Breaking Barriers Podcast

Brabec Brothers | 7x National Champions, The Country Dude & Tractor Pulling Legends

Seven national championships. Hall of Fame careers. And a legacy that helped shape the foundation of modern tractor pulling—this is the story of the Brabec Brothers. In

Fred & Kyle Petsch | Seven Championships, Thermal Thunder & a Family Pulling Legacy

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 experie

From Schoolteacher to Big Rig Truck Pulling Pioneer | Rick Feicht

Rick Feicht entered the world of tractor pulling with no previous experience in the sport. What began with announcing local events eventually became a remarkable career i

Chuck Wheatley | The Turbo Pioneer Who Changed Tractor Pulling

In this episode of the Breaking Barriers Podcast, Gary Bontrager sits down with Chuck Wheatley, a Grand National Champion, regional champion, and one of the most innovati

Curt Ulmer | 55 Years of Modified Tractor Pulling, Family Legacy & Outlaw Dominance

Curt Ulmer has spent more than 55 years in the sport of tractor pulling, building, competing, innovating, and winning with one of the most respected modified tractor prog

Bill Hirt: The Hall of Fame Story Behind Running Bare, Allis-Chalmers Pulling & a Life Well Lived

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary Bontrager sits down with Hall of Fame tractor puller Bill Hirt for a story-filled conversation about the early days of pulling,

Bob & Roger McKim: The Allis 180, Father-Son Pulling & Building a Championship Tractor the Hard Way

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary Bontrager sits down in Oskaloosa, Iowa, with Bob and Roger McKim to talk about their championship-winning journey in tractor pu

Jody Ross: The Long Road to Triple Bypass, Grand National Wins & Super Stock Success

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary Bontrager sits down with Jody Ross, a lifelong tractor puller whose story stretches from climbing onto a garden tractor as a ki

Vern Huser | From Slater Shaker Dominance to Tractor Pulling Comebacks

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary sits down with longtime puller Vern Huser—a name synonymous with Iowa tractor pulling and the legendary Slater Shaker. With dec

George Everett | From 1954 Circle Track Pulls to 85 Years Old Still Competing

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary Bontrager sits down with George Everett—one of the last remaining original-era competitors who helped shape tractor pulling int

Ken Veney: Farm Kid to Funny Car Innovator. The Mindset, Hustle, and Evolution of a Motorsports Legend

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary Bontrager sits down with Ken Veney, a true pioneer in drag racing and Funny Car innovation, for a conversation that captures th

Gary Ulmer | 55 Years of Innovation, Grit & The Educator

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary Bontrager sits down with pulling pioneer Gary Ulmer — a man with over 55 years in the sport, dating back to high school farm st

Ed Hart | Founding the NTPA and Building the Foundation of Modern Tractor Pulling

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary Bontrager sits down with one of the true pioneers of organized tractor pulling — Ed Hart. Born on a farm in Republic, Ohio, Ed’

Ron Perry | The Story Behind “Solid Junk” — How One Innovator Changed Tractor Pulling Forever

Some names don’t just compete in a sport — they redefine it. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary Bontrager sits down with Ron Perry, the mind behind the legendary

Kenny Sanders & Jason Skillen | Innovation, Rivalries, and the Early Days of Tractor Pulling

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, host Gary Bontrager welcomes back Kenny Sanders alongside tractor pulling historian Jason Skillen for a deep dive into the innovatio

Breaking Barriers | Craig Schlabaugh: The Master Mechanic Behind Tractor Pulling’s Golden Era

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, host Gary Bontrager sits down with Craig Schlabaugh, a legendary mechanic whose hands helped shape some of the most dominant machine

Breaking Barriers | Bob Parks: The Man Who Changed Tractor Pulling Tires Forever

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, host Gary Bontrager sits down with Bob Parks, one of the most influential — and often overlooked — innovators in tractor pulling his

Danny Dean | The Rooster, Hyper-Max, and a Winning Era of Tractor Pulling

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, host Gary Bontrager sits down with legendary tractor puller Danny “Rooster” Dean to revisit one of the most innovative and competiti

Rudy Huber: Midnight Flyer, Pro Stock Pioneers & the Evolution of Tractor Pulling

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary sits down with longtime puller and Illinois farmer Rudy Huber to trace the rise of Pro Stock tractor pulling from its small-tow

Built Not Bought: 60 Years of Innovation with Tractor Pulling Legend Mark Gettinger

In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Gary sits down with Mark Gettinger, a 60-year veteran of tractor pulling and the man many consider the godfather of Allis Chalmers p