For Fred and Kyle Petsch, tractor pulling has always been about more than winning—it has been a lifelong family tradition. Together, they share nearly 40 years of experience, seven championships and the evolution from local farm pulls to competing with their twin-turbine modified tractor, Thermal Thunder.
Fred looks back on his early fascination with tractors, his career working with John Deere, the creation of the Nebraska Bush Pullers and his many years behind the microphone as an announcer. Kyle shares what it was like growing up in the shop, driving tractors for several legendary pulling teams, helping build Thermal Thunder and eventually taking on a leadership role with the Outlaws.
They also discuss an incredible 2010 season, the challenges of developing a new tractor, watching the next generation climb into the driver’s seat and why the future of tractor pulling depends on organizations working together. Through every victory, breakdown and change in the sport, the Petsch family’s greatest accomplishment remains the relationships and memories they have built across three generations.
Subscribe to the Breaking Barriers Podcast for more conversations celebrating the people, machines and stories that built the sport of tractor pulling.
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