(Words an photos by David Whealon) – While the Saturday night action was hot and heavy across town at the fabled Bowman Gray Stadium, the action was equally exciting at the Dixie Classic Fair in Winston Salem N.C. The NTPA Division 4 UPOC (United Pullers of the Carolinas) was in town hosting their annual Piedmont 300 tractor pull. And judging by the great crowd in attendance I think “The Madhouse” may have had a bunch of empty seats. As always the pullin’ action was just as furious as ever. Over 50% of the entire field had “Full Pulls”.
All of the Four Wheel Drive class drivers enjoyed the satisfaction of surpassing the 300’ mark but Tony Everette taking his “Doerunner” GMC nearly to the 27th Street exit took the win with a hook of over 360 feet. Equally cool was watching Marvin McDonald driving his “Bad Boy” Super Farm tractor to the win with another entire class of full pulls. Marvin also took home the Friday night session trophy as well. Another highlight was Thomas Coleman after detonating his power plant in the Friday session, with his go or blow (again) “Pure Hell” Mini Rod patched back together got the big check on Saturday night. The carnage was minimal on Saturday night but when Dewey Jones’ Light Pro Stocker International 966 “Hoss” gave up the ghost after over 100 hooks on the same engine we had a short pause to for the track crew to gather up the chunks of iron and dig up the crude left behind.
A total of eight classes of rounded out the show with winning drivers Kendall Beasley on his “Hi Gear Harvester” Light Pro Stock, Brent Adkins on “Sly Slick and Wicked” Jet Powered Modified, Allen Brown’s Two Wheel Drive “Sweet Thang”, Ray Briggs’ Case IH “Carolina Coinbinder 2” in Super Stock and Butch Martin on his “Tigger” Light Four Wheel Drive.
CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO EXPAND THEM AND LOOK AT ‘EM ALL!
Great stuff as usual Dave.