FERRINGER, MOSER, FOX ALL CLAIM FIRST 2010 WINS
AT GARRETT COUNTY MARYLAND PULL
A beautiful evening for pulling greeted a packed house at the Garrett County Fairgrounds in Deep Creek, Maryland as the USA-EAST Pulling Series brought over seventy different pulling vehicles to town for the 2nd annual Western Maryland Pulling Championships. This was the first stop for the Global Truck Outfitters Series for the 2.6 Diesel 4x4 Trucks and that awesome class alone had 27 entries and tons of excitement for the fans. This was the only non-sanctioned class of the evening. Three other USA-EAST sanctioned divisions took to the super pulling surface at the Garrett County Fairgrounds on Saturday evening.
LIMITED PRO/SUPER FARM/MOD TURBO TRACTORS (17 in class)
It was definitely “Fear the Deere” night as the five of the six tractors that went to the pull-off were John Deere brands. Gregg Ferringer, driving for his dad Larry, captured the win with a very crafty drive in the pull-off. Ferringer’s “Smokin’ John” JD4255 from Dayton, Pennsylvania put five feet on the field to take home his first win of 2010. The win moved the Ferringer Team Limited Pro up to a third place tie in the USA-EAST point race as the mid-point of the season has been reached.
Second place went to Mark Bell and “FireFox”, a JD7800 from Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. The Bell Team has had to suffer through a series of mechanical issues of late and was overjoyed by their performance in Maryland. Invader Steve Beckley from Hagerstown, Maryland was third with “Up In Smoke”, a perennial top five JD8410 tractor from the Interstate Series to put John Deere 1-2-3 in the pull-off.
The only red tractor to get in out the gate was the IH7140 Super Farm of Ross Martin from Enon Valley, Pennsylvania. Martin finished 4th at Garrett County but moved to the top of the point race with “Runnin’ Red Warrior” when point leader Owen McGill nudged the right sideline and was disqualified.
Ryan Kirkpatrick from Rimersburg, Pennsylvania came back from a disastrous run at Cortland, Ohio a week ago to finish 5th with the JD6030 SF named “Green Blooded” while Ralph Hamilton from Adena, Ohio picked up the #6 position with “Unforgiven” a JD4455 machine.
PRO STREET GAS 4x4 TRUCKS (20 in class)
Matt Moser got his initial win of 2010 with the “Marwood Express” Ford from Marwood, Pennsylvania. This truck was completely rebuilt following last season and now sports a new 540 cubic inch Ford motor and a completely new paint job. At Garrett County Moser was one of four to make the pull-off and made the most of his opportunity with a mark of 306.53. The current point leader, Mark Petros from Herminie, Pennsylvania finished second at 305.88 with the 440 Dodge named “Public Enemy” and continue to hold the point lead in the class.
Third in the pull-off was Jeff Mitchell and “Tragic Magic” from Salem, Ohio. This 1977 Ford traveled 305.25 as the top three were within inches of each other. Mount Pleasant’s Ron Cutrell pushed “Chevy Thunder” to a mark of 298.67 to finish as the final truck that made the pull-off.
PENNSYLVANIA POSSE SEMI TRUCKS (9 in class)
An unfortunate clutch issue forced the current point leader Jerry Hairhoger from New Galilee, Pennsylvania to the back of class allowing a couple of former class bridesmaids a chance to shine on this night in Maryland. Cory Fox from Cabot, Pennsylvania and his Cat-powered 1998 Pete named “Bad Influence” grabbed the victory at Garrett County in the pull—off. Fox is a former USA-EAST point champion in this division. Nate August got 2nd with “A Work In Progress”, a spectacular 1994 Kenworth with a C-7 CAT under the hook. August is from Freedom, Pennsylvania. Local favorite Lawrence McElroy from nearby Bruceton Mills, West Virginia was 3rd with a Cummins Kenworth, but did not make the pull-off.
The pull at Garrett County was the largest sanctioned tractor and truck pull ever held at the super pulling facility. The total of seventy vehicles on the grounds far surpassed other pulling events that have been staged at the event in the past and bodes well for the sport of pulling in the western panhandle of Maryland.
