Top Tier Two Wheel Drives Dominate Show in Deep South
Top Tier Two Wheel Drives Dominate Show in Deep South
I think I just accidentally watched the best two wheel drive truck class I have ever seen. Those were my exact thoughts at approximately 8:30 on Friday evening. How does a class “accidentally” become excellent? By my definition and experience from this past weekend, it emanated from the sheer surprise and eye-brow-raising happiness it brought me. An above and beyond ratio of quantity and quality. We know when the good ones are going to be good. Obviously Louisville, Bowling Green, and Farley are the kinds of pulls that have us talking about any given class months in advance. Most other pulls, fall on the spectrum of underwhelming, to perfectly pleasantly excellent, with every ranking in between. My point is this: I knew Hammond, Louisiana would be a really good show, and I was excited to watch it. I had no idea that it would be anywhere near as good as it was. The golden gemstone among it: the two wheel drive truck class.
I will admit, I did not look at any pre-pull lineups, or check in with the Full Pull Picks games ahead of time. It was a pristinely perfect afternoon in northeast Missouri, and my spring fever was in need of some serious remedies. The pull was in the back of my mind. The lawnmower was priority number one. The only thing that got me off the mower, and into the house to catch the show right at start time was a text in a group chat alerting me that Donald Nelson was in attendance. A top tier Outlaw puller? I better get inside and keep my eyes on the hometeam. What I found when I started watching and piecing together the leaderboard, was, in my opinion, quite seriously the best two wheel drive truck class to ever incidentally assemble in one location. Robert Zajicek made the journey from Texas to Louisiana. You know, the all time Outlaw points series leader. The aforementioned Donald Nelson (with six Outlaw champs under his cowboy hat), brought his two time National Farm Machinery Show winning Little Whip to the pull. Chase Richardson, your reigning National Tractor Pullers Association AND Louisville winner came to play in his Suffering Sanity truck, courtesy of team McDonald. As if those three weren’t enough to sink, line, and hook your interest, we also had perennial power Chad Mayhill along with stablemate Jesse Petro (all time leading finisher in NTPA per this class). The madness continued as super stomper of the Mid South division TJ Wallace made the journey west out of Alabama to play in the clay, alongside some tough competitors such as Andy Teasley in Apex and a former NTPA championship truck dubbed Nuthin EZ Bout it piloted by Brent Secrest.
At eighteen total trucks, the class size was perfect. As the competition heated up, the track followed suit, getting better and better with each subsequent hook. We saw TJ, Chase, and Andy all pull into the number one spot at various points on the back half of the class. With no one in his rearview mirror, the legendary puller out of Cat Spring, Texas hooked the Lil Whip to the sled. Technically his daughter’s truck, but, you know, apples don’t fall far from trees, and sometimes dads just have to get behind the wheel. Twenty three hundredths of a foot ended up being the distance Donald needed to edge past the leader cone, and that was what the truck gave him. Our top three competitors finished within “the thickness of a credit card” as the ever energetic announcer known as the Crazy Cajun called to the crowd. A perfect track. An absolute who’s-who collection of trucks. A hook number that kept the crowd engaged, and a finish for the ages immediately labeled this one as an instant classic for me. I’ll call a spade a spade. This was the best two wheel drive truck class I have ever witnessed. Upon further review of the results, it was declared that the three trucks surpassing 340’ full-pulled. A gentleman’s agreement was reached, and the gold medal was a trifecta between Donald Nelson, Andy Teasley, and Chase Richardson.
As for the rest of the pull? For the first time since Diesels in Dark Corners, I now have a future must-be-there event. The Pro Stock Diesel Truck class brought this year’s Louisville winner, and 2024’s silver medalist out to play. They swapped spots, with Brady Ingram grabbing the gold. The tractor classes were top tier as well, despite things getting just a freckle greasy by night’s end as the rain began to splatter the track. It was old school pulling with a distance right at 300’ winning the Limited Pro Stock class. The Light Limited Super Stocks put on a good show as they continue to peak my interest, and the Super Farms showed me they are willing to travel, but the guys in the deep south run this class very seriously as well.
With a picturesque track nestled between the greenest grass I have ever seen at a pull, and an atmosphere that somehow catered to both the party-it-up beer drinkers, and the family friendly crew, this is a pull I WILL be attending the next chance I get. Hammond, Louisiana was certainly a romp in the swamp!
Pullin’ is Fun.
Green Flags and Tight Chains
Mike Eitel
Beer Money Pulling Team
Engagement Specialist
michael.eitel.bevier@gmail.com
660.342.0206
