For Lane and his team, the season started during the offseason of 2015. Construction of a new tractor had been completed by the team, with plans to campaign two tractors at some of the LSGTPA events. Engine woes would force the team to resort to a backup engine, before the season even began, but by early 2016, both the 'Twisted Kitty' and the 'Texas T-Rex' machines were ready to roll.
The team started off on a great note, with a double award winning appearance at the Dallas Autorama Car Show. During the 56th Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Autorama, held at Dallas Market Hall, the team was awarded a Pulling Class show award, as well as a Rising Star award for the 'Texas T-Rex' The team was on hand, as part of an LSGTPA club display of eight pulling tractors.
As the pulling season approached, the team participated in a testing session at the Bonham Powder Creek Park pulling track, where on the very first pull for the new 'Twisted Kitty', the team suffered a transmission failure. The team quickly sourced a replacement transmission, and had the TK ready for the first event, at the season opener in Cooper Texas. The repaired 'TK' tractor would roll onto the track at its very first pull in competition and record a Full Pull with Lane at the wheel ! Lane would hold onto the lead, and score his first victory of the season aboard the 'Twisted Kitty', and score a fourth place finish aboard the 'Texas T-Rex'.
The team would return to Bonham, Texas for the Heritage Day pull, and would continue the great start of the season with a one-two finish. Lane would take the win aboard his 'Texas T-Rex', and score the runnerup aboard the 'Twisted Kitty'. Both tractors seemed to be sorting out well at this point, and Lane was learning the differences in the way the tractors drove. Lane would return to the Powder Creek Park track, for the Battle At Bonham event, and take a second place aboard the 'Texas T-Rex' in July, and placing the 'Twisted Kitty' in fourth.
The team would enter the Lindsay Truck & Tractor Pull with both tractors in fine shape, with Lane piloting the 'Texas T-Rex' to a victory on the Friday night session of the double header event. Lane would ride the 'Twisted Kitty' to a fourth place finish. On Saturday, the team was able to make some minor adjustments to both tractors, and come back to compete on the same track. Lane and crew made the proper corrections this time out, scoring a one-two finish for the team. Lane drove the 'Twisted Kitty' to the top spot with a 393.00 foot total, while placing the 'Texas T-Rex' in the runnerup spot with a 392.58 foot total, just inches apart !
The team would roll into Blue Ridge, Texas to compete in the Bill Halter Memorial Pull in August. Rains had postponed the event, and the blackland track was very sticky from the recent moisture. Lane would power his way to a win aboard his 'Twisted Kitty' tractor, while scoring a sixth place finish aboard his 'Texas T-Rex' tractor, which had found a wet spot on the track during his second pull of the night. The team would struggle at the next event in Bartlett, Texas, scoring fourth and seventh place finishes. Upon the return to camp, the tractors were serviced and tuned up, to prepare for the final stretch of the 2016 season.
Lane would hit the ground running again in Farmersville, Texas, scoring a runnerup finish aboard his 'Twisted Kitty' tractor, during the Old Time Saturday pull. A fourth place finish aboard his 'Texas T-Rex' tractor, would keep both tractors within striking distance, and either machine capable of taking the season championship headed into the last event.
The season finale in Sulphur Springs, Texas, at the Help-A-Child Benefit, would see four tractors with a chance to take the championship title in the Youth Class. Lane would need to place both tractors in the top three, to secure the season title. The possibility existed, for the 'Texas T-Rex' to knock the 'Twisted Kitty' out of the top spot. In a case where the 'Texas T-Rex' finished ahead of the 'Twisted Kitty', the team would need to make sure the 'Texas T-Rex' would win the event. Several scenarios existed, to where the team could lose the championship on the very last event. In a very clutch performance on a new track, with very loose and tricky surface conditions, under enormous pressure, Lane would turn in his best driving performance of the year. Lane would pilot his points leading 'Twisted Kitty' into the runnerup spot, and would perfectly place his 'Texas T-Rex' tractor in third place to secure the positions of both tractors. Placing both tractors on the podium, would secure a one-two finish for the tractors in the 2016 LSGTPA Championship points chase. Lane would take the 2016 Youth Class Championship title aboard his #88 'Twisted Kitty' tractor, and would finish as runnerup aboard his #83 'Texas T-Rex' tractor !
The success of Lane and his team in 2016, is the result of efforts from many people, over the course of several years. The team would like to thank everyone involved in our pulling effort, along with all who support LSGTPA tractor pulling and the hosting events. Special thanks go to some, including Richard 'PawPaw' Duncan and Nancy 'Nannie' Duncan. Richard and Nancy Duncan provide the support, for our team to be able to travel to the events. Each road trip, is more like a mini-vacation, as we travel and make museum and site seeing stops along the way. Also, we would like to thank Larry and Donna King, from who we obtained the original 'Texas T-Rex', to began Lane's pulling efforts.
Efforts from many to support our team and events, are appreciated and often go unseen. We would like to recognize and thank some of those, including Cindy Roller with the Cooper Review. Roller has been very supportive of our team and the LSGTPA, providing awesome media coverage. Not only do her awesome photos and news articles make their way around the country, but her radio spots on the 'Blacklands Cafe' radio show, broadcast on KETR 88.9, have included our team and LSGTPA updates. Roller's contributions to Delta County events and happenings in the area, have been enormous over the past years, and we appreciate everything that she does.
Along those lines, we would also like to thank Allen Rich for his coverages of the LSGTPA events, through his North Texas e-News (ntxe-news.com). His internet based news channel provides an incredible amount of area news, every day. From entertaining historical articles, to sports coverage, to local news, Allen Rich and his team provide awesome coverage of area topics. We are proud to be a part of the North Texas e-News channel, each and every time we are able to have the event coverage included.
The past couple of seasons, we have been fortunate to be able to enjoy the presence of the Racers For Christ organization at our LSGTPA events. RFC Chaplains, including Arlen Foulks, Steve Mack and Clint Parker have been a very welcome addition to the events, and our team especially appreciates the RFC team. Special thanks to RFC Region 4 Director, Joey Keith, for his continued support of LSGTPA.
Lane and the Duncan Motorsports team would like to also thank, and congratulate all of our National Anthem performers for the 2016 LSGTPA season, and those who have been able to perform for the show in previous years. As usual, we were blessed to have some amazing performers to start the events with the National Anthem performance. Among those this season, was Shawna Spangler, who started the show at the season opener at the Delta County Fair event. Spangler did an amazing job, and we hope to have her back in 2017. Grace Johnson would be a repeat performer, with her presentation at the Bonham Heritage Day event. Grace is a member of the award winning Bonham High School Choir, and has done an amazing job for multiple LSGTPA events. The award winning Bailey Melvin would also return for a National Anthem performance, at the Battle At Bonham event, and as always, Baily did and incredible job. Bailey has been a regular performer for the LSGGPA for several years, and has been an awesome addition to each event that we are fortunate enough to have her appear. Rebecca Beam would perform at the Bartlett Old Town Festival pull, and presented an excellent performance for the fans. The super talented Victoria Leigh would turn in one of the best performances of the year, with her amazing presentation at the Farmersville Old Time Saturday show. Victoria is a regular performer at the Wylie Opry, and stopped in for the LSGTPA event on the afternoon before one of her shows. We hope to be able to have Victoria back in 2017 ! Sadie Evans would deliver the Anthem at the season finale, as part of her band performance prior to the event start. Sadie performs great on stage, and the National Anthem was a great cap to her concert and an awesome way to start the LSGTPA event in the Sulphur Springs. We thank each and every performer, and will no doubt see many as they continue their musical careers.
We would also like to thank all of the fans and supporters of the LSGTPA events. Without the fans, no one would work to bring the events to your towns and communities. Thank you so much for supporting the events, and being a part of the show !
That would be some of the highlights of our 2016 season. Stay tuned for more info on the upcoming 2017 LSGTPA season, some sponsor and supporter highlights, and more team news !
