Mothers of the Mayhem: The True Driving Force in Pulling. 

Mothers of the Mayhem: The True Driving Force in Pulling. 

I would like to dedicate this article to my mother. Thank you for giving me the words to talk to the world. 

It is very easy to assume that pulling is very patriarchally driven. The top response heard during a winner’s interview is thanks given to Dad and Grandpa. Little boys and girls watch their fathers in the fields, or are given their earliest core memories of a pulling sled from their old men. Dads tend to soak up the pride in the world of motorsports. However, on this Mother’s Day plus one, let us not forget the wonderful women who gave us life, and who just might be the driving force in pulling. Without the army of moms willing to put in the effort and prayers, competitors comprised of dads, sons, and daughters would maybe just appear to be a scatter brained lot fueled by nothing but hot dogs and horsepower. 

Behind every late night spent in the shop, wrenching on machines, and attaching parts, there is a mother watching from the window, keeping track of the inventory. Before every road trip with the season’s worth of points on the line, there is a mother packing the hauler, guaranteeing the food, paperwork, entry forms, and all miscellaneous items are where they need to be. Prior to every fan vote, and hero card, there is a mother with a camera and a social media account, putting in the true leg work to grow the sport. As a driver pilots his vehicle to the starting line, there is a mother on the sidelines, with a powerful prayer in her heart for victory, and a prayer tenfold as strong for safety. As every red flag is waved with a winning distance, there is a mother smiling in pride and relief. 

Mothers will relive this ball of nerves, this unseen job. All the prayers, food preparations, organizations, bill maintenance, words of support, and soft places to land after a discouraging finish. They will re-up the ante night after, weekend, after weekend, season after season. Mothers were the first to love the children, but also the first to watch their children, however young or old, fall in love with our sport of truck and tractor pulling. It is a sport unlike any other. It creates unyielding passion. It generates a hunger to find our way back to the track in a year round loop. It is the mother who silently keeps the cogs turning on this whirlwind of a ride. 

Today mothers, we recognize and thank you. We see your support. We feel your sacrifice. Thank you for being the true heroes in pulling. 

While my father may have given me my knowledge of the sport of pulling and agriculture in general, it was my mother who insisted that full sentences only would be used at our dinner table. No book report was finished, if it hadn’t been rewritten at least twice. There was always a more adequate word to use. A more well rounded piece of vocabulary to be applied. When the microphone is hot in my hands and the driver wrangles his machine to a perfect pass, when I know that competitor deserves the perfect description of a 350 foot run, the words I use to tell the world about it come from my mother. Thank you for being my support and my voice. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms of our drivers; to all the grandma’s of our drivers; to all the drivers who themselves are mothers, burning both ends of this candle; to all the wives, and gals supporting us. We are still just kids pushing toys in the sandbox. Thank you. 

Green Flags and Tight Chains 

Pulling is fun

Mike Eitel 

Engagement Specialist 

Beer Money Pulling Team 

michael.eitel.bevier@gmail.com

660.342.0206