Ned Walliser, President
Ned was first elected to a three-year term on the WPI Board in 2024 In the board’s subsequent reorganizational meeting, Mr. Walliser was voted in as President.
Ned is employed by the National Hot Rod Association as its Vice President of Competition, a position he has held since 2018. He was previously on the board of the SFI Foundation and Chief Operating Officer of MainGate, a merchandise distribution company.
Ned is a native of Attica, Ohio and resides in The Villages, Florida.
Vaughn Bauer, Vice President
Vaughn was elected to a three-year term beginning in 2022. He is the founder and president of Bauer Built Manufacturing of Paton, Iowa, which began in 1982 as a small machine, welding, and paint shop based in a garage. Vaughn’s design of a folding planter for road travel caught the attention of John Deere, with whom he partnered for 10 years in the construction of the DB Series. Bauer Built Manufacturing reopened in a new 200,000-sq. ft. facility in 2015, a complex that was further expanded in 2020 and presently employs about 80.
Bauer Built’s “Ironman” weight transfers, which are called upon to regulate such contests as Tomah, Chapel Hill, and Bowling Green, have been routinely honored with the NTPA’s Sled of the Year Award.
Vaughn and his wife Lori reside in Paton.
Dale Quamme, Secretary
Dale was elected in 2020 to a three-year term on the WPI Executive Board, but his continuing service to the Association as a technical official and regional director goes back decades. A devoted garden tractor puller, Dale founded the National Garden Tractor Pullers Association in 1994 as an affiliate of the NTPA to bring structure to competition within that sport’s various divisions. Later on, he was instrumental in the development of NTPA’s rollcage standards that have, over the succeeding 20-plus years, protected countless drivers from serious injury.
Dale, his wife Donna, and their four children—Kelly, Kim, Kyle, and Kevin—have all been involved in truck and tractor pulling as competitors or support staff. Dale and Donna reside in Rosemount, Minnesota.
Scott Doty, Treasurer
Scott was elected to a three-year term beginning in 2022. A competitor in the late 1970s and early 1980s with his “Heartbreaker” Modified, he has been a certified NTPA Official since 1991 and is best known to NTPA fans as the longtime South track finish-line flagman at Bowling Green. He is a former president of both the Michigan Tractor Pullers Association and its successor, the Wolverine Pullers Association, and has served the latter organization as its Head Tech Official. He was named NTPA’s Tech Official of the Year in 2006.
When time permits, Scott campaigns his vintage “Heartbreaker” on the National Tractor Pulling Legends circuit.
Scott and his wife Darlene reside in Monroe, Michigan.
Rick Austin, Director
Jessie Petro, President
Jessie Petro of Camden, Ohio, has been a dedicated competitor and supporter of tractor pulling for decades. Since beginning his career in the Two-Wheel Drive (TWD) class in 1998, Jessie has established himself as one of the sport’s top competitors, earning multiple Grand National championships and building a reputation for consistency and excellence on the track.
Away from competition, Jessie works at Gene’s Machine Shop in Hamilton, Ohio, where his mechanical expertise and passion for performance machinery align naturally with his involvement in motorsports.
Jessie has also served the sport in a leadership role as a member of the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) Board for multiple years. In this role, he contributes his experience as both a competitor and industry professional to help guide the organization and support the continued growth and success of tractor pulling.
He lives in Camden, Ohio, with his wife, Jessica, and their three children: Audrey, Conway, and Emmett. When he’s not working or competing, Jessie enjoys spending time with his family, cheering on his kids at their sporting events, vacationing, and following other forms of motorsports.
Bryan McDonald, Vice President
Travis Schlabach, Secretary
Travis pilots an International 1066 he calls Bone Twister, competing in the NTPA DSS Class on the Grand National Level.
He owns a Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning Business along with two Appliance and Mattress Stores.
Travis is involved in many things community wide. He is a long-time member of the Marengo Volunteer Fire Department and also serves as the Mayor of Marengo, Iowa where he resides with his wife Allison.
Brad Benedict, Treasurer
Mark Peissig, Director
Mark Peissig has been involved in tractor pulling for many years and was the driver for several vehicles including the Heavy Diesel named “Fat Boy” and a LSS tractor called “The Bomb.” He went on to win several NTPA, WTPA, and Region III points races. Mark was inducted into the NTPA Hall of Fame in 2022. Throughout his tractor pulling career, Mark has been a promotor, a member of the WTPA board of directors, the President for WTPA, and is now on board of directors for NTPA. Mark has been married to his wife, Terri, for over 35 years. Together they have three adult children: Emily, Tim, and Logan. Mark’s entire family has been involved in the world of tractor pulling for a long time. Tim and Logan started pulling garden tractors in elementary school and both went on to drive “The Bomb” till 2015. In 2021, Tim and Logan rejoined the WTPA co-driving a mini-rod they called “Fallout.” In 2024, Tim became the primary driver of “Fallout” while Logan began to drive the newest mini-rod named “Aftermath.” Both boys have won WTPA and Region III titles. Tim and Logan continue to drive both mini-rods while their dad remains their crew chief, mentor, and coach. Terri was an entry clerk for WTPA for over ten years and continues to attend pulls each summer. Emily has regularly attended tractor pulls since she was born and is now a crew member and social media manager for Peissig Motorsports. Mark secretly hopes that she will one day become a driver.
Outside of pulling, Mark is the co-owner of Bob’s Dairy Supply and Advanced Dairy Systems with 9 locations across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Mark also is the owner of R-Carwash in Dorchester, WI and Nowaskey Extreme Performance in Menomonie, WI. He also stays busy with other hobbies such as collecting snowmobiles, restoring antique tractors, and supporting his children’s ambitions. Terri currently works as a medical assistant at a local clinic and spends much of her free time relaxing at the family cabin and cooking for “family dinner night.” Emily is a forensic psychologist who is also involved in music and teaching. Tim is an employee of Bob’s Dairy Supply who spends much of his free time snowmobiling, riding side-by-sides, and helping Mark at the home shop. Logan is a high school math teacher who also coaches Freshman football and announces local hockey games.