The grandstands were full Thursday afternoon at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair, as tractor pull fans were treated to the smoke of roaring diesel engines and the scream of supercharged truck engines powering “tractors” and “trucks” hundreds of feet through wet clay.
Although the fairgrounds track wasn’t dry Thursday, the all-day tractor- and truck-pulls took place with only a slight delay in starting time.
Cork Wagner, director of the tractor pull, said he was very happy with the turnout.
There were “fantastic” numbers of entries, he said. He explained there were four weight classes of farm stock tractors, along with a colorful variety of the very modified machines in the contest.
“This may be the best one-day performance ever,” Wagner said of the Goshen event. “Just wait ’til tonight,” he said, when the four-engined modified machines were set to scream down the track.
Jason Bollinger, Elkhart, said he has attended the tractor pull with his dad for 10 to 15 years. He was attending this week with his brother-in-law, and watching from the bed of a pickup truck.
“I’m 23 and I’ve been coming here for like 20 years,” said Ryan Kirkdorffer, New Paris. A past 10-year 4-H member and long-time fairgoer, he claimed to be “a big time” tractor pull fan.
“We’ll be here to the end,” Kirkdorffer said Thursday afternoon.
Jerry Adkins, a Concord firefighter, said he has been attending the tractor pull the past 15 years. He said he plans to return Saturday for the motorcycle racing and the demolition derby.
Recent Concord High School graduate Nick Cocanower said Thursday was his first tractor pull.
Scott Rouch, Nappanee, said the pulls “are pretty cool,” as he attended for his first time.
“I love it out here,” Rouch said, adding that he plans to return for the demo derby Saturday.
Micah Raber, Bremen, said it was his first time to the tractor pull at Goshen. He attended with his co-worker, Ryan Miller, Middlebury, who was a 10-year 4-H’er and long-time fairgoer.
“This is the perfect place for a truck driver,” Raber said as the modified pulling trucks roared down the track late Thursday afternoon.
“We’ve come here on Thursday for the tractor pulls for a long time,” Miller said.
Dennis Fisher, who helps put on the tractor pull, predicted the event would continue to 10 p.m. or so Thursday night.
A new division of “road diesel” pickups were set to pull for the first time Thursday night. He stressed that those pullers would be local residents.
Wes Yoder, Goshen, a farmer who has entered the pull here and now helps put the event on, said Thursday that the track was one of the best tracks there has been for the pull here.
“This is one of the best tracks we’ve ever had. This is a power track,” Yoder said. He said the Elkhart County fair pull is “like a big reunion. We only see some of these people once a year.”
Verton Coblenz, who was watching the tractor pull from his seat in a road grader owned by Elkhart County Gravel, said he enjoys both the tractor pulls and the Saturday motorcycle racing. He worked with the grader on the grandstand track until 2 a.m. Thursday and returned to work the dirt more at 6 a.m. that day, he explained.
Elkhart County Fair
July 24, 2009
Roaring diesels draw fans
- Elkhart County Fair
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- Doberenz among champs Recent Northridge High School graduate Austin Doberenz shouted “I got a championship” after winning the 19-30 age group championship in the 3-on-3 basketball tournament Thursday night at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair.
- Roaring diesels draw fans The grandstands were full Thursday afternoon at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair, as tractor pull fans were treated to the smoke of roaring diesel engines and the scream of supercharged truck engines powering “tractors” and “trucks” hundreds of feet through wet clay.
- Daryck Barnett is the Answer Man Daryck Barnett was the man with the answers Thursday.
- Some Fairgoers are limiting their spending Despite the recession and a brief period of inclement weather, the Elkhart County 4-H Fair has been bustling throughout its week-long stay.
- Racing and crashing Have track, will travel.
- 3-on-3 finals slated tonight at Fair Players in the 3-on-3 basketball tournament at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair on Wednesday night had to perform like mailmen — they couldn’t let the rain stop them from their appointed rounds.
- Wilson makes ‘redneck’ a good thing Not so long ago, being known as a “redneck woman” would have been considered a bad thing. But that was before country singer Gretchen Wilson took the stage at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair.
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First-time animal exhibitor planning to do it again
With all the food, rides, concerts and booths at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair, it can be easy to forget the effort put in by the hundreds of 4-Hers toward their exhibits and animals.
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The economy is fine at the fair
With all the economic woes, unemployment and general malaise in the business world, the Elkhart County 4-H Fair faced a challenge in 2009 of bringing people out to support the event, spend money and, most importantly, have fun. So far, the fair has seemed to rise to the challenge.
- Seniors get to say Wii Two queens battled it out Tuesday afternoon at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair.
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