Linn County pullers bring recent wins to Mound City competition

Mound City's Megan Paddock will try to add to her first-place trophy collection on Sunday night at the Linn County Fair. (Linn County Fair Facebook page)

By John Teagarden, Linn County Fair Board

The Linn County boys and girl with the BIG Toys (pulling tractors) competing in the Outlaw Truck & Tractor Pulling circuit enjoyed success during the last week of July at pulls in Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Linn County is represented by no less than three big-time pulling tractors and skilled drivers in the highly competitive Outlaw Pulling Association, the midwest premier pulling league.

The brother/sister team of 22-year-old Tyler Paddock and 19-year-old Megan Paddock, both of Mound City, compete in the Limited Pro Stock division with tractors named “In Too Deep” and “Digging Deep Deere.”

Kyle Carstens of Parker competes in the Pro Stock division on the tractor “Lotta Green.”

The Linn County tractors liked the track at Mercer, Mo. on July 26, the start of four days of Outlaw Pulls that included Wayne and Pierce, Neb., Corydon, Iowa, and Warrensburg, Mo.

Megan Paddock bested 12 other drivers (including two women) from Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri to win her class at Mercer. Meanwhile, Carstens was a close second in the Pro Stock class.

The primary difference between the Limited Pro Stock and Pro Stock classes is engine size allowed (640 vs. 680 cubic inches) and pulling weight allowed (9500 pounds vs. 10,000 pounds).

The pulling week ended at Warrensburg on Sunday, July 30, on a strong point for the Linn County contingent. Tyler Paddock and “In Too Deep” won the Limited Pro Stock class and Kyle Carstens and “Lotta Green” were first in the Pro Stock division.

Carstens is ranked near the top of the season standings in his division following wins at Platte City and Marthasville, Mo. earlier this year.

“The last week of July and the first two weeks of August are the heart of the Outlaw pulling season,” said Brent Paddock, Linn County Fair Tractor Pull chairman. Pulls are set this week for Scribner, Neb., on Aug. 3; Gibbon, Neb., on Aug 4; Deleone, Texas, on Aug 4-5; Moville, Iowa, on Aug 5; and ours at Mound City Sunday, Aug. 6 at 7:00 pm.”

“We are the only pull scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 6, so classes will be full. Mound City will host truck and tractor pulling teams from Missouri, Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Make plans to be here, all the Big Machines will put on another great pull at our fair,” Brent Paddock said.