(Words and photos by David Whealon) – What does a small quiet downeast North Carolina town of Pinetops (pop. 1360) do for excitement after the hosting the best Christmas parade east of Raleigh? Well in May they shut down the local ballpark and close down the streets to use for the staging lanes for the Pinetops 300 tractor pull. For the past 39 years the Pinetops Rural Fire Department hosts the first NTPA sanctioned hook of the season. With the help of Wayne Lewis and the folks of the United Pullers of the Carolinas (UPOC) the event has become one of legend and voted in the top 10 of all NTPA events. Along with a good field of NC area pullers some came from as far as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland. And as always Wayne and his crew did a super job in entertaining the 1000’s of avid pulling fans in attendance.

Among the classes featured were the always exciting “garden tractors on steroids” Mini Rods with blown Hemi’s on board with 34” pulling tires and usually violently pull the sled down the track every which way but strait. It was a real treat to see one of the NHRA’s top 50 all time drivers and cylinder head builder, 75 year old Ken Veney with his “Funny Li’l Farmall” Mini. His wife Rona of over 50 years backing him up to the sled on his was classic. Ken really pleased the crowd when he took home the trophy on Friday night.

Making up the modified class included three jet powered tractors which included Wayne Lewis’ own “Wildfire” powered by a single fire bellowing General Electric T64-L6B turbine engine piloted by Bert Forbes. As well as Don Deane’s “Plumbers Nitemare” powered by three jet engines. Two Lycoming T53 turbines and one GE T64. Even had on board what Don’s wife called an old minivan motor just to crank all of them up. So much for shaving some weight.

Of course the more conventional tractors were on board as well. With the high powered 8,000-lb. Heavy Super Stock Tractors with their mandatory original 100 hp OEM blocks with the power pushed to the mind blowing max with multiple blowers along with head and intake mods making upwards of 4000 ponies on alcohol or diesel. The 9,300-lb. Super Farm Tractors rounded out the stock “looking” tractor field.

Also a sizeable field of 6,200-lb. Modified Four-Wheel-Drive Trucks were there with their massive front end weight hanging off the front bumper literally floating the rear tires along with 500ci of pure pulling power.

Although I love em’ all but the 6,200-lb. Modified Two-Wheel-Drive “Pro Mod” trucks of the pulling world will always make me stand at attention. Blown, stretched out, multicolored, wheel totin’ and nothing but just awesome to watch. With a full field of mostly blown machines on site it was cool to see the lone turbo powered two wheeler take home the hardware on Friday night. When I asked the owner of the turbo “Smokeless” Chevrolet, Bill Widenmeyer of West Salem, OH, “Why turbo?” he humbly responded “Just to be different”. With his son also named Bill driving I think they found the winning combination.

If any of you Bangshifters out there have never been to one of these events, I highly suggest find one and witness for yourself the pure down home American excitement that this sport has to offer. I guarantee that you’ll get hooked. No pun intended!!!