The Koester family has had plenty of success at the National Tractor Pulling Championships.
One could point to the team’s crew, machinery and talented father-son driving duo as the reason for its
success, but Larry and Adam Koester believe a special group of fans play the biggest role.
Adam Koester, Larry’s son, drove the team’s two tractors to the winner’s circle in the Open Modified Mini
Tractor division over the weekend at the Wood County Fairgrounds, claiming the overall BG championship
ring for the fourth time between himself and his dad.
But even more important to the team, which works with the Make-A-Wish foundation, it helped raise over
$50,000 for the children’s charity over the weekend.
“It’s quite an honor,” Larry Koester said of the team’s relationship with Make-A-Wish. “With me being in
a wheel chair, the kids have a tendency to feel, maybe they understand that.”
Larry Koester, who has driven tractors to two ring championships since first competing in BG in 1988, was
unable to drive this weekend due to a broken wrist. Koester is a bilateral amputee without the use of
his legs and uses his arms to control the tractor. He’s been working with Make-A-Wish since 1995.
“We are getting luck from these little kids,” he said. “Any time you help them, they help you some way or
another. I’m pretty sure that’s the reason we do well.”
The younger Koester more than picked up for his dad’s absence on the track, driving both of the team’s
tractors in two sessions over the weekend. It was Adam Koester’s second time driving a tractor to a ring
championship, matching his dad’s total.
“It’s stressful. You’re always constantly running back and forth and trying to get used to both
tractors,” he said. “Each of them are kind of different, but to go out there and get in one and run and
turn around and jump in the other one, you don’t have much time to think or watch the other competition
because you’re constantly running back and forth.
“The fun part is driving. The hard and stressful part is jumping between the two. But it was fun.”
After leaving the winner’s circle at the center of the track both Larry and Adam signed numerous
autographs for their young fans in the Make-A-Wish Foundation tent at the end of the track. The young
faces lit up with excitement as they took photos with the two drivers and their tractors.
“It’s good because they’re rooting for you,” Adam Koester said. “To be honest with you, the tent down at
the end of the track where they’re sitting, they’re pulling you.
“You want to perform very well for them because they’re rooting for you and they want to be happy. It
makes you run a little bit better just knowing these guys are down here rooting for you.”
Sunday’s action concluded another successful weekend at Pulltown. This year marked the 45th edition of
the National Tractor Pulling Championships.
Northwestern Ohio Tractor Pullers Association president Michael Ott said the weekend was one of the best
yet.
“It’s been an awesome weekend. We’ve had record crowds again. The weather has been a little sketchy but
we got through it,” Ott said.
The competition’s final class, the 20,000-pound Super Semis division, was not completed due to rain on
Sunday afternoon.
Ott was quick to point out that the event has not raised its ticket prices, and will keep them the same
for the sixth straight year when the pull returns to BG next summer.
“Unlike most motorsports and sanctioning bodies that are having troubles, we’re doing good,” Ott said.
“We’re trying to treat our fans and competitors right … We’re doing everything we can to provide the
best venue for these guys to come and visit and see the best in the country compete.
“It’s just a lot of fun here in Bowling Green. The community treats everybody well. The community effort
is just awesome.”
The following competitors also claimed ring championships: Jordan Lustik, Open Super Stock; John Gott,
Modified Two-Wheel-Drive Trucks; Brian Korth, Light Super Stock; Ted Liechty, Super Farm; Pete McKeeth,
Four-Wheel-Drive Trucks; Joe Hoffa, Super Semis; Ken Veney, Modifieds; Brian Shramek, Diesel Super
Stock; Bill Voreis, Unlimited Modifieds; Kent Crowder, Diesel Super Stock Four-Wheel-Drive Trucks; and
Mike Linder, Pro Stock.
NATIONAL TRACTOR
PULLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Wood County Fairgrounds
SATURDAY
SESSION III
6,200 MODIFIED 4WD TRUCKS
1) Larry Peterson, Baldwin, Wisc., FP/317.5; 2) Pete McKeeth, Galesville, Wisc., FP/312.2; 3) Peyton
Davis, Tappahannock, Va., FP/249.3; 4) Peterson, 312.9; 5) Paul Holman, Wauseon, 312.7.
7,500 MODIFIED
1) Ken Veney, Wadsworth, FP/324.1; 2) Bret Berg, Farmington, Minn., FP/310.9; 4) Bob Jostock, Lapeer,
Mich., 302.1; 5) Doug Lively, State Center, Iowa.
8,000 DIESEL SUPER STOCK
1) Brian Shramek, Williamsburg, Mo., FP/333.2; 2) Esdon Lehn, Dayton, Minn., FP/314.6; 3) Steve Burge,
Lynn., Ind., FP/303.8; 4) Jody Ross, Waynesburg, Pa., FP/302.8; 5) Jim Schaendorf, Dorr, Mich.,
FP/175.9.
9,300 SUPER FARM
1) Denny Healey, Marengo, Iowa, FP/317.7; 2) Ryan Salenbien, Maybee, Mich., FP/317.3; 3) Ted Liechty,
Berne, Ind., FP/314.5; 4) Greg Freeze, Manchester, Tenn., FP/312.2; 5) Jamie Morrow, Mount Hope, Wisc.,
FP/303.4.
SESSION IV
8,000 OPEN SUPER STOCK
1) Terry Blackbourn, Shullsurg, Wisc., FP/321.7; 2) Jordan Lustik, Eighty-Four, Penn., FP/318.3; 3) Kevin
Campbell, Sycamore, Pa., FP/315.8; 4) Sid Broughton, Silver Springs, N.Y., 289.5; 5) Josh Blackbourn,
Shullsburg, Wisc., 289.1.
8,000 UNLIMITED MODIFIED
1) Kathy Archer Schalitz, Marietta, FP/313.6; 2) Bill Voreis, Argos, Ind., FP/296.2; 3) Bruce Slagh,
Zeeland, Mich., FP/289.1; 4) Steve Bollinger, Stonington, Ill., FP/275.3; 5) Kev Veney, Wadsworth,
FP/271.1.
6,200 MODIFIED 2WD TRUCKS
1) Ryan Writsel, Orient, FP/305.0; 2) Renee Theobald, Shelbyville, Ind., FP/287.6; 3) Chuck Knapp,
Charles City, Iowa, FP/BR; 4) John Gott, Port Republic, Md., 301.1; 5) Jim Mattingly, Franklin, Ky.,
301.1.
7,500 DIESEL SUPER STOCK 4WD TRUCKS
1) Kent Crowder, Attica, Ind., FP/309.4; 2) Carl Atley, Xenia, FP/307.4; 3) Shane Kellogg, Forest,
FP.299.2; 4) Cory Atley, Cedarville, FP/298.3; 5) Erik Stacey, Winchester, FP/287.8.
10,000 PRO STOCK
1) Mike Linder, Edison, FP/320.5; 2) Ross Boersen, Zeeland, Mich., FP/317.8; 3) Nick McCormick,
Stewardson, Ill, FP/314.7; 4) Jeremy Smith, Medina, FP/314.6; 5) Lance Little, Tuscola, Ill., FP/309.1.

SUNDAY
SESSION V
7,500 DIESEL SUPER STOCK 4WD TRUCKS
1) Van Haisley, Fairmont, Ind., 308.5; 2) Erik Stacey, Winchester, 287.6; 3) Shane Kellogg, Forest,
285.2; 4) Kent Crowder, Attica, Ind., 278.7; 5) Ben Miller, Freetown, Ind., 277.5.
2,050 OPEN MODIFIED MINIS
1) Scott Eighmey, Ida, Mich., FP/302.5; 2) Adam Koester, Wadesville, Ind., 288.6; 3) Koester, FP/279.5;
4) Scott Walker, Paton, Iowa, 300.6; 5) Jason Hathaway, Washington, Pa., 299.0.
8,000 UNLIMITED MODIFIED
1) Bill Voreis, Argos, Ind., FP/328.0; 2) Brian Shramek, Williamsburg, Mo., FP/314.0; 3) Bill Leischner,
Weldon, Ill., FP/185.5; 4) Shannon Leischner, Weldon, Ill., 309.9; 5) Bruch Slagh, Zeeland, Mich.,
304.0.
10,000 PRO STOCK
1) Miles Stratton, Adairville, Ky., FP/304.6; 2) Henry Smith, Blissfield, Mich., FP/295.5; 3) Mike
Linder, Edison, FP/BR; 4) Carlton Cope, Alliance, 311.2; 5) Victor Miller, Lewistown, Ill., 309.0.
6,200 LIGHT SUPER STOCK TRACTORS
1) Larry Phillips, Vine Grove, Ky., FP/309.7; 2) Brian Korth, Beaver Dam, Wisc., FP/291.8; 3) Marcus
Wettleson, Postville, Iowa, FP/291.8; 4) Brent Payne, Hamilton, 300.9; 5) Brian Korth, Beaver Dam,
Wisc., 273.4.
20,000 SUPER SEMIS
Note: Class was terminated due to rain.