2007 NTPA Convention and Banquet

WORTHINGTON, Ohio – The 37th Annual National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) Convention and Banquet was held December 7-8 at the Double Tree Worthington. Competitors from across the country were recognized for their excellence on the NTPA Regional and Grand National Championship Pulling Circuits. The AP Productions crew was on hand again to film the banquet for the “NTPA Championship Pulling Series” on RFD-TV.

2007 NTPA Convention and Banquet Sponsors:

World Pulling International, Inc. would like to express its sincere appreciation to the Chevrolet Motor Division, Enderle Fuel Injection, Pennzoil, Super Chips, R+L Carriers, Cen-Pe-Co Lubricants, Turbonetics, United Soybean Board, Hypermax, and the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company for their contribution and support of the National Tractor Pullers Association. We would also like to thank our year-end point sponsors as well as contingency sponsors.

WPI would also like to extend its appreciation to the K&K Insurance Group for its sponsorship of the Social Hour and its continued support of WPI.

WPI thanks Simpson Performance for its sponsorship of the NTPA Promoters and Member State Representatives Breakfast and Dick Dakin & Associates for its support of the Member State of the Year Award, which went to the South Tractor Pullers Association.

Thanks to Chevrolet and Turbonetics for their sponsorship of the Sponsors and Competitors Breakfast.

Our sincere appreciation to the sponsors of our workshops and seminars:

NTPA Promoters Workshop - Northwestern Ohio Tractor Pullers - Bowling Green, Ohio

NTPA Competitor Seminar - Chapel Hill Lions Club - Chapel Hill, Tenn.

Recap of 2007 Awards:

WPI Higher Education Award
Sponsored by: K&K Insurance Group, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Recipient: Nicole Concordia

WPI Pullers Against Drugs Scholarship
Sponsored by: World Pulling International, Inc., Worthington, Ohio
Recipients: Heather Skelton & McKenzie Kolles

Region II Awards
Sponsored by: Old Ironsides, King City, Mo.

Region III Awards
Sponsored by: Southern Illinois Crankshaft, Red Bud, Ill.

Region IV Awards
Sponsored by: R & L Carriers, Wilmington, Ohio

Region V Awards
Sponsored by: Bauer Built/Ironman Sleds, Paton, Iowa

Grand National Pulling Circuit Awards
Sponsored by: Budweiser Wisconsin Dairyland Super Nationals, Tomah, Wis.

Pennzoil Cup
Sponsored by Shell Lubricants, Houston, Texas
Unlimited: Bill Voreis
Super Stock Diesel: Esdon Lehn
Mini: Adam Koester
TWD: R.J. Simon
FWD: Jim & Paul Holman

Crew Chief of the Year
Sponsored by: Gottman Toys, Quincy, Ill.
Recipient: Lisa Snyder

Engine Builder of the Year
Sponsored by: Goodson Machine Shop and Tools, Winona, Minn.
Recipients: Fowler Engines, Columbus, Ohio, engine builder for Bill Voreis’ “American Thunder”

Manufacturer of the Year
Sponsored by: SFI Foundation, Poway, Calif.
Recipient: Turbonetics

Mechanic of the Year
Sponsored by: Christian Pullers Association
Recipient: Bob Jostock

Sled of the Year
Sponsored by: Spec Cast, Dyersville, Iowa
Recipient: Vaughn Bauer

Official of the Year
Sponsored by: Arias Pistons, Gardena, Calif.
Recipient: Tom Jackson

Pulling Family of the Year
Sponsored by: National Tractor Pulling Championships, Bowling Green, Ohio
Recipient: The Ken Veney Family

Regional National Pull of the Year
Sponsored by: Probell, West Lafayette, Ohio
Recipient: M.E. Miller Tire Tri-State Showdown, Wauseon, Ohio

Grand National Pull of the Year
Sponsored by: Simpson Performance, Charlotte, Mich.
Recipient: Saluda Young Farmers Truck and Tractor Pull, Saluda, S.C.

Super National Pull of the Year
Sponsored by: Simpson Performance, Charlotte, Mich.
Recipient: Budweiser Wisconsin Dairyland Super Nationals, Tomah, Wis.

Grand National “Rookie of the Year”
Sponsored by: Ambassador Club, Fort Recovery, Ohio
Recipient: Steve Graus

Super Modified FWD Truck “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: Pit Bull, St. Louis, Mo.
Recipient: Steve Barker

Modified Mini “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: TRB Machine, Zeeland, Mich.
Recipient: Adam Koester

Four Wheel Drive “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: Profab, Baldwin, Wis.
Recipient: Rob Foster

Two Wheel Drive “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: Sassy Racing Engines, Weare, N.H.
Recipient: Donnie & Danny Sullivan

Super Farm “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: Hypermax Engineering, Gilberts, Ill.
Recipient: Jamie Morrow

Pro Stock “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: Columbus Diesel Supply, Columbus, Ohio
Recipient: Dan & Robby Lemke

Light Super Stock “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: Full Pull Motorsports, Springfield, Tenn.
Recipient: Mark Peissig

Super Stock Diesel “Puller of the Year”
Hypermax Engineering, Gilberts, Ill.
Recipient: Brian Shramek

Super Stock Open “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: Central Petroleum Company, Cleveland, Ohio
Recipient: Larry Roberts

Modified “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: Enderle Fuel Injection, Simi Valley, Calif.
Recipient: Bob Jostock

Unlimited “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: Fowler Engines, Columbus, Ohio
Recipient: Bill Voreis

Super Semi “Puller of the Year”
Sponsored by: Cen-Pe-Co Lubricants, Cleveland, Ohio
Recipient: J.R. Collins

Hooker of the Year
Sponsored by: The Pickle Road Gang, Akron, Ohio
Recipient: Bob Jostock

United States Smokeless Tobacco Company, Inc. “Hard Charger Award”
Sponsored by: United States Smokeless Tobacco Company, Inc., Greenwich, Conn.
Recipient: Richard Peters

NTPA Pulling Hall of Fame
Sponsored by: Firestone Tires, Akron, Ohio
Recipients: John Fairbanks, Sr. and Arnie Beumer