we tore down the other two engines to ensure all was well for the rest of the season. On reassembly, we found a small crack on one of the fuel tanks. No big deal, I have welded on them twice before without incident, and figured this time would be no different. There was some residual methanol and the resulting fireball blew right past my right forearm. It was more or less a severe sunburn and is healing nicely.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Points Update
I corrected an error in my website points update program. Ties were not being handled correctly and have now been fixed to match the NTPA website.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Monroe, MI
Sorry, forgot I had added this. Funny thing on the way to the pull. I usually look at Google Earth for a visual on the fairgrounds when I haven't been there before. I saw what appeared to be an entrance off of M-50 that went right into the pits, but when we rolled up in the Semi, it was barricaded and coned to be used only by cars. So, there we were, no way to get in. I saw a church next to the fair grounds, and it looked like a pathway and the rear of the lot, so we ducked in there and made it into the pits. At least it saved us making multiple U-Turns.

The first thing we notice is a scale live steam train encircling the pit area and extending into the fair. We always had model trains when I was a kid, and that was my first goal was a train ride. We get unloaded, entered, and teched, and off into the fair to ride the train. Good fun.

I must say, I don't know how families can afford to go to the fair. I bought tickets for the 3 of us on the train, some deep fried cheese for me and a lemon shakeup for Stacey, and I was out $20 right there. I can't image going with a couple of kids, and then paying $8 a pop to see the tractor pull, plus $6 to park, and probably $20 in gas to get there. I understand why the stands are not as full as they used to be.

Anyway, I drew 137 out of 200 or so and expected to be in the back half of the pack, but was blessed with 2nd hook. I hate second hook. You can't watch anyone because you are getting strapped in and have no option to turn it down if you screw up. But, you play the hand you are dealt. Monroe is a twin track and they ran the 3 GN classes on the Grandstand side and the 2 RN classes on the pit side. The sleds were consistantly set light with lots of pull-offs in each class. I know it is important to study the track, especially since I have never pulled here, and never pulled this sled in GN dress. We watched the SSO class and some of the pro stocks, and then warmed up and got ready to pull.

As I knew would happen, with 1 pro stock left in the pull-off, the RN side of the track finished, so they moved our class at the last moment. Now, if the two sides are really unbalanced, I understand the reasoning for this, but that was not the case tonight, as there was only once vehicle difference. If 5 of the 8 SSO and 8 of the 16 Pro's weren't in the pull off, it would have been a good show. Anyway, after watching the Grandstand side all night, they bump us to the pit side. So, we are again on a sled I haven't pulled in GN dress, and a track I haven't even watched, and no chance to see the run in front of me.

1st up in Tim Howell on Ultimate Toy. I watched as best I could and it looked like a nice pass. He bounced a little, but I thought he did a good job and was surprised his distance was only 277. I was sure they would lighten the sled, but they kept it. I hooked up and there wasn't much at the starting line. I also bounced a little and was a little nose heavy. I finished at 294, and was real happy with my run. The remaining 5 tractors all went 310+, making us the first non-pull off tractor, and second to last. I definitely didn't have the best run, but didn't expect to be so far back, especially putting nearly 20 feet on Tim.

So we loaded up during the pull off, and were ready to leave as soon as checks were ready. We rolled out of the fairgrounds about 11:30 and arrived in Ft Wayne about 1:30. I slept a bit, then finished the drive straight to work at Delphi, where I showered in the parking lot, changed into business casual attire, and was at my desk at 7:30AM or so ready to start work on my new radio. What a couple of days.

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