MONROE - For Monroe's Scott Olson, the down time in his logging business coincides with the peak time for his hobby of tractor pulling.
"We are dedicated to keeping our tractors our prize possessions," Olson said. "There is a lot of pride in the pulling world. It's not all about prize money. It's all about the pride factor. That is my hobby."
Olson pulling with his tractor, "Tough Sleddin" in the Limited Pro class looks to ride the success of some recent events to a win in the Badger State Tractor Pull Thursday at the 162nd annual Green County Fair.
"My expectations are to do the best I can, have a good time with family and friends, and compete well," he said.
Olson has been involved in tractor pulling for 40 years, since he was 5 years old. His father David Olson first started pulling and he had several cousins involved in the sport. He has competed with his own tractor for 10 years.
Olson has had his logging business, Olson Logging, going for 27 years, but his peak season is September until the spring.
"With the hot season in the summer it slows down so I have time to do my sport," Olson said.
He won the Limited Pro stock class in Baraboo July 15 with Tough Sleddin' with a pull of 292.45 feet. The pull was less than one foot ahead of runner-up Mike Gerlach of Stockton.
With more than 20 tractors in his class in Baraboo, Olson was excited to pull out the win.
"It gives me a lot of enthusiasm," he said going into the pull at the Green County Fair. "I don't think people realize how competitive a sport tractor pulling is. It's a very competitive sport. The guy who wins it one night could finish last the next night. There are so many good pullers with good equipment. There are no dominators."
Other local pullers who have recent success are Darlington's Lee Ruf ,who finished third in the 466 Hot Farm class at the Lafayette County Fair (336.5) last week and Juda's John Meier Sr. who took sixth in the same class (329.69). Monticello's Larry Hawthorn is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Light Limited Super Stock class (329.13) at the Lafayette County Fair. Darlington's Bill Smith who took fifth in the Limited Pro class at the Lafayette County Fair.
In Freeport July 8, Darlington's Tony McDonald took third in the Limited Pro class (300.16).
In the Limited Pro class, Olson said everyone is a contender to win the class, but if he had to pick one it would be Gerlach and his G Force tractor.
Olson is crossing his fingers for better track conditions at the Green County Fair on Thursday compared to the Lafayette County Fair where he was 10th out of 11 participants. He finished 10th in the same class with a pull of 313.66; Gerlach won the event with a pull of 345.67.
"The track conditions just didn't like my tractor or accommodate my set up," he said. "Anyone can win at any given moment."
Olson said his favorite tractor pulls are in Mazomanie, Jefferson, Milledgeville, Illinois and the Green County Fall Nationals.
"When pulling in the Green County Fall Nationals is done you better start getting ready to pull for next year," Olson said. "It's pretty much an offseason full-time deal."
Whether it's salvaging parts at area junk yards, painting his tractor or getting the motor rebuilt and refreshed, the pulling season doesn't stop. For Olson and many others tractor pulling is a labor of love.
"I just have a passion for pulling," he said.
"We are dedicated to keeping our tractors our prize possessions," Olson said. "There is a lot of pride in the pulling world. It's not all about prize money. It's all about the pride factor. That is my hobby."
Olson pulling with his tractor, "Tough Sleddin" in the Limited Pro class looks to ride the success of some recent events to a win in the Badger State Tractor Pull Thursday at the 162nd annual Green County Fair.
"My expectations are to do the best I can, have a good time with family and friends, and compete well," he said.
Olson has been involved in tractor pulling for 40 years, since he was 5 years old. His father David Olson first started pulling and he had several cousins involved in the sport. He has competed with his own tractor for 10 years.
Olson has had his logging business, Olson Logging, going for 27 years, but his peak season is September until the spring.
"With the hot season in the summer it slows down so I have time to do my sport," Olson said.
He won the Limited Pro stock class in Baraboo July 15 with Tough Sleddin' with a pull of 292.45 feet. The pull was less than one foot ahead of runner-up Mike Gerlach of Stockton.
With more than 20 tractors in his class in Baraboo, Olson was excited to pull out the win.
"It gives me a lot of enthusiasm," he said going into the pull at the Green County Fair. "I don't think people realize how competitive a sport tractor pulling is. It's a very competitive sport. The guy who wins it one night could finish last the next night. There are so many good pullers with good equipment. There are no dominators."
Other local pullers who have recent success are Darlington's Lee Ruf ,who finished third in the 466 Hot Farm class at the Lafayette County Fair (336.5) last week and Juda's John Meier Sr. who took sixth in the same class (329.69). Monticello's Larry Hawthorn is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Light Limited Super Stock class (329.13) at the Lafayette County Fair. Darlington's Bill Smith who took fifth in the Limited Pro class at the Lafayette County Fair.
In Freeport July 8, Darlington's Tony McDonald took third in the Limited Pro class (300.16).
In the Limited Pro class, Olson said everyone is a contender to win the class, but if he had to pick one it would be Gerlach and his G Force tractor.
Olson is crossing his fingers for better track conditions at the Green County Fair on Thursday compared to the Lafayette County Fair where he was 10th out of 11 participants. He finished 10th in the same class with a pull of 313.66; Gerlach won the event with a pull of 345.67.
"The track conditions just didn't like my tractor or accommodate my set up," he said. "Anyone can win at any given moment."
Olson said his favorite tractor pulls are in Mazomanie, Jefferson, Milledgeville, Illinois and the Green County Fall Nationals.
"When pulling in the Green County Fall Nationals is done you better start getting ready to pull for next year," Olson said. "It's pretty much an offseason full-time deal."
Whether it's salvaging parts at area junk yards, painting his tractor or getting the motor rebuilt and refreshed, the pulling season doesn't stop. For Olson and many others tractor pulling is a labor of love.
"I just have a passion for pulling," he said.
