Mike’s Way Too Early 2025 Picks, Predictions, and Stories
Mike’s Way Too Early 2025 Picks, Predictions, and Stories
The National Farm Machinery Show is a week behind us. The championship pull has concluded. The victors are crowned. The last remnants of snow have melted away from the yard. It’s a balmy 42 degrees outside. Do you know what that feels like to me? Feels like outdoor pullin’ is just around the corner. And even if it isn’t, it does goodness to my soul to pretend otherwise. Sadly, however, we are still a solid 2 months or more before we can smell diesel fuel and hear blowers whine. The best we can do at the moment is analyze, discuss, and day-dream.
What will the 2025 season have in store? What will the stories be? How will this narrative unfold? We have seen the last remnants of the 2024 season, and the first inklings of hints of 2025, all on display in Louisville. With that data in mind, let’s make some picks and predictions for the 2025 year. Here are my personal “Way too early picks, predictions, and stories” I anticipate to unfold this season.
Pick and prediction number one: Cody Chizek wins a national championship. Pulling for one of the most well-groomed and professional teams in all of motorsports, Chizek made his debut in 2024 grabbing outdoor victories in Tomah, WI and Brandenburg, KY, en route to his NTPA Rookie of the Year award. He followed this up with a win in Louisville, KY just over a week ago. He piloted two of the Chizek stable tractors, with his primary stead finishing 5th overall in points. This is a young man who has grown up truly saturated in this, atop some of the highest performing iron, behind the tutelage of three of the greatest drivers we have ever seen. I see Cody hoisting the gold in 2025.
Keeping with the Armed and Dangerous theme, let’s move on to pick and prediction number two: Josh Blackbourn will grab at least two victories this season… on a diesel! Last season saw Josh at a transition point in his career as a driver. We saw him find his way into the driver seat of a diesel powered machine a couple of times throughout the year. Josh is simply too good of a driver, with too much experience and success to his resume, for teams not to contact him. I think we will see Josh pop up quite a bit in unexpected or unique driving positions this summer. I think his god-given and time-hardened ability will land him in the winners circle behind a diesel power plant at least twice. I wouldn’t even be shocked, if it were in classes outside of the super stock ranks.
Pick and prediction number three: Simons and Leischners will switch. The gauntlet has been thrown down. Simons are fired up and motivated. The pull in Farley, IA this summer is poised to be potentially the biggest pull of all time. The IH tractors dominated the Pro Stocks at the farm show. The Simon Sez mod is running harder than it ever has. Things are dialed in and the fuse is lit. The Simon Sez four engine modified tractor will win an NTPA Grand National points championship. Bill Leischner, coming off a 2024 top finish in that class, still has a lot left in the tank of his current setup. I think Bill will swing back into victory lane multiple times with the Pro Pulling League and come out on top in that circuit, yielding a swap from 2025 for the two teams. Additional prediction: I think team Simon and team Leischner will EACH come away with two points championships in 2025. Not only do I pick them to win the Modified classes this season, but with Bowling Green ring winner, Abby Leischner piloting potentially two minis, and the Simons bringing their toy box to every hook they have a chance to, you know these teams have the means to get it done. Two apiece for Simon Sez and Dirtslinger crews.
Pick and prediction number four: Sheltons will pull off a hat trick. This prediction is straightforward. Three drivers. Three pro stocks. Reese, Grayson, and Camille will each grab a victory somewhere this season. Each atop their own version of the Team Shelton Motorsports Pro Stock tractor. This sibling team is simply a group of motorsports fiends. Their driving ability is spectacular. They have done their homework and paid their dues in every class they have ventured in. Look for a trifecta of victories from them this season.
Pick and prediction number five: The state of Texas will dominate points races on a national scale. I am going to unofficially predict FIVE national champions will come out of the Lone Star state this season, in some capacity of another. Starting with our pals in Cat Spring, the folks at Texas Bullwhip Motorsports are poised for a renaissance. Dustin Corliss has parted ways with the Bullseye and will be campaigning a brand new truck in 2025. Donald Nelson drove most of the 2023 and 2024 season with a single mod, but with the re-emergence of The Bullwhip and the debut of a new twin-hemi, he is now piloting three mods! Charlie Hinds spoke confidently in Louisville, and had a very respectable showing with Running Wild Texas Style. If I were to pick that truck to win Champions Tour points, would any of you be surprised? John Hunt has his truck singing a song. Ray Miller grabbed a points championship in 2023. Cameron Neaves picked up the gold in the mod class in 2024. What about names like Zajicek and Blagrave? If either of those teams decide to go all in on a season like they have in years past, you know the whole field holds their breath. These are just the teams that come to the front of everyone’s minds. Texas has the iron to dominate at any point. I think 2025 could be their year of domination.
Bonus Pick: While everyone is watching team red versus team green in the Pro Stock division, I think an equally fun story to watch develop will be team small block versus team big block. Don’t sleep on anything Lemke. They are a team that I feel could be at the top at any point.
Pullin’ is fun.
Green Flags and Tight Chains
Mike Eitel
Beer Money Pulling Team Engagement Specialist
660.342.0206
michael.eitel.bevier@gmail.com
