Features

The Name of the Game

Article taken from the 2005 Championship Tractor Pull Souvenir Program

Ever wonder what goes into some of those names you see painted on the sides of the engine-revving beasts that roar down the track during the Championship Tractor Pull? You might ask yourself how the drivers come up with some of them or what they mean exactly. Well, naming the ride isn't something to take lightly. According to a crop of this year's CTP competitors, it's usually the most important element in identifying the truck or tractor, its owner, driver and support team. Not to mention one of the best ways to leave an impression on the fans.

At first glance, the names of the trucks and tractors competing at the 2005 CTP look as if they fit into a few simple categories. There are those with the names of the state or region they originate from ( Tennessee Tracks , Texas Stampede , Midwest Raider ), as well as names that contain the vehicle's color ( Red Mule , Green Streak , Silver Bullet ). Some are a play on words ( Fuelish Pleasure , Willy Makit , Up N' Atom ), and some tell a woeful tale ( Barely Gettin' By , Technical Difficulties , Case of Foreclosure ). Then there are those that make you scratch your head a little more.

Like Super Hick.

Actually, if you've attended a Championship Tractor Pull at Freedom Hall before, you've likely heard announcer Butch Krieger give a brief background on the name of David Batliner's 9,300 lb. Super Farm Tractor. Batliner ties the name of his tractor back to the nickname of the 1972 Floyd Central Boy's High School basketball team that he played for. Originally known in the community as the "hicks on the hill," thanks to their underdog status going into the Indiana State Basketball Tournament, the team later became known as the "Super Hicks" while advancing through the tournament all the way to the state finals.

Batliner thought he'd be in the underdog role again years later when he started competing in pulls, and figured the name fit well for his tractor, too.

"A lot of people didn't think we'd do as well because our tractor (a Massey Ferguson) is not the conventional tractor you see in competitions," he said. "You definitely don't see them that much at the national level."

While the connections between the basketball team and the tractor were apparent, he said there are multiple factors that play into coming up with a good name.

"You have to have a name that people can relate to, that's easy to remember and that's unique," Batliner said.

Jessie Petro said his dad, Randy, had similar thinking behind the name of his 6,200 lb. 2WD Super Modified Truck - Kathy's Komplaint. And Jessie assured us that his mother, Kathy, likes the name and the pulls as much as he and his dad.

"It's good for fan recognition," Jessie said. "People remember a name that sticks out and they get a laugh out of it. You need a good name."

Like cars on the highway, the trucks and tractors have different makes, brands, colors, and personalities of those behind the wheel. So while most pullers agree that a good name is indeed important, the criteria for creating that perfect name varies widely from one person to the next. You quickly learn there are just as many philosophies as there are drivers in the competition.

"It can reflect the person, like where they're from or their heritage," offers Nick Skaar of Wisconsin. Skaar's tractor name combines his family's roots with an activity that some in his community may do in their spare time, giving his 9,300 lb. Super Farm Tractor the title Screamin' Norwegian .

"A lot of Norwegians do a lot of screaming around here," said Skaar.  

Super Modified Truck driver Ricky Long also has a few suggestions when it comes to labeling your pull vehicle.

"You try to go with something that fits with the type of truck," said Long, driver of Willy Makit, which derives from the truck's body style - a '41 Willis. "It also has to go with the driver's personality because it usually sticks around a while."

Like a lot of drivers, Long balked at the idea of ever changing his truck's name.

"You never change the name," he said. "I'm sure the other pullers you talk to will tell you their truck's name is like their kid's name. You're nailed to it."

For the most part, Long was right. Most pull drivers decided on a name and have stuck by it. But Gary Brinkmeier left a little room for revision when he started out on his 10,200 lb. Pro Stock Tractor.

"It started out as Foolish Pleasure because my wife told me it was foolish. Fuelish ( Pleasure ) evolved from that because it seemed more appropriate with all the smoke," Brinkmeier said. Laughing, he added, "And I didn't think it was that foolish."

So just how important is the name? Well, while it helps in recognition and in leaving an impression, success rates usually have more to do with the skills and know-how of the drivers. A good example is Joe Eder, of North Collins, NY, who won the 7,500 lb. Modified Tractor division two years in a row (2002 & 2003) with a tractor named Sorrento Express. After an un-renewed sponsorship deal, Eder came to the CTP in 2004 with a different 7,500 lb. Modified and won again, this time under the name Eder Motor Sports, the same name of his chassy-pulling business.

Eder has entered the same tractor in this year's pull and explains the philosophy behind its current name.

"That's what everybody knows me by," Eder said. "Our sport is kind of like NASCAR - a lot of people come to the pull to see certain vehicles. Family, friends and spectators come down to follow Eder Motor Sports. We made it really simple for everybody."

It sounds simple enough. After building the truck or tractor, testing it, maintaining it, and then finally traveling sometimes hundreds or even thousands of miles to compete, coming up with a name should be a snap. Just as long as it reflects the driver's personality, the style of the vehicle, it's simple, unique, funny, easy to remember, and easy to relate to. No wonder they don't consider changing names very often.