TOP COMPETITOR FROM AMERICA AT EUROPEAN SUPERPULL
On Saturday 27 February 2010, Ahoy Rotterdam will again ost the European Indoor Tractor Pulling Championship. As was the case in previous years, the 2010 event will be spiced up by a top competitor from America. And not just any competitor, but Black Widow, a 13,000 hp monster piloted by Kathy Archer. Kathy, who lives in Ohio, is keen to take on the best European teams and show the crowd what she’s made of. As you might expect, the line-up includes many other well-know teams from the Netherlands and abroad, all of which will vie for a place on the podium.
      INCREDIBLE DEERE

One of the likely candidates for the trophy is Incredible Deere, which competes in the super stock class. Dutchman Edwin Derksen and his white John Deere tractor have enjoyed a successful season. It took a blood-curdling final pull at the Dutch championships in Meerkerk for Edwin and Incredible Deere to win the national title. Although Derksen came equal first, he was awarded the title because he’d won more pulls. In addition to the Dutch title, Derksen secured the Euro Cup at the European Championships. What ended as a perfect season certainly didn't start off that way, however. The 39-year-old Dutchman, who acquired Hydro-Stopp Bits ‘n Pieces from Willem Veldhuizen in the spring, only managed to secure a sponsorship contract at the very last moment. Going into the season, he would probably have settled for a top-5 position at the Dutch national championships. That said, he will undoubtedly expect to do better this February.

      JUST SMOKY

Just Smokey and Englishman David Jones are regular super stock competitors. The team travelled to Rotterdam on three previous occasions, making it to the podium each time. Just Smokey even won the title in 2007. Although Jones participated in few international events in 2009, he caused quite a stir by coming third at this year’s European championships (held in Bakel, the Netherlands). David’s father John and his uncle Bill regularly travelled to the continent in the 1980s to compete with an earlier version of Smoky Joe: a Ford 8600 super stock. As all hands were required on deck to run the family’s two 1000-hectare farms, the tractor eventually ended up in a barn. David first became involved in the sport in 2004, when he piloted a reincarnation of Just Smoky: a methanol-powered Case International MX285 component tractor. It’ll be interesting to see if David will again make it to the podium at the 32nd European Superpull.
      GREEN FIGHTER
One of the leading European teams to be missing from the Ahoy line-up in recent years was Green Fighter. Fortunately the Green Fighter tractor, which is powered by three Allison engines, will again compete at this year's event. The Green Fighter team, which is based in Sassenberg-Füchtorf, Germany, has been involved in tractor pulling since 1978 and has meanwhile acquired the tricks of the trade. Green Monster, the team’s other tractor, was the first European competition puller to be fitted with a V12 Allison engine. The team has meanwhile amassed a wealth of experience with the Allison aero-engine; knowledge that is gratefully used by the other European teams. One recent modification involved the installation of an electronic ignition and fuel injection system, which is expected to improve the engine’s performance and reliability. The team, which is sponsored by Claas (the well-known manufacturer of farming machinery) still manages to give the best tractors in the 4.5 tonne free class a run for their money. The excellent results at this year’s European championships in Bakel, where the team finished second, are a good example.
      DELTA LLOYD SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE

Following an absence of several years on account of modifications, the line-up for the 32nd European Superpull - to be held on Saturday 27 February - will again include Delta Lloyd Simply Irresistible. The organisers are delighted to announce that the reigning European champion in the 4.5 ton free class will also compete for the European indoor title. Victory at the European championships was a wonderful reward for the team from Dronten, the Netherlands, which worked hard to improve and modify its tractor. Just about every aspect of Delta Lloyd Simply Irresistible is new. The cross-box, which is due to be replaced this winter, is the only remaining component from the original Delta Lloyd Simply Irresistible machine. Which, as connoisseurs will know, started life as Sassy Massey, the American tractor last gunned down the Ahoy clay track by Rodalyn Knox in 1993.
      TICKETS

Tickets are available from the Ahoy box office, 00 31 10 2933 814 or via www.ticketservice.nl. The European Indoor Tractor Pulling Championship covers two sessions, held at 12:00 and 19:00 respectively.

Pulling fans are also able to order VIP-arrangements - see www.europeansuperpull.nl for further details.