6,200lb 2WD Super Modified Trucks
We’re starting Friday’s pull strong with the 6,200lb 2WD Super Modified Truck class. With four past Grand Champions, including last year’s winner, the competition is fierce. Reigning champion, Mendi Nelson Brown driving Lil Whip is back to defend her 2022 title. Already a two-time Grand Champion, Brown drove a solid season in the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulling Association finishing third in points.
Another two-time Grand Champion, Joey Frasur driving Buckeye Hauler, tackles the Freedom Hall track vying for a third title in Louisville. The 1998 Grand Champion, Donnie Sullivan with Big Red Ed returns along with RJ Simon, who is riding high on his 2022 National Farm Machinery Show Pro Stock championship, hoping to take Simon Sez Chevy straight to the winners circle.
Standing in their way: two points champions looking to make their mark in Freedom Hall. Michael White driving Addiction is coming off a successful season winning the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League Champions Tour points race. Danny Taylor, behind the wheel of Knight Delivery, won the Ohio State Tractor Pullers Association points race and is ready to show what he can do in Louisville.
9,500lb Limited Pro Stock Tractors
Six points champions. Six runners-up. One session of action-packed tractor pulling on the dirt of Freedom Hall. This 9,500lb Limited Pro Stock Tractor class features the best-of-the best from across the country. Last year’s Championship Tractor Pull winning tractor, Adrenaline Rush, returns with Matt Lindstrom at the wheel in place of teammate Mike Sather. The Adrenaline Rush is coming off an excellent season, finishing second in the National Tractor Pulling Association (NTPA) Region III East and West as well as the Wisconsin Tractor Pulling Association. His only rival last year? Teammate and trailer mate Kevin Lindstrom on the Hyper Harvester, who took first place in all the same competitions.
We’ve got rematch upon rematch. Last year’s Championship Tractor Pull runner-up, Colby Counce driving Dixie Deere, went on to win the Mid-South Pullers Association points race. Mid-South runner-up Jon Calvery behind the wheel of Weekend Warrior is ready for a second go. We’ll see the same thing with the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League Silver Series points winner Andrew Hartman’s International Addiction and runner-up Chris Aschliman’s Diggin’ For A Livin’. The Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulling winner, David Novack driving the Mean Farmer, will face off against second-place finisher George Beyer with Side Piece. The competition will also feature points winners of the Illinois Tractor Pulling Association (Danny Barker), New York Tractor Pulling Association (Nick Audet), Nebraska Bush
Super Stock Diesel-Alcohol Tractors
The most anticipated class of the pull returns Friday night. After years of separate competition, alcohol and diesel tractors go head-to-head in a “Duel of the Fuels.” Last year’s Grand Champion, Travis Schlabach driving Bone Twister returns after winning the NTPA Grand National points championship and winning both nights at Bowling Green. Runner-up and three-time Grand Champion Colin Ross behind the wheel of Triple Bypass is also back. Both will be representing the diesel tractors, who dominated the 2022 competition after being shut out of the winner’s circle at the inaugural Duel of the Fuels in 2020.
Alcohol is looking to make a comeback. With talent like the incomparable Terry Blackbourn, a five-time Grand Champion across two different classes, nobody would be surprised to see an alcohol tractor like his trusty Extremely Armed and Dangerous topping the podium this year.
Silver Bullet, driven by Jordan Lustik, an alcohol-powered four-time Grand Champion, is heading down the Freedom Hall track for the 28th consecutive year. The talent doesn’t stop there. Josh Blackbourn driving Considered Armed and Dangerous-HD, Brandon Hunt with Livin’ A Dream (2011 Grand Champion) and Brent Payne’s GALOT could easily take the top prize. With this many winners, the champion is anyone’s guess.
10,200lb Pro Stock Tractors
Talent runs deep in the Friday night 10,200lb Pro Stock tractor class. After winning last year’s Championship Tractor Pull, R.J. Simon sold his championship tractor to Brent Meyer. Renamed Injected Funds, Meyer plans to take his new toy back to Saturday finals and eventual victory.
That’s not the only proven winner in this class. Two-time Grand Champion, Mike Linder, driving Linder Brothers is back as is another two-time winner, Kevin Schmucker, a driver who has taken two tractors to victory in Freedom Hall. Two other prior Grand Champions are looking for a repeat, River Rat driven by Kevin Masterson and El Nino with Rhett Parish behind the wheel.
