Columbus, Ohio—The 2024 Grand National regular season ended in three sessions at the DeKalb County Fair Pull in Sandwich, Illinois.
Fans at Thursday’s Truck Night witnessed Craig Dickey earn his first title in Super Stock Diesel 4×4. Dickey, from River Falls, Wisconsin, and his “Cummins Killer III” (+2) withstood a withering assault from Van Haisley’s “Rock Hard Ram.” The latter won the 4x4s’ single appearance to slash four points from Dickey’s incoming advantage. Never outside the top three in the season standings, Dickey assumed the lead for the first time after Bowling Green, Ohio.
Then on Saturday, three incoming standard-bearers survived the Sandwich gauntlet. Colin Ross and “Triple Bypass” (+42.5) rolled to their fourth NewFields Ag Super Stock Diesel championship (2016, 2017, 2019) on the strength of 10 wins before their arrival at the northern Illinois fairgrounds. In the afternoon session, Ross settled for second behind class patriarch Esdon Lehn and “Red Line Fever” (2nd), and then both sat out the nightcap with their standings positions assured.
Brandon Simon substituted for Redgranite, Wisconsin’s Brent Meyer aboard “Injected Funds” (+14) and doubled its pre-pull margin over Julia Ray’s “MAC Daddy,” which was similarly guest-driven by James Rea. For Meyer, it’s the second consecutive Yoder Popcorn Pro Stock title, a feat last accomplished by Charles Pelletier and “CP Dream 2” across 2017-2018. “Funds” finished the point campaign with three wins; Simon himself went one-two in Session Two with his own “Loud & Heavy X” earning the blue ribbon.
But the Iowan’s day was also tinged with disappointment, as he fell just short of a second straight title in Modified. Instead, that 2024 trophy belongs to Bill Leischner of Weldon, Illinois, whose “Dirtslinger” (+3) roared to victory in the afternoon—its third of the season—but then squeaked to eighth in the evening to generate a nailbiter with Simon’s “Simon Sez” pulling deep into the field of 14. Third at the time of its hook, “Dirtslinger” fell four positions over the next seven runs but clinched the veteran Leischner’s first NTPA crown when “Simon Sez” could not overtake Bret Berg’s “Renk Seed Money Maker” for the class lead.
And all of the above drama paled against the unfolding story in Hi Torque Super Farm. When Saturday dawned, Dave Whelan’s “My Last Excuse” held a tenuous two-point bulge over the three-win and 2021 champion “Check’n Out” (+10) of Ryan Anderson. Pulling in his home state, the Hoopeston, Illinois funeral director further buried the memories of his own lost 2022 Sandwich lead and claimed his second and third straight season victories on the DeKalb County clay while “My Last Excuse” finished fourth and 11th among 16.
With the season over, the Pull-Off begins! Be sure to attend the 37th annual Enderle Pull-Off all-star event, whose pre-show ceremonies will recognize all 13 Grand National champions.
September 14: Urbana, OH’s Enderle Pull-Off
37th Enderle Pull-Off: List of Current Grand National Qualifiers
37th Enderle Pull-Off: List of Current Regional National Qualifiers