Thursday night at the Pike County Fair

ZACH LOTT, of Jerseyville, prepares the Cornfield Cruiser for the tractor pull June 8 at the Pike County Fair. The Cornfield Cruiser ran in the 2-Wheel Drive Truck class, where it was driven by Russell Phipps to a 5thplace finish. While Lott wasn’t behind the wheel, he still put a lot of time into the vehicle, making sure everything was good to go. The truck was a popular attraction for onlookers in the pit, admiring the fantastic paint job.

NK YIELD EXPRESS awaits its opportunity to pull in the Light Super Stock class. The tractor was driven by Colton Whitworth, of Unionville, MO. Whitworth drove the tractor to a 1st place finish, pulling over 350 feet. The Light Super Stock class was the most popular of the night, thanks in large part to hometown favorite Bobby Jones. Jones finished 3rd in the class, with his tractor Field Sobriety. While the crowd was disappointed to not see Jones win, they were sure to give a loud ovation to Whitworth’s efforts.

JOHN YOUNG, of Nashville, IL, begins his pull in the Light Modified class. Young drove his tractor, Old Windy to a 6th place finish. While he wasn’t thrilled with his performance, spectators were impressed with the design of his tractor. People gathered around Old Windy, admiring the writing and perfectly painted tornado. The ITPA announcer noted Young is one of the best pullers in the state, having one many competitions since his debut.

DYLAN FRERKING, in his ride, Family Tradition is pulled off the track and to its trailer. Family Tradition is a tractor that belongs to Frerking Motorsports, of New Baden, IL. Frerking’s situation was one that confused many onlookers, as he was allowed to run twice. As the ITPA announcer noted, since Frerking recognized he had a fuel leak right after his start and immediately shut his motor down, he was able to run again. Unfortunately for Frerking, even with a second opportunity he was only able to finish in 5th place in the Light Modified class.

LUNA NASH, age 3, of Pittsfield, awaits a ride on the Ferris wheel. Nash was one of many young kids who took advantage of the rides at the Pike County Fair June 8. A Scrambler and log ride, among others, were also present. Kids enjoyed the short lines early in the night, riding as many of the rides as possible, before the larger crowds rolled in. Luna is a daughter of Savannah Nash.

WAYLON KIRK (l) and LEO COLLARD (r), ages 6 and 8 of Pleasant Hill, battle with their inflated bats at the Pike County Fair June 8. Throughout the night, kids chased each other around with these toys. Groups of as many as 10 would gather, playfully whacking each other with the bats. These inflated bats were offered in many different colors and designs. Most decided on the bats with the money design, as shown by Kirk and Collard. While there were a few tears shed, there were no major injuries to report. They are sons of Ashleigh Collard.

DINO ROAR founder, Jacob Whitson, roars at the crowd underneath his Tyrannosaurus Rex costume at the Pike County Fair June 8. Kids either stood in shock or ran away completely, from the frightening costume. His tail was arguably more ferocious than his roar, nearly knocking the tent over on his way out. The T-Rex was considered to be the main event of the show, where many prehistoric creatures were presented to a full crowd. The company was founded in 2015, in Meridian, OH. This summer is their first major tour with stops all around the country.

JAMES TETLY, of Meridian, OH, presents a velociraptor to stunned children at the Pike County Fair June 8. Kids couldn’t decide if they wanted to pet the dinosaur or watch it from a distance. Often, Tetly did not give them a chance to decide, bringing the dinosaur right up next to them. Tetly has been with Dino Roar since July of 2021. He noted that Thursday’s crowd was the largest and most energetic crowd he’s been a part of. Dino Rides was at the Pike County Fair all week, drawing crowds of all ages.