With the season under way with our first event on June 28 and then we were out again on July 8th, This off season our team spent a lot of time working through our data from our Racepak systems and videos to try and figure out why the Knight Delivery truck didn't want to hook up and also look at the Blue Knight truck to get past our 3rd and 4th place finishes. That information lead us to a few things we thought would make a big difference. So we went to work.
With our first OSTPA event being in Cadiz and the other few events that we planned to try and make having some wet conditions we went to the Cadiz event with no testing and even drew the number one hook with the Knight Delivery truck. Danny took the truck down the track with a nice 285' pass, but even though it was better than every pass last season we thought it had some more to give so we dropped the run. After the sled had been reset and a couple trucks later, Chad brought the Blue Knight out as test hook again. He laid down a 327' pass that help up till late in the class when Russ Nichols made a monster pass that went on to win. Danny was the last truck down the track and moved into 2nd place with a 335' pass. So with no testing we walked away with 2nd and 3rd to start off the season.
Our next stop on the OSTPA circuit was the Delynn Kale Memorial Pull in Richwood, Ohio. The Blue Knight drew the test hook and the Knight Delivery was next to last. Chad started off the class with a 335' pass crossing the track from right to left. The tack officials left the sled setting and the Blue Knight was able to hold on with the only challenger getting close was Danny in the Knight Delivery truck at 332'. So with Chad's first carrier victory and even better sweep of the top two spots it was a great start to the season.
As we get ready for a busy four pulls in eight days that will have a big effect on the points championship, Chad and Danny are tired atop the OSTPA points standings. We will be in MT Vernon on the 28th and Tiffin on July 29th. Come out and stop by the trailer.
We are very proud of my Grandpa and how he has carried our team for so many years. Taking us from the early days of TWD Pulling to continuing to support us and our crazy ideas. He has taught me everything I know about pulling and we even look to some of his ideas still today and try to figure out how we can use them know. You can see the history from the below videos and artical from the OSTPA banquet.
The typical way pullers get involved in the sport is through their family. And more often than not, it is the father who introduces the son to pulling. Well, for Carl Taylor you can turn that theory on its head. It was his son who took him along on pulls and got him interested. In the early 80’s a new division debuted and his son was looking at getting involved in and shortly into the build Carl took over and completed the build with his 1970 Chevy EL Camino to debut in 1982. In 1983 the class became an official class and Carl ran about half of those events. He went to the larger tires earlier than others and stuck with them knowing he could get hooked to the track much quicker if he just could get the final ratio matched up. Carl finished 2nd in the OSTPA points in 1987 for the first time and then several other times while splitting time between OSTPA and the National Circuit between then and 1994 before winning the 1994 OSTPA championship and receiving the TWD Puller of the Year award the same year.
Carl continued to drive full time in the Two-Wheel drive class till 2002 when he turned over the driving to his grandson Chad. He has jumped back in the driver’s seat several times since and even bring the Baby Blue Knight back out in 2016 after being parked for 3 years. His Iconic truck that has transformed several times in 35 years of pulling. Several chassis and drive trains and who knows how many motors and motor combinations, but somethings never changed. The 1970 El Comino with its flashing lights that has been the staple for Taylor Family Motorsports for 35 years including the 2016 with its retro paint scheme.
Carl had continued to always be at the shop putting in the hour’s year after year to keep the team on the road and on the track. He is a retired Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Maintance Supervisor and during his retired years he drove over the road truck. He has 2 children, 5 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. He has been known for being a competitor no matter what it takes and to show sportsmanship above everything else.
Labor Day weekend was a busy one for our team with 3 events in 3 days. Starting off in Canton at the Stark County Fair on Friday night and then on to Marietta for Saturday Night for the Washington County Fair Pull. The weekend concluded with another trip to Richwood this time for the pull at the Richwood Independent Fair. Our crew worked hard preparing for this busy weekend with tons of maintenance to the trucks including new spark plugs wires, fresh blowers from SSI, New Oil and some time doing the messy job sharpening tires.
Friday we had all three trucks in action with 11 tough trucks on the line up sheet it was not going to be an easy night. The track was the best we have pulled on all year and maybe the best in recent years. With drawing hook numbers four, five and seven we were going to be busy without much time between the trucks. But our crew did an awesome job keeping things moving so we could get all three trucks down the track. Carl was first out and took a rough ride in the Baby Blue Knight as the motor detonated again causing the truck to jump and hop till he got it shut down just past 100 feet. Knight Delivery was the next of our trucks and Danny took it out past 300 ft and in to the lead. That was a win win for our team after the troubles Knight Delivery has been giving us in the past few weeks. The front was a little light but with the great track conditions that was all we could do. Chad then brought the Blue Knight out and cruised past 300 ft to come to stop at 318 and take the lead back from Howard Antrim and the Thunder Wagon only to be bested by Russ Nichols and On the Edge. Final Results left Chad and the Blue Knight in 4th, Danny and Knight Delivery in 6th and Carl and the Baby Blue Knight in 11th place. We had an awesome time with family and friends from the Canton area and are so thankful for their support.
Saturday we headed south after determining the Baby Blue Knight was going to take more time and parts than we had on hand to fix. So just the Knight Delivery and Blue Knight made the trip to the Washington County Fair in Marietta. After a delayed start things got moving with just seven trucks in the class. Chad drew the test hook position and Danny draw hook position number three with Knight Delivery. The tricky track conditions made it hard to find traction but Chad was able to take the Blue Knight out to 287ft and after debating if he could do much different he took the pass. With the 3rd hook Danny brought the Knight Delivery truck out to 271 ft and 3rd place. Both trucks stayed in 1st and 3rd till Don Williams was able to take a major risk and slide past to steel the win leaving Chad and Danny to finish second and fourth. Again we had awesome support from family and friends and we are so thankful that they came down to spend the evening with us.
Sunday we took a smaller crew and headed out after church to Richwood. It was our first tie pulling at the Richwood Independent fair. We have competed at the fairground before at the Delyn Kale Memorial Pull but never at the fair. Our team took time to double check things after some hard runs on the motors the night before in Marietta just to make sure everything was in tip top shape.
With 11 trucks making the trip at the end of a long weekend on the road we draw hook positions six and eight. Chad drawing the earlier number for his run in the Blue Knight and Danny the later for his run in Knight Delivery. Chad rolled the Blue Knight out for a clean pass out to 289 ft putting him in the lead. Danny came out two trucks later and also made a clean pass for 288ft. Leaving them just short of the distance of 293 ft Don Williams puller in between them. But Dick McPherson was able to come out with one of the last runs of the night and take the win with a distance of 301ft leaving us to finish in third and fourth.
We are so thankful for an awesome family and crew that keep us on the track and come out and spend time with us. Plus it takes awesome people behind us like Racepak, Ken Veney Industries and SSI Superchargers to keep us on the track. It is never easy but for us this was a great weekend with solid finishes each night. Thanks for Justin Larr and some of our family for the pictures and videos this weekend.
