Rian billed our weekend trip to Wichita Falls "The Father, Son, Son Trip".

That would be me, Rian and Reid. Technically, this would be Father, Son and Grandson from my perspective.

I arrived just a few minutes late at K.O.'s headquarters for our Friday estimated time of departure. When I did arrive, the two big Peterbilts were idling, pointed to the road. It took only a short while to load my bag, my hanging clothes, lawn chairs, and coolers. Then it was a quick walk around and getting in and putting the parade in motion.

In a different twist, I let K.O. lead. I don't know why, but usually when K.O. and I go somewhere in separate vehicles, I lead. Often times it is like pulling teeth to keep K.O. up. He will lag behind until CB radios might not have the range for us to talk, relegating me to check on him with my cell phone. So it was a welcome change as he assumed the point.

We were only two of four vehicles, but the additional vehicles were leaving, one about an hour and a half after we did on Friday and K.O.'s brother would not leave until Saturday afternoon.

We were headed to the TTTPA season finale taking place at Red River Raceway. The season had started in April in Priddy, Texas then moving further South before moving back to our general area.

While I haven't participated as a contestant in many years, often times I will work as an announcer or contract my weight transfer for the competition. I find I break far fewer parts since I quit pulling and began announcing. The weight transfer machine is by far the most difficult challenge I have taken on.

This year has been kind of a welcome year. I didn't announce but the season opener, and I didn't contract my weight transfer at any shows. I was un-attached through the summer. But that was O.K., it allowed me to assist Rian when he was participating. That was kind of fun because I know he enjoys it. Of course he would like to be more competitive, especially with his little tractor, but that will come. His big tractor is one of the best looking vehicles on the circuit, and I believe it will have to be contended with next year.

I was probably one of the most surprised people in the world that Rian experienced so many problems with his big tractor. This tractor had been run a long time ago as a twin engine tractor by Fred and then Jason. I figured taking a motor off would be simple enough. (The TTTPA rules call for a single blown engine, or twin small blocks naturally aspirated). It was not simple at all. He had to get a new gear for his transmission and the drive train that ran as a twin engine tractor failed as a single requiring massive re-design.

Rian and Reid were coming to Wichita Falls from Lubbock after they got out of school Friday. It would be nip and tuck if they made it before the start of the Friday show. Rian was going to spectate only, as his big tractor still has issues that will be resolved over the winter.

When K.O., his wife and I arrived at the raceway, we began unloading equipment. They are the biggest pulling team in the organization with five vehicles in three classes with three drivers. I remember a long time ago Larry (of Better Burger fame) came to Roscoe trying to buy a pulling tractor for K.O. to compete with. It seemed that K.O. had taken up with a young woman of questionable standards and values and Larry wanted to re-direct K.O.'s energies and time to activities that would limit opportunities to pursue a relationship with this young woman. While Fred finally wouldn't approve the sale of the tractor, we did hook them up with a gentleman named Lloyd Martin who had a tractor for sale. Long story short the following week they made the deal and were in business.

Although one of their vehicles was not competing (it has a recurring engine problem that will be dealt with during the winter), it was a long ordeal moving ramps and unloading the vehicles. After that it was a big deal to pump fuel into jugs and topping all the fuel tanks (most of these vehicles will burn between three and five gallons on the 300 foot track). While this was going on, K.O. was reading the weather meter and tuning on carbeurators, re-jetting and setting floats levels.

Later in the evening as it cools off the air gets better (racing term) he would return to check air quality and change the pill (orfice) in the injector systems on their blown engines.

All the time we were working to do this, K.O.'s wife and young son were cleaning and shining the pulling vehicles.

Finally it was time to tow the vehicles across the scales and staging them for their turn in the competition.

All of the competitors were competing for cash prizes and points, but at this particular pull points were extremely important as many of the season points championships were still up for grabs. At the award banquet in November awards will be given out including but not limited to a cash contingency in each class.

All of the pullers had done the math, they knew who they had to run ahead of and how many other competitors they needed between them. In K.O.'s Econo rod class, his nephew who drives one of their five vehicles, had already locked up the championship. All he had to do was hook both nights. However, K.O. was two point ahead of third place points meaning he had to run ahead of the third place points vehicle. Long story short by Friday nights end he had failed to beat the tractor and had lost one point. Saturday night would be the deciding session.

One advantage of having multiple entries in a class means you can swap equipments between them, especially if you are running equipment that is taking different approaches.

K.O. decided to roll the dice Saturday and switch the tires between his nephew's entry and his own. When all the dust had settled, the work didn't pay off and he gave up two points more to the tractor directly behind him in points and four to the tractor that won the class. End result, K.O. slid from second to a tie for third in season points.

K.O. and his pulling team ended up winning two season championships while being runner up in another and having two third place finishes. While he wasn't satisfied, I think that speaks very well. They were competitive on all fronts.

In an even more bizarre occurrence, the third place tractor coming into the final weekend of the Limited Modified tractor class vaulted over the two running ahead of it to take the season championship!

I think everyone was relieved and glad when Saturday's show was over.

I enjoyed the weekend, especially Friday evening at the pull and at the motel, spending time with Rian and Reid. Rian keeps telling me I never had a child like Reid. I beg to differ.

I had never seen Reid and K.O.'s youngest son together. Justin is 8 and Reid is 6, so they became big buds quickly. They ran and played and dug and threw clods. Boy stuff! Debbie was really good to include Reid as they went to and from the pits to the track.

In a blink of an eye, Reid can disappear. I did learn that often times even though Rian and I might not see Reid, he was usually where he could keep an eye on us. I realized this early Friday evening as Reid did his disappearing act and as Rian was walking looking for him I could see Reid moving about watching his Dad. Once when Reid saw me, I motioned for him to come to me and immediately he began moving my way. He is willing to risk getting in trouble, he just doesn't want it to be bad trouble.

Rian does a good job with Reid (with all three of the boys), explaining the whys and what fors and what is important. Reid is not stupid, in fact he is almost too smart for his own good!

Our time together was too short as Saturday morning we got up and went to Cracker Barrel for a late breakfast (Rian had to wake Reid at 9:30) and then to the track to visit with people before Rian and Reid took me back to the motel and left about 1:15 in the afternoon.

They had to be back for church Sunday morning and they were hosting a gathering at their home for 11 adults and 15 kids to watch the UT TT football game Saturday evening. Of course the Lubbock crowd was very pro-TT.

With my afternoon, I catnapped and watched some college football before K.O.'s wife drove to pick me up to go to the Saturday night pull.

Sunday morning I woke early, showered and shaved, and waited for my ride back to the track. When Debbie arrived she asked where a doughnut shop was at (luckily I had seen one when Rian, Reid and I were driving around Saturday morning) and we picked up doughnuts and kolache's. When we arrived at the track, both big Peterbilts were loaded and warming up for the trek back to Abilene. In short order, the Rv was hooked to the towing vehicle and we began our exodus.

We cruised back to GOD'S country uneventfully. Once there we unloaded my things into my pickup and we said our goodbyes. I hit the road headed from Hawley to Roscoe to pick up driver envelopes before returning to Abilene.

The rest of my evening was spent watching NASCAR and select NFL games.

It is going to take me most of the week to rest up from the weekend.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for a good weekend and for safe travel for all of us. YOU are good.