Pulling in a Crowd: Fair event display of speed, power

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For The Tribune

BROWSTOWN

Less humid temperatures and sunny conditions accompanied by the Earth-shaking sounds of the truck and tractor pulls had the fans packing the seating in droves.

The large crowd awaited to witness smoke-bellowing machines attempt to pull the weight of the sled the furthest distance.

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The truck and tractor pulls headlined the grandstand event at the Jackson County Fair, causing most local competitors to feel the added pressure of performing well in front of their hometown crowd.

With over 30 years of experience behind the wheel of his four-wheel drive pulling truck, Crothersville native Byron Nieman has pulled his fair share of weight on the regional pulling circuits.

Nieman admits the pressure does not get to him, mostly due to his experience competing at so many different venues throughout the years.

“I really never notice the crowd; I’m always so concentrated on my driving that I seldom think about all of the eyes on me,” said Nierman, who pulls in the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League’s 4×4 Pro Stock Truck class.

Nine competitors signed in with the popular series that travels throughout the Midwest region.

Brazil, Indiana native Brad Chamberein set the mark to beat with a pull more than 325 feet to take the win.

Adjusting to Wednesday night’s racing surface on the front stretch of Brownstown Speedway took a lot of preparation from the drivers.

Nieman said he has raced on a variety of track surfaces including indoors at venues such as Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

“On a track like this we have to gear for the banking and adapt our driving style,” he said. “Brownstown gave us a really good track tonight.”

The range of experience in the pulling division ranges from the grizzled veterans all the way down to the fresh young faces of the upcoming rookies.

Vallonia native Clay Chastain made his second career hook during Wednesday night’s event at the fairgrounds aboard the Tom Tormoehlen-owned truck.

The 16-year-old Brownstown Central High School sophomore admitted competing in front of his home crowd as being a very exciting experience.

Chastain’s family has been involved in the sport for many years.

Seymour’s Sharon Markel got the crowd’s approval with her performance in the unsanctioned tractor class, which pulled 11,500-pound on the sled.

The “A Pump” class most closely resembles the stock farm tractor in appearance.

Markel stretched the mark to beat on her pull of more than 350 feet, outpulling the other competitors to win the class on her International tractor named Night Life.

Like many others, Markel’s involvement in the sport runs deep, as her family has been involved with pulling for many years.

Markel and her brother, Scott Tiepen, grew up under the watchful eye of their father Phil Tiepen of Seymour, learning the ins and outs of the machines.

Greensburg’s Mike Robbins took home the prize money in the other class of tractors in competition, the Hot Farm division.

The Hot Farm division utilizes higher performing components than their stock class predecessor, better allowing them to pull the sled at a faster rate of speed down the 300-foot racing surface.

Robbins edged fellow Greensburg competitor Michael Peters by a narrow margin of three feet to take the win.

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