'Clutch' performance at Putnam County Fair gives Zaring points title

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Fillmore's Jake Zaring may have come up just two inches short of repeating as a Putnam County Fair Truck Pull champion but he was a winner Sunday night nonetheless.

Jake Zaring of Fillmore makes a pull of 297.30 in his Dixie Chopper Dodge Sunday at the Putnam County Fair.

Zaring, whose Dixie Chopper Dodge is the reigning 4WD truck national champion, finished second to fellow Hoosier Leann Tormoehlen during Putnam County Fair competition in the Pro Modified 4-Wheel-Drive Truck class on Sunday. However, his runner-up finish earned Zaring enough points to capture the 2007 Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League Slick Mist Series points title.

Zaring had jumped to the head of the class in that series with back-to-back wins in Crossville, Tenn., last month.

It certainly didn't faze Zaring to lose such a close pull to Tormoehlen, who will be a senior this fall at Brownstown Central High School in southern Indiana. In fact, Zaring actually helped the Vallonia, Ind., teenager earn the victory in her aptly-named "Charmed" Chevrolet.

"Jake loaned her a clutch last night (Sunday) and then she goes out and beats him," Zaring Crew Chief Jim Hilburn revealed. "But that's what pulling is all about."

It was a busy pulling weekend for Zaring, who competed on the Champions Tour Friday and Saturday in Owensboro, Ky.  He was 11th out of 26 pullers on Friday and 10th among 25 on Saturday before coming home for the annual Putnam County Fair event.

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