Three super stock tractors with up to 5,000 hp alcohol fuelled engines and capable of wheel speeds up to 100mph will be attending the keenly anticipated first round of the British Tractor Pullers Association Championship in Shropshire next weekend.
The event at the Greenhous West Mid Showground, Shrewsbury on May 28 and 29, which coincides with the Shropshire County Show, has attracted an entry of 30 top tractor pullers from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.
Main sponsor for the event, which is organised by Malpas Tractor Pulling Club, is Shrewsbury-based Morris Lubricants, one of UK’s leading independent lubricants blenders.
The first for four rounds of the British Championship, the competition is divided into eight classes and involves drivers sitting on their tractors pulling a sledge weight along a 100 metre track.
Defending his British limited prostock title will be John Sowerby with Red Line Frenzy who will be up against Graeme Simpson from Aberdeen and Onky Ankers from Malpas, who finished second and third respectively last season.
Other tractors to look out for are the Orange Factory driven by Jamie Fleming from Cumbria and O Bonnie driven by Mark Sudell and Alistair Parkinson from Blackpool in the super sport class. There will be also be high powered truck competing from Scotland.
"We are expecting some very good competition as this is the first round of the British Championship and all the drivers will be building up for the European Championships in Blackpool in August.
"This attracts the best tractor pullers in Europe," said Onky Ankers, a director of the British Tractor Pullers Association and a member of Malpas Tractor Pulling Club.
"Tractor pulling is hugely popular with spectators who love to see the range of tractors competing, particularly the super stock tractors.”
Morris Lubricants was introduced to tractor pulling by customer Gary Penton, a director of Oswestry based haulage company Pentons, who has supported the sport for seven years and competes in the limited prostock class.
Andrew Goddard, managing director of Morris Lubricants, said: "We are delighted to sponsor the first round of the British Championship, which is right on our doorstep in Shrewsbury.
"The agriculture sector in general is an important market for the company and we look forward to meeting many existing and new customers over the weekend."
Morris Lubricants manufactures and sells an extensive range of performance lubricants covering a wide variety of application areas, from steam engines to modern-day commercial vehicles and industrial machinery.
Included in the extensive product portfolio is a comprehensive range of lubricants for tractors and agricultural and horticultural machinery.
