WOLVERINE PULLERS

2005 MEET YOUR CHAMPIONS

 

For the third year in a row Michigan 's TWD champion is from neighboring Canada . Trevor Cox and his “Dr. Hook” Dodge from Arthur , Ontario made each and every event for the TWD class on the Wolverine schedule, in addition to the Region 2 events;

Trevor was the TWD Region 2 Champion in 2003.

This season was a major accomplishment with the circumstances going on at home. Trevor and Colleen's proudest moment this summer was when their new addition to the family arrived, Jack made his debut on July 4.

On the pulling note, “Dr. Hook” got the handle on a couple of tracks this season that usually gets the best of him. The roughest part of the summer was since Jack was so young, Trevor had to travel and compete without his pit crew. Missing them made him question, “Should I park the truck for a bit or keep going. A special thanks to Ike and Jaymee Allen for helping with the truck at events, it made a big difference.”

The Trevor and Colleen have been married for 13 years; they enjoyed truck pulling from the beginning. Trevor is owner and machinist of TC Machine and

Colleen works in Human Resources.

Trevor's thoughts of the year “Wolverine pulling is the best kept secret, I said it last year and I will say it this year that the Wolverine circuit has the best sled, announcer, events, promoters, competitors, etc. A special thanks to all who make it possible.”

 

Thomas Worth is a mechanic from Big Rapids, MI and our FWD champion for the 4 th year. 2005 found Tom and his “After Hours” Chevy winning a total of 11 Michigan and Regional events, he started out the year with a win at his favorite event---Brigden, ONT., and these wins accomplished not only the Wolverine championship, but the Region II championship for the 3 rd year. His winning streak didn't stop there as he pulled in a win at Fort Recovery for the “ Enderle Pull Off”. He is no stranger to the title Tom has one other Enderle win under his belt already. The whole season was not charmed though, a disappointment at his home town pull, the “After Hours” had a lifter failure during warm up at Morley , MI and they couldn't make it to the track.

Tom and Jennifer have been married for 5 years with 2 beautiful daughters, Mykayla and Hannah. Of his family Tom says, “I had an incredible year, I would like to thank my wife and kids for their awesome support along with my mother and father-in-law, for all the help they give us.” He goes on to say, “This year was really tough because the competition is extremely tough and getting tougher all the time.”

 

“The Red/Green Show Team” is what Tom Harmon calls his collection of 5 tractors with about that many in his crew that helps with the driving and wrenching duties. He was able to pull in a championship with his “Sneaky Snake” in the PRO STOCK class. From North Branch, MI Tom is a fuel distributor. He and his wife Maria, a 5 th grade school teacher and have been married for 20 years with 4 children, Erica, Greg, Molly and Justin.

In 1975 Tom started pulling, joining Wolverine Pullers in 1978 with a SS 686 IH with 2 chargers. Tom says of this past season, “It was the first year having 5 tractors on the circuit, one even being a John Deere!” He was excited about the “Pull Off” at Hudsonville , MI , the oil pump was disabled, but he didn't know it until Tom drove off the track

and to the hauler; surprisingly it didn't hurt the engine.

Of the coming year Tom said, “We hope we can afford to go pulling again next year. Now that the kids are old enough to help repair and drive, the youngest—Molly drove several times in unsanctioned events, she'll turn 16 in July, I‘m looking for good stuff from her as a driver.”

 

Our Super Farm trio of Champions campaign the “Wolverine Deere II”. The John Deere was built in just 4 ½ months the winter before the 2004 season, they started in Feb. and made it to Tomah on June 25, just missing the first Michigan event in Brigden, ONT that season.

 

Our first of the trio is Robert Sietsema from Hudsonville , MI he works in horticulture (greenhouses). Bob and Bonnie have been married for 33 years; her job is just to keep Bob going, they have three children Jodi, Dawn and Ross.

Bob started pulling in the 1950's, with a 7810 John Deere, stepping up to the Wolverine Pullers in 2004. Imlay City , MI is Bob's favorite pull as well as where his proudest moment this past season took place, his first win on their tractor, of this event Bob says, “Bob Jostock puts on a great event and Maude a great meal. Thank you Jostock's !”

No real hurtle to cross this year, “We had a great year with very little breakage. We had lots of fun with lots of good people. They are very professional and have a great group of competition in all the classes.”

 

The next member of the “Deere II” is, Harley Sietsema. He calls Allendale , MI home with his wife of 40 years, Marcia, they have 3 children Rick, Jamy and Tina.

Harley is in Agra-business and Marcia is a home maker.

He started out with a Model 50 John Deere in 1962. Moving into NTPA in 2004, just a year after their Rookie season Harley says of this team's accomplishment, “this is only our 2 nd year of competition and our tractor finished

1 st in the State and 2 nd on the Grand National circuit.”

Even though there have been numerous first place finishes in the Farm Stock ranks over the years at local fairs he says, “Our major hurtle has been how to diplomatically deal with brother Tony (Wolverine Deere #1) when we started to out pull his tractor.” J

 

The third member of the “Wolverine Deere II” is Arlyn Smits , who is retired, and his wife of 32 years, Jan a homemaker live in Allendale , MI they have 2 boys Brad and Matt. He started out in 1992 by helping Tony Sietsema with his tractor and when Tony stepped up to NTPA/Wolverine Pullers in 2000, so did Arlyn .

Understandably Arlyn's favorite event is Brigden, ONT. He had his first win ever as a driver on Tony's tractor (Tony was on vacation) and again this past season on his own tractor, “Wolverine Deere II”. He is also proud of the fact that they are 2 nd in the GN standing in only their 2 nd year of competition.

With no breakage the closest thing to a hurtle , Arlyn says, “When the announcer says SF is a beginners class.”

 

Our Super Stock champion is Jerry VanDorpe who runs an 8000 SS Diesel “ Screamin Demon”. He a farmer and wife Corky (retired) have been married for 54 years. They have 3 children Larry, Doug and Sandy who have expanded the family with 8 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

In 1955 Jerry started pulling with a Farmall M, joining NTPA in 1978.

Winning both SS classes at his hometown pull of Charlotte , MI was a real highlight of the year. Although 2 bad rides down the track over the summer

was the low point of Jerry's season.

I don't think we have enough room on the page to list all of Jerry's accomplishments and championships over the years. The 2005 season not only found Jerry as our SS champion but also the Region 2 SS champion.

 

Traflagar , IN is where Don Deane, our MOD champion, calls home with his wife Billie of 40 years. They have 4 children Kathy, Elizabeth, Amy and Andy.

Don is retired out of Indiana Bell which gave him the time to travel 26,000 miles with his “Plumber's Nightmare” Modified tractor in the 2005 season. All of these miles are one of the reasons that Don pulled in the Region 2 and Region 4 championship as well as a 1 st in points in Michigan , the turbine modified attended each and every modified hook on the Wolverine schedule. Don started pulling with a TWD in the summer of 1990, and son Andy still campaigns the truck, a Diamond T.

The modified tractor didn't run into many hurtles this past season, Don said, “Everything went so well it was unreal. No failures to cost an event, I just got lucky! When I did break I was able to fix it in between events. Just a good year, couldn't have done any better.”

 

We want to thank our Wolverine Sponsors that help make this all possible; Auto Value, Standard Ignition, Wix , Gates, Cen-Pe-Co , National Tractor Pulling Championships ( Bowling Green ), and each and every one of our Contingency Advertisers.

 

Wolverine Pullers are well represented in the National ranks of Truck and Tractor Pulling with many of our Champions also pulling in Regional Championships, even others that didn't quite make it to a Wolverine Championship this year, made it to Regional Champion or to the Enderle Pull-Off. We are moving forward to next season already and I look forward to writing about 2006 Champions, maybe it will be you!