Mystery in the Mountains

August 13, 2018

(Photos by Will Whitt) – Monterey, Virginia, United States of America is the town with one blinky light. No stop light, no crime, no problems. What you do have is a two of hard working people that are just tough as nails, heavily bearded, and kind as the day is long. They are kind of know for one more thing too, tough pulling trucks. So much so that when we consulted with Moutain Boyz Motorsports (www.mountainboyzmotorsports.com and www.facebook.com/mountainboyzmotorsports) on their logo, it had to incorporate two things, the mountains and engines. So it was apparent to me that the M and the B had to be mountains. My only concern was that the B didn't look too much like a set of boobs!

Fast Forward several years later and they have beefed up their advertising game, event posters, social media, you name it, to help fans know about, plan around, and ensure they will attend the next event. On this night, the fans gathered in the Highland County Fairgrounds area to watch the next installment of pulling.

To get the evening kicked off, we went Antiquing. This featured a couple of classes with some good looking hardware. The highlight was this International called "Bad Little Binder". Now they did play some music to break up the monotony, so we had to dub that out with a little more upbeat music to drown it out. Sorry, fans, it just the way the revenue pay to watch pulling goes. If music is played, a nerd like me has to clip it or drown it out. Back to the action and away from the dirty aspects of making money off pulling.

I filmed all night having a BBQ sandwich early in the day at the venue. It was so good, I wanted another. I just had to wait 7 hours to get something in my belly. I don't eat during filming, its just a rule that I have. I was enticed afterwards to try the Brisket instead. It was amazing. Then the most remarkable conversation happened with a fellow named Tom Hull. We talked family, work, pulling, and I came away with this sense that's what this trip was about. This moment in time talking at length about our sides of the sports. What the puller thinks, what the video guys think about the on-track talent. Tom Hull has been a pulling legend in these parts. He has been coming around to Dragon Motorsports events hooking and winning ever since I picked up a camera. I am pounding coffee like crazy and then I remembered his daughter Jadalyn Hull had a tremendous hook earlier in the night placing in the top three. I asked, "So is this [her pulling] what you wanted?" He replied and I will never forget this, he said, "No. I wanted her to, but, I wanted her to want to do it. She had been coming around with me to events for as long as I can remember, but to see her do well makes me very proud. I mean after all the late nights going by yourself, it really makes you smile when those you love get into too." So that is it, isn't it? Anytime in life, when you are doing something, and then to have those you know to come around you and pitch in, it makes it all seem worthwhile. On this night Tom, Jadalyn, and Stephanie (Tom's wife) did very well going 1st, 2nd, and 2nd respectively. The crowd went crazy each time a Hull hooked to the sled. You can easily tell when a family has an impact on a community.

Ernie Deel and his wife Laura struck fame and notoriety with their first baby's gender reveal (www.wsls.com/news/bath-county-couples-gender-reveals-goes-viral_2017033013294324). Ernie Deel won the points for Small Block 4x4 class in 2016 for Mountain Boyz. So, if you recall the inaugural 2017 Dragon Motorsports Small Block 4x4 was also Ernie Deel. Ernie used to have a clean Green Chevy called "The Lizard". Over time the truck is now sponsored by his kids! I told him jokingly, "You know Ernie, you gotta little bit more room on the rear quarter panel..." Now all this Green Chevy now called "The Outcast" has done is win. Ernie told me earlier in the year, he had no plans to repeat the Small Block 4x4 for Dragon and instead concentrate on pulls closer to home. And concentrate on them he has. He is currently middle of the pack in Mountain Boyz points for Small Block. "Hootie Hoo!!!", Rusty Chestnut got the class started with a decent run. Next came Slap Nutyz for the Grimm pulling team. Then "Turtle Power" and Dale Thompson came and had a good run of 286. A few more pullers passed and then the Outcast came up and took it out the gate! Ernie drove the Z71 Chevy truck some 318.22 feet! Jamie Dudley came next and lost his front end! A few other pullers came after that but the deal was sealed. The Outcast went home the winner on this night.

Eleven thousand pound Open Hot Farm Mountain Boyz tractors featured men from the hilly circuit running points. When I say hilly, just make sure your brakes are good before you go traveling to Monterey. I was on my brakes 25% of the trip. There are 4 mountains one way and two big ones the other way. Back to the tractors. I love 466 cubic inch motors. They can turn some serious RPMs and can get close to 1500HP when done right. KAM Motorsports and the Burnin' Green team of Raphine and Swoope Virgnina have been tuning on their John Deeres for some time. John Deeres do need extra attention, but when they are right can be a thing of beauty. Ole Herman, Burnin' Green, Kick-Ass Deere, they all were on the shelf until recently. Robert Riley bought a Pro Stock JD called Burnin' Green and the re-branded the team as such. That tractor is sitting on the shelf and they have been focusing on their Hot Farms. The star of the show on this night was Robert's that used to be called Kick-Ass Deere. He went 325 and some change. The class started out with a White from Churchville driven by Frank Swope going 292.30. Doug Siron went 300.05 on his Blowin' Smoke International 1066.