This ain't no ordinary tractor pull

NORWALK — Always believing his facility could be used for a lot more than a drag strip, Bill Bader Jr. announced the beginning of the "new era" Thursday afternoon at a press conference attending by well over 100 invited guests. "The announcement of the July World Pulling Series event at Summit Motorsports Park is part of our facility's 3-ring circus that weekend," he told the crowd. "I was told to expect 25,000 fans the first year. If that comes to fruition, I expect this event will turn into the biggest event in our history." And this statement comes from a promoter who has yet to watch a tractor pull, say nothing of an event that will pack the pits with entries in multiple divisions. "I have been out here since I was 10 years old," he joked. "Since I was hired back by my father after he fired me for quitting school, I have been running a lot of the programs, many times our national event, the week of the Huron County Fair where pullers came in for a one-night stand." Bader talked about being approached by a pulling sanctioning body sometime before he actually gave the green light to the Pro Puller League for the July 21, 22, 23 event. "It was a true blessing that we could not come to terms with those folks who actually wanted to lease property to build a pulling facility, because when Michael Ott from Pro Pullers came in with his proposal some months later one that would not be a track lease, but a bona fide national meet that would come back every year. I knew we were onto something that would start us toward the family-orientated weekend I had always envisioned." Ott stepped to the podium and gave the numbers that everyone was interested in. "We have covered tracks before," he said. "In this case, we have done our homework. The dirt that will be used is under cover not far from here. We will need 100 semi loads to cover an area in front of the grandstands, 450 feet long, 60 feet wide, 20 inches deep. "The track surface will first be cleaned to the point that it will look like freshly-poured concrete. It will then be covered with about 1,200 sheets of 1/2-inch plywood. Then the dirt is compressed on top. "People ask about the tear-down," Ott went on. "After the finals on Saturday night, we will reverse course in starting to truck the dirt back out." By Sunday night, the track will be ready for re-build. Bader said that schedule has to be met as his popular Blue Suede Cruise Show goes on that Thursday followed by a weekend drag show that includes the usual 200-mph dragsters. Ott closed his part of the program saying, "Our goal is to put Norwalk on the map when they talk about tractor pulling. We will set the bar high for facilities like this in July." The event schedule starts with preliminary runs on Thursday and again on Friday as entries graduate to the finals on Saturday when eventual champions are crowned. Each entry is guaranteed a minimum two runs. Pro Pulling League Directors John Mears and Kristi Asher were in attendance as was Mike Conney from Ohio Cat/Mack Trailer, one of the event's major sponsors. Port Clinton's Chris Wood brought in and fired up one of the two entries he will campaign at national events this season.