Jul. 1--In the evening hours of last Friday, crowds of excited automotive and non-automotive fans flooded the gates at the Jack Tharp Arena for Willits Frontier Days' first annual Truck and Tractor Pull.

When Willits locals Fred and Marcy Barry attended last year's Nevada State Fair in Reno, they decided that they wanted to try and have a similar tractor pull event in conjunction with the Willits Frontier Days celebration.

Fred and John Songstrom co-own a modified truck -- named Time Bandit and were excited at the idea also to be able to race in their own hometown.

Marcy contacted the event promoter Brian Massetti of MLM Motorsports and started the paperwork process. She went before the Willits Frontier Days board where she presented the proposal for the event. The board gave her the go-ahead if she was able to raise 70% of the funds for the promoter first.

"We made it by the skin of our teeth," laughed Marcy. "Kent Standley and I went around and gathered advertisers to raise funds -- Organic Soil Products/KC Trucking and Northern Aggregate made substantial initial donations that really allowed us to get the event off and running."

Another condition from the Frontier Days Board was that the arena had to be ready for the following morning's Sweetheart judging and Gymkhana; Bud Garman and Billy Rutler donated their time and equipment to not only ready the arena for the pulls, but also graded and flattened the runway between pulls and worked into the wee hours of the morning tilling and rearranging the dirt for Saturday's events.

Contestants in the pulls were able to enter into several categories: the 8,000 pound modified tractor, 6,200 pound modified 4x4, 7,200 pound modified tractor, the 8,000 pound modified diesel, the 8,000 pound street diesel, the 8,000 pound stock diesel and the 6,500, 5,500 or 4,500 pound street divisions.

Willits local Kevin Bouthillier also entered his water truck in a special division just for fun.

Event promoter, Brain Massetti was able to bring competitors from all over the state to give the crowd a big show with the large modified tractors and trucks.

Massetti works with a group of about 12 drivers with modified trucks who he keeps in contact with throughout the year. They attend many of the same events including one in Eureka two days prior to Friday's pulls and one in Senora scheduled for the following day.

In the modified truck classes, contestants are limited to one naturally aspirated engine that does not have a blower or a turbo charger and are four-wheel drive.

For the tractor classes, Massetti is connected with the Pacific Tractor Puller's Association (PTPA) and is able to bring them to put on a show with some of the modified tractor's massive motor power.

In the 7,200 pound modified tractor class, the tractors can run a maximum of two engines and must be kept under a total weight of 7,200 pounds including the driver to qualify. Tractors are also delineated by being propelled by only the back wheels. One tractor in the 7,200 pound class, White Lightning driven by David Leinfelder of Stockton, boasts a model T58 Turbine engine that used to be used in a helicopter.

Nick Guriel of San Luis Obispo's tractor entry Semper Fi in the 8,000 pound "unlimited" class distinguished from the above class as it allows as many engines as can remain (usually up to four) -- with the driver -- under the 8,000 pound weight limit boasts two of the model T58 engines and sounds like an airplane on a runway when its engines are roaring. Massetti explained that the three or four engines tractors are usually producing per engine -- about 1,500 horsepower each.

Along with being the event promoter Massetti is also behind the "wheel" of the sled which he has dubbed as the Terminator. The Terminator features a moving weight that can be set to move slower or faster due to the weight class or specific needs of the situation.

Though many of the trucks were taken down by the Terminator, several made impressive attempts and some prevailed on the 400 foot runway.

In the 8,000 pound modified tractor class, first place went to Jeremy Corriea driving Git R Done of Tulare who crossed the 400 foot line. Second place went to Eddie Dutra driving Maxx Kakl of Hanford who pulled to the 340 foot, 8 inch line. Third place went to Nick Guriel driving Semper Fi of San Luis Obispo who made it to the 301 foot, 8 inch line.

In the 6,200 pound modified 4x4 class, first place went to Donnie Reeve driving the Rat Patrol of Stockton who made it 274 feet, 7 inches. Second went to Larry Lopes driving Young Guns of Oakdale who made it to the 243 foot, 9 inch line, third went to Kevin Massetti driving Yellow Fever of Madera who made it to the 226 foot, 8 inch line, fourth place went to Fred Barry driving Time Bandit of Willits who pulled to the 217 foot line and fifth place went to Gary Fernandes driving Wild Hare of Turlock who made it to the 210 foot, 5 inch line.

In the 7,200 pound modified tractor class, first place went to Mark Zohns driving Bail Out from San Luis Obispo who pulled to the 286 foot, 1 inch line. Second place went to Matt Darr driving Mustang Fever also from San Luis Obispo who came in on the 277 foot line and third place went to David Leinfelder driving White Lightning out of Stockton who went to the 250 foot, 5 inch line.

In the 8,000 pound modified diesel class, first place went to Scott Vorhees driving the Big Bad Dodge out of Rohnert Park who pulled to the 313, foot 7 inch line and second place went to Joel Gooch driving Big Green Sleeper out of Redding 249 foot, 9 inch line.

In the 8,000 pound street diesel class, first place went to Randee Fisher of Santa Rosa who made it 219 feet, 4 inches. Second place went to Chad Randel of Santa Rosa who made it 192 feet, 9 inches; third place went to Willits' Garrett Peterson with his pull of 166 feet, 5 inches and Stevo Salvetti of Santa Rosa came in third with his pull of 145 feet, 5 inches.

In the 8,000 pound stock diesel division, Santa Rosa native Randee Fisher came back for a second round again taking first place with a pull of 248 feet, 4 inches; Willits' Rocky Stansberry took second with a pull of 211 feet, 8 inches; Dave Lemos of Windsor took third with a pull of 207 feet; Abe Lozoff of Willits took home fourth place with a pull of 188 feet, 8 inches; Christi Lovell also of Willits took fifth place with a pull of 129 feet and another Willits boy, Jacob Standley took sixth place with a pull of 128 feet, 4 inches.

In the 6,500 pound street class, Willits' Cole Munderloh took first place with a pull of 154 feet, 8 inches.

In the 5,500 pound street class, Willits' Kenny Kumpula won first place with a pull of 172 feet, 9 inches; Sage Basler of Laytonville took second place with a pull of 163 feet, 4 inches and Willits' Gary Laferty came in third place with a pull of 144 feet, 6 inches.

In the 4,500 pound street division, Derrick Trimble of Redwood Valley won the class with a pull of 163 feet, 1 inch; Dean Allen of Willits took second with a pull of 160 feet, 3 inches; Matt Lovell of Willits took third place with a pull of 137 feet, 7 inches; fourth place went to Branden Powers of Willits for a pull of 127 feet, 9 inches and another Willits native, Russ Kester took fifth place with a pull of 104 feet, 7 inches.

And in the "Just for fun class" Willits' Kevin Bouthillier tried his hand at the Terminator with his water truck and made it to the 143 foot, 6 inch line.

Both Marcy Barry and Brian Massetti noted the excellent turnout and enthusiasm for a second annual show next summer.

"We just really want to thank the community for coming out and supporting the event," noted Barry. "A big thanks goes out to all the sponsors including Bud Garman and Sons, Willits Les Schwab, D.B.I, Willits Tire Center, 101 Burger/101 Donut, Lost Coast Motorcycles, Willits Rental Center, Garton Tractor Supplies out of Santa Rosa, Shuster Trucking, Rainbow Ag and of course to all the volunteers who helped make the event a success. We hope to see you all again next year!"

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