Photo by Chuck Shaffer – Dartanya.com

There are eight different divisions of pulling that are contested under the USA-EAST Sanctioning body each season.  In seven of those divisions the winner in 2009 is different from the winner in 2008.  This shows how difficult it is to win two championships back-to-back.  But John Lorenz from Dover, Ohio has accomplished that task with his 1996 Dodge that is called the “Grey Wolf”.  With his victory against twenty very stout competitors at Bloomsburg in the USA-EAST Finals, Lorenz sealed the Pro Stock Diesel point crown for the second straight year.

The ‘Grey Wolf’ was a home built project that was undertaken after another truck from the same team did very well in the early stages of the then Pro Street Diesel class.  Justin Wilkins from Fresno, Ohio was the point champion in both 2006 and 2007 with his ‘Bad Reputation’ Dodge.  Both Wilkins and Lorenz come from ultra-strong tractor pulling roots.  Wilkins is the son of John Wilkins the former national champion in the Pro Stock Tractor ranks with “Shot Gun Red”.  And Lorenz has been an integral part of the “Shot Gun Red” Team for nearly twenty years along with Coshocton’s Paul Wolfe and Brian Darr from Fresno, Ohio.

A completely new paint job with new decals and a fresh approach was evident with the ‘Grey Wolfe’ at the start of the 2009 campaign.  Lorenz finished 2nd at Mercer Raceway Park to start the season and then was the runner-up at the Perry Pull-Off in New Lexington, Ohio.  At both of these events the winner was Justin Wilkins and the “Bad Reputation”.  At Cortland, Ohio, the ‘Grey Wolf’ had its first win of the ’09 campaign and vaulted into a lead in the point race that was never relinquished.  The other win for Lorenz came at the Canfield Fair in  Canfield, Ohio over Labor Day week-end.  And then the win at Bloomsburg sealed the deal for the “Grey Wolf” Team.

Lorenz is the owner of Lorenz Fabricating in Dover, Ohio.  He is particularly involved in the remanufacturing of engine heads for Cummins engines.  Lorenz is married to Jackie and they have two sons, Doug and Kenny.  He formerly worked as the service manager for Cummins Engine in Strasburg, Ohio for thirty years prior to the closing of that plant.

Mike Gum from USA-EAST Congratulates John Lorenz after his win at the USA-EAST FINALS at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania