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Zaring prepares for upcoming pulls
Jake Zaring began his truck-pulling career in 1979 at the local county fairs.
Thirty-four years later, he is hauling across eight states this year with two Dodge trucks, Dixie Chopper and Fatheadz, eight and three seasons deep respectively. Both pull in the 6,200 lb. Modified 4X4 Truck class in the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League and the National Tractor Pull Association.
Earlier this month, Zaring won first in a pull in Boswell, Ind., and last weekend in Mackville, Wis., Zaring pulled his Dixie Chopper 312.24 feet, coming in second by almost three feet.
"The object of the game is go the farthest," Zaring said.
For Zaring, that's not just in contests but also on the road.
He said he left for Mackville Thursday night and drove until 5 a.m. Friday.
His overnight drive was to pull each truck for anywhere between 12-15 seconds and 320-325 feet.
The trucks pull a weighted sled that as it advances becomes more weighted and more difficult to pull.
Zaring said after each of his trucks did their pulls, he headed back and drove through the night again until he reached home, again at 5 a.m.
He heads to Tampico, Ind., this weekend for another pull.
"I think we're doing real good so far," he said.
His Dixie Chopper truck has won more pulls, but Zaring said he doesn't have a favorite.
"Whichever one wins," he said. "I just like competition."
In 2007, Zaring and the Dixie Chopper truck won the world champion for the in the 4WD truck class. With his new motor, Zaring said he thinks he has a chance this year.
Zaring said he recently got his Dixie Chopper truck a Sonny Leonard Hemi, which is one of the highest horsepower motors.
"(It's) the latest and greatest," he said. "I was afraid that when we bought it, we wouldn't have been able to use it because it wouldn't be able to keep traction, but so far, we've been able to utilize it."
The reason he pulls two trucks is to help his chances.
"If the first one didn't do any good, then on the second one, you change your driving methods," he said.
He drives Dodges because he likes them, but also because they are rare when driving in the gas division.
"There aren't near as many Dodges as there are Chevys," he said.
In August, Zaring will pull at the State Fair, but this will be the first time since the pulling grounds were built that Zaring won't compete at teh Putnam County Fair because the fair board will not put the money up, he said.
"I built the track here at Greencastle and the grand stands, and everything I spent 22 years here ... but it's part of it," the Fillmore resident said.
Zaring's next pull in Tampico will be at the Grassey Fork VFD grounds. Pulls begin at 7 p.m. Saturday.