The Runin Bare stands alone as the only repeat Champ!

In 2011, six Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League defending champions could not wait to arrive at the first Champions Tour event of the season to kick off their title defense. For some, the season began just like it had ended with several of the 2010 points winners taking top honors over the opening weekend and quickly casting their name in the mix for a potential repeat. Leaving Saluda, South Carolina, the defending MAC Trailer Unlimited Super Stock Champion Jeff Hirt couldn’t believe the hole he found himself in as he was not one of the lucky defending champions who could consider themselves in the hunt.

“Honestly, I was ready to give up and even considered doing so. After the detonation at Louisville, we changed something to our tune up and we simply weren’t finding the results. My team helped get my enthusiasm back intact and we regrouped. It became our goal to prevent the small gremlins that could truly haunt our season. After Saluda, we had no real issues and the tractor continued to make consistent passes,” added Hirt.

The idea of having to make a hard charge to win the championship was something that the Runin Bare Team did not fear, but ultimately found a way to embrace as the season progressed. They made the simple choice to go back to what they knew had worked previously and placed the winning tune up from 2010 on the power plant and chassis. Following Saluda, Jeff Hirt rode an incredible wave of consistency where he finished outside of the top three only twice. In the process, the Runin Bare team claimed top honors at five out of nine events, including a sweep of the Hillsboro Charity Pull.

“After Indianapolis, the points were getting tighter between Keener’s XXX tractor and our team. We left Indy on a high with winning the Super Pull and headed to Hillsboro just looking to keep our momentum moving forward,” commented Hirt.

The 2011 Mac Trailer Unlimited Super Stock Championship was claimed a month later by the Runin Bare team, as Jeff Hirt became the first in the classes’ history to be a two time champion with the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League. Additionally, Hirt was the only champion to successfully complete their title defense. Since 2006, the MAC Trailer class has been claimed by an Ohio native in every year but one and now boasts a streak four straight years for the Buckeye state.
When asked about the accomplishments he achieved in 2011, Hirt had this to say: “We couldn’t be happier, the tractor ran great and the setup proved to be a successful one again for us. It is great to bring another championship back to Ohio and I am honored to be the first repeat winner in the class. Running with these guys is very tough and I understand that at any point one of our classmates could find themselves on top of the class order.”

After two successful championships, the Runin Bare team is poised to make a run at a three peat but the workload will only increase for the Port Clinton natives, as construction is under way on a second tractor. The new tractor will boast the same flexing and torquing chassis that the Runin Bare is known for, but will feature a totally new configuration of power for the team. The new tractor will be powered by a Cummins, which was purchased from former Champions Tour competitor the “Crazy Canuck” Patrice Beaudry.

“Our plan is to leave the Runin Bare’s setup alone and focus on developing the new combination. Our goal is to make the new tractor a dominant force among our class of highly competitive tractors. We understand that the results may not be there in the beginning but feel we are up to the challenge of trying to dial it all in. Everything will be different for the team and it should make for an exciting season in 2012,” stated Hirt.

The new tractor is not the only addition the team is excited for, as Jeff and his wife Jessica will be introducing a new baby to the sport of pulling in the summer of 2012. With all of the excitement filling the team with enthusiasm for the upcoming pulling season, one could only imagine how much pacing Jeff Hirt is doing around the shop.

To claim a championship is not an easy feat and Jeff Hirt is well aware of the amazing people he has supporting his efforts with the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League.
“This championship was a team effort and I am so thankful for all of the support that we have received along the way. I want to thank Ferris Commercial Mowers, Steyer Seeds and Bill’s Implement for their sponsorship of the tractor. It means the world to us to carry their brands across the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League Champions Tour. My brother- in- law Jason and my Dad, Bill are so valuable to everything this tractor does and I can’t say thanks to them enough. I want to thank my wife Jessica and the rest of my family for their help with keeping the team clicking. A lot goes into making a full run of the circuit and I appreciate the sacrifices they make and the effort they put forth.”

Jeff Hirt may be turning the page on another successful chapter for the history books and it is evident that there are several new chapters just waiting to be written in the story of the Runin Bare!