London starts truck pull series

Gates open at 10 a.m., followed by a test and tune at 2 p.m. and the pulls at 4 p.m. Admission is $10 per person and includes access to all parts of the grounds, including the pits.

The circuit was formed by the agricultural societies of three counties—Madison, Clark and Champaign—and includes a total of five pulls in 2008. In addition to the June 14 event, the schedule includes pulls on July 7-8 at the Madison County Fair, July 19 in Springfield, Aug. 2 in Urbana, and Sept. 20 in London.

“By working together, we can pool our money and put out a little more purse money for the top three places overall,” said Dennis Long, the London resident who spearheaded the collaboration.

Pullers earn points and prize money at each event. The total number of points earned over the course of the circuit will determine the end-of-season winners. That’s where the extra purse money comes in: $250 for first, $150 for second, and $100 for third in each of four categories. The extra money will be paid out after the Sept. 20 pull.

“The pullers told us they wanted a chance to win more money, so I got to thinking,” said Long, who has assisted Clark County with their pulls the last two years and helped to get Champaign County’s pulls established last year. “The combined circuit will help out everybody—the other counties, us, and the pullers.”

The categories and prize money for the June 14 pull are as follows:

• 8,000-lb. Street Stock Diesel—Prizes are $200 for first, $100 for second, $75 for third, $50 for fourth, and $25 for fifth.

• 8,000-lb. Pro Stock Diesel—Prizes are $400 for first, $200 for second, $100 for third, $75 for fourth, and $50 for fifth.

• 8,000-lb. Run What You Brung—Prizes are $600 for first, $300 for second, $125 for third, $100 for fourth, and $75 for fifth.

• 6,500-lb. Pro Street Gas—Prizes are $300 for first, $150 for second, $100 for third, $75 for fourth, and $50 for fifth.

The same categories will stand for the Sept. 20 pull, a new addition to the local lineup. Madison County has hosted two pulls per year for the last four years. This year is the first time the Madison County schedule will feature three pulls. Organizers plan to promote the Sept. 20 event during the Farm Science Review, which will take place that same week in London.

“Several people asked us to do a fall pull, so we thought we’d try it this year,” Long said. “It’s right before harvest; it’s a way to get one more pull in.”