Quantity AND Quality
Quantity and Quality
Slow down. Don’t put so much on your plate. You can’t be two places at once. Quality is more important than quantity. Those are all the old adages we constantly hear discouraging us from moving too quickly or trying to multitask. The assumption is a product becomes inefficient if too many are made too quickly. I say, tell that to the Ford Motor Company and the assembly line. I say, tell that to our Outlaw pulling family. More isn’t always less, more is sometimes, well, more.
Which is precisely what occurred last week. We generated quantity and quality. Living a true wild west lifestyle that saw our drivers, operators, and production team in five different venues over a five day period, cranking out seven, yes seven amazing sessions of pulling. It was a whirlwind, and fans, if you like pulling, this past week was heaven for you.
It started with a Tuesday night session in Albion, Nebraska where our National division co-sanctioned alongside our Heartland division pals. Among the bigger stories from this pull was Wes Sievers in Runnin’ Rowdy picking up a victory and narrowing the season race between himself and friendly rival Blake Otte to a single point. Wednesday, was all hands on deck as the Outlaw production team traveled from all over the midwest to converge on an excellent weeknight pull in Concord, Nebraska for the final evening of the Dixon County Fair. With a picture-esque white grandstand, and coal-black dirt track, it was everything these heart-of-america little towns love to offer. The action on the track was just as good. Five top tier classes showed up to throw down, and fans were treated to a great fair finale. Major stories from this session include Cory and Chuck Schlueter, the father and son team from Carrollton, Missouri finishing first and second in the Light Super Stock Ag class, allowing Cory to extend his points lead. We also saw Matt Phelps, in perennial powerhouse truck The Dirt pick up his first win of the year in the Modified Two Wheel Drive truck class. The Light Limited Modifieds, 3200 Super Fields, and Regional Light Limited Pro Stocks also showed up to help create a great show.
No rest for the wicked. After wrapping up the Dixon County Fair, it was over the river and through the interstate to the first day of the Monona County Fair in Onawa, Iowa. On paper, fans may have thought this would have been a quaint show. Perhaps a passably entertaining event at best. After all, it’s a single track on a Thursday, how big can it be? Massive. Electric. Those are the only words I can use to describe this pull. The Onawa experience exploded! Nearly 80 vehicles showed up to create one of the best single sessions in pulling I have ever attended. Major stories include Marty Selman reading the track perfectly to win the Pro Stock Four Wheel Drive class. Cory Schlueter picking up his second win in as many days, Gary Kavanaugh piloting Red Edge II exceptionally to a victory in the Super Fields. The Super Farms, Limited Pro Stock Diesel Trucks, and Regional Light Limited Pro Stocks also joined us to round out an exceptional truck and tractor pull. Back to the motorhome. We left Onawa at approximately 1:00 AM to head due north. Afterall, it was off to the big one. We rolled into a muggy and sticky Rock Valley, Iowa at 3:00 AM just in time for a quick nap, before we started preparation on Thunder in the Valley.
Words cannot describe the three session experience the Outlaws had in Rock Valley. A community that had been decimated by floods of near lore and legendary proportions. A town that was hurting in every capacity. Could this pull even happen? Should this pull even happen? The people spoke, and the answer was a resounding yes. Every last dollar made via the livestream and gate fees would be donated back to the community. This has long been one of the biggest shows for the Outlaws, now it was the most monumental. And folks, I want to tell you, it delivered. Three sessions of pulling. Two days. Tons of stories. I will try to recreate some of the more notable ones. Friday night saw hometown hero, Kurt Kooima park this Red Rock Super Farm in the winner’s circle as the final hook in the class. A walk off win for the hometown man. You have never seen thousands of people cheer harder or more passionately. The Texas Bullwhip Motorsports team finished a fun first, second, and third spot consecutively in the two wheel drive division. And Wayne Longnecker, the legendary driver of the River Rat picked up a much deserved victory in the modified division. Ten other classes came to play that evening for an incredible show in front of a packed crowd.
By 9:00 AM on Saturday we were back at it, fine tuning sound equipment, and prepping interviews. Noon found us kicking off session two where we were treated to the best day-time track I have ever seen. Major stories include Miles Jumps picking up his third Rock Valley win in four sessions, after he swept the class last year. As well as Lane Pualsen picking up his second win in as many tries at Rock Valley. Five other classes brought the show to a total of just shy of 100 hooks. All bookended between 12:00 and 3:30. That’s big time pulling folks.
Around this time a handful of our competitors headed west to David City, as Saturday actually saw the Outlaws put on three separate shows in one day. David City winners included: David Peterson in the Super Field class, Tyler Spotanski in the Light Super Stock Ag division, and Andrew Beckman in the Light Modifieds. Each driver picking up a nice victory of the season that shook up the points for the perennials.
Back in Rock Valley the temperatures were hot, but the action was downright sweltering. An opening ceremony that could have brought tears to even the steeliest eyed man honored the passing of Linda Bennett, wife of legendary announcer Dave Bennett, as well as homage to the tragedy in Rock Valley itself. Over 120 vehicles came to play, and they did not disappoint. Some of the bigger stories include Jim and Pual Holman, guests in the Modified Four Wheel Drive class, and legends in their own right, driving 4-Play to a victory in the evening, and winning the coveted “Rock” award. Vern Huser and Wayne Longnecker took it down to the inches, but it was Vern in Say Goodbye winning the Rock after Ty Ulmer grabbed the session victory in the modifieds. Brad Campbell swept the weekend in the Diesel Super Stocks and picked up the Rock with his tractor called Maybe. Kyle Pedley atop Wide Loose Deere also performed a perfect pair positioning Wide Loose Deere in the primary spot both nights in the pro stocks to pick up the Rock. Seven other classes joined us for a show that lasted a brisk four hours, and saw a massive crowd entirely satisfied.
Pulling is a family sport. It takes support to build, maintain, and drive these amazing machines. It takes support to keep trucking long hours, days, and nights putting on these shows. But most importantly it takes support to get you through the toughest of times. That is what the Outlaw family strives to do. Quantity and quality. We will answer the call. We will be there for the fans and communities. In famines or floods. We will be there. We are Outlaws.
