Tractors pull their weight at Brown County Fair

Event highlights final day of fair

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The equivalent of a grand slam, touchdown and slam dunk took place Sunday at the Brown County Fair tractor pull.

Steve Fischer and his 1950 Allis Chalmers WD tractor pulled 222.8 feet, a full pull as he won the 3500 Open class. The same tractor finished second in the 4500 Open class.

Fischer, of rural Sleepy Eye, the tractor pull co-chairperson, along with Marlin Portner, of New Ulm, souped up his antique tractor with bigger tires, wheelie bars and higher RPMs.

Mike Portner of New Ulm pulled 178 feet, one inch with a 60-year-old Co-Op tractor that his father Marlin restored. The pull gave him the lead in the 4500 stock class early in the afternoon.

"It's easy to drive, has unbelievable power and goes 45 mph," Portner said of the antique tractor that was junked until his father added it to sizeable collection of restored antique tractors.

Portner, a 2001 Cathedral High School graduate, is studying psychology, corrections and sociology at Minnesota State University Mankato. He also gives guitar lessons and plays lead guitar in an area heavy metal rock band, although drums are his forte.

Pull results: (some pull lengths were not available): 3500 stock, 1. Ryan Parker, Comfrey, 182.6; 2. Jon Mielke, Courtland, 182.6. (Parker won a pull-off, going 112.5 feet on his second pull while Mielke went 95.5). 3. Lloyd Hoffman, Klossner, 174.2. 3500 Open, 1. Steve Fischer, Sleepy Eye, 222.8; 2. Corey Suess, St. James, 182.6; 3. Marlin Portner, New Ulm, 182. 4500 Stock, 1. Gene Friesen, Comfrey, 182.9; 2. Curt Wile, Truman, 181.1; 3. Kim Wooden, Hutchinson, 179.6. 4500 Open, 1. Richard Olson, Hutchinson; 2. Steve Fischer, Sleepy Eye; 3. Marlin Portner, New Ulm. 5500 Stock, 1. Curt Wile, Truman, 201.9; 2. Brad Sprenger, Comfrey, 185.7; 3. Joe Blacksted, St. James, 165.7. 5500 Open, 1. Richard Olson, Hutchinson; 2. Mike Schons, Faribault; 3. Matt Peterson, Springfield. 6500 Stock, 1. Darrick Postel, New Ulm, 183.4; 2. Joe Blacksted, St. James, Brad Sprenger, Comfrey, 176.6. 6500 Open, 1. Richard Olson, Hutchinson; 2. Mike Schons, Faribault; 3. Corky Berdan, N. Mankato. 7500 Stock, 1. Troy Johnson, Norwood-Young America; 2. Erick Ball, Morgan; 3. Andrew Fritsche, New Ulm. 7500 Open, 1. Richard Olson, Hutchinson; 2. Randy Rasmussen, Mankato; 3. Dan Petersen, Springfield. 9000 Stock, 1. Jon Jacobsen, Sleepy Eye, 2. Keith Hoffman, Sleepy Eye; 3. Ernie Salic, Truman.

12500 Stock, 1. Ryan Parker, Comfrey; 2. Chuck Parker, Comfrey; 3. Jerry Haberman, Mountain Lake. 12500 Unl., 1. Ryan Parker, Comfrey; 2. Jason Lelpp, Butterfield; 3. Chad Lange, St. James. 16500, 1. John Hermel, Nicollet; 2. Jim Gliscrinski, Belle Plaine; 3. Jason Lepp, Butterfield.(19500 and 24500 classes were not held due to a broken sled transfer.)