With temperatures soaring, Howard Countians flocked to the Howard County fairgrounds to witness the 50th Fayette Optimist Power Pull.

Contestants competed in four classes during the competition put on by the Fayette Optimist Club and facilitated by the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League.

Opening the night was the Limited Pro Stock Tractors. Taking home the gold in the division was Gage Schottel of Savannah, Missouri, in “Ole Black Magic.” Schottel had a run of 335.08 feet.

Finishing second in the division was Gage Begeman of Mendon, Illinois in “Change of Pace.” His pull covered a distance of 330.44 feet.

The third-place finisher was Dustin Ruth of Downing, Missouri driving “Too Ruthless.” He had a pull of 328.96.

The next class was the Limited Pro Diesel Trucks.

“Megatron,” a Dodge driven by Jayson Wayman of Novinger, Missouri, finished first with a pull of 306.00.

The second-place finisher was Skyler Leeper in another Dodge, “Legal Limits.” with a pull of 302.94. Leeper hails from California, Missouri.

Cole Alley of Corydon, Iowa, finished third with a pull of 302.38 in “Back Alley Hooker.”

The next class was the 85 Limited Pro Stock Tractors. 

Darren Horstmeier finished slightly out in front with a pull of 319.3 feet in his International Harvester, “Night Moves.”

Right behind Horstmeier was New Haven, Missouri’s Craig Schowe in “Wife’s Nightmare.” Schowe covered 318.38 feet.

The third-place finisher was Bryan Gerling of Berger, Missouri, with a pull of 317.82 in “Family Tradition.”

Pulling the longest in the final class of the night was Allen Shellum of Sherman, South Dakota. Competing in the Light Pro Stock Tractors, Shellum coaxed his John Deere tractor, “Constant Chaos,” down the track for 339.92 feet.

Finishing in second place was Adam Luhnow of Kewanna, Indiana. Luhnow and “One Bad Binder” covered a distance of 339.36. That distance, along with Shellum’s, marked the shortest distance between first and second places for the night at .56 inches.

The third-place finisher was hometown hero Dustin Hart of Fayette, driving “Shagnasty.”Hart finished just behind Luhnow at 338.80.

The Power Pull is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Fayette Optimist Club, which supports programs such as football, baseball, soccer, and basketball for youth in Fayette.

The club also provides scholarships for students attending Boys’ and Girls’ State.

Brian Asbury is part of an Optimist presidential duo along with Jon Bishop. “Jon is basically the frontrunner,” said Asbury. “I fill in when he can’t be there. It works because we are a team.

“In small rural towns like Fayette, tractor and truck pulls are very popular,” said Asbury. “This is our biggest event of the year that allows the club to do the things that we do. It allows us to raise money. It is a fun event for the area. It brings in people not just from Fayette and Howard County, but from all around the area.

“It just seems to get better and better every year,” said Asbury. “You get a big crowd out there and find out, there’s a lot of people who have never been to a tractor pull, but if it’s their first time, it’s like no other experience they’ve ever seen. Then, they come back.”

The Power Pull doesn’t happen just by accident. Asbury says plans are already being set out for next year’s event.  “There’s mowing, and cleaning, and working on the bleachers,” said Asbury. “This year we even had to do some bailing. There’s just a lot that goes into it.”

Volunteers will arrive at around 8 a.m. on the day of the event and work sometimes until midnight or 1 a.m.

“That’s a lot of dedicated volunteers,” said Asbury. 

Asbury estimates there are 60-80 Optimist Club members and probably 30-40 are able to play a specific part in the Power Pull. 

The event runs because of the volunteers and the sponsors. Not wanting to omit anyone, Asbury would not try to name all of the sponsors, but estimated there are approximately 50-60 sponsors.

“We just can’t thank our sponsors enough and also want to give a big shout out to our volunteers and our community,” said Asbury. “It could be 100 degrees and people pack the stands. They come in full force and they love it and continue to support it.”

The Power Pull continues to be a crowd-pleaser and continues to play its part in Fayette lore.

“As long as people keep wanting us to put it on, we’re going to put it on.” said Asbury.