Sassy Massey Pulling Tractor

1992 - Volume #16, Issue #2, Page #19

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A 9,000 hp tractor loaded to the gills with six 1,500 hp supercharged engines is winning major tractor pulling contests across the U.S. and Canada.
The "Sassy Massey", sponsored in part by the Industrial division of Massey Ferguson, Kendall Oil Co., and New England Dodge dealers, competes in 20 National Tractor Pulling Association contests each year. The tractor pulls a 50,000 to 80,000-lb. sled, depending on track conditions, along a 300-ft. track. Runs vary from 10 to 20 seconds at full throttle, using up 15 to 20 gal. of fuel. So much fuel is used that the tractor has to be refueled after every run. After the competition pulling season has ended, it keeps busy making promotional appearances throughout U.S. and Canada.
John Knox is owner and manager of the tractor. "The engines are aftermarket aluminum replicas of Dodge 426 Hemi en¡gines, but are supercharged and bum straight methanol. Each engine has more than three times as much power as a conventional pickup. All that horsepower is really hard on the 5-ft. tall, $4,000 rear tires. They're
pretty well used up after one season."
John's wife Rodalyn drives the Sassy Massey and is the only nationally competitive woman driver in the U.S. "She competes in 20 pulls each year. Last year she ended her rookie season in third place nationally. She won the Indy Superpull and five grand national events and seven second places."
John's 26-year-old son Brian is the mechanic.
John migrated from drag racing cars to tractor pulling. He started repowering tractors in 1979 when he rebuilt an old Massey Harris 55 to compete in professional tractor pulls. At the time he was a Massey Ferguson dealer. "Over the years we kept upgrading the tractor and adding engines and called it the Sassy Massey. As we kept upgrading and building more tractors we went to more specialized hybrid parts. Now the Sassy Massey doesn't have any major Massey Ferguson parts at all."
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Knox, 173 S. Sugar Hill Rd., Weare, N.H. 03281 (ph 603 529-2814).

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Sassy Massey pulling tractor TRACTORS Made-It-Myself 16-2-19 A 9,000 hp tractor loaded to the gills with six 1,500 hp supercharged engines is winning major tractor pulling contests across the U.S. and Canada. The "Sassy Massey", sponsored in part by the Industrial division of Massey Ferguson, Kendall Oil Co., and New England Dodge dealers, competes in 20 National Tractor Pulling Association contests each year. The tractor pulls a 50,000 to 80,000-lb. sled, depending on track conditions, along a 300-ft. track. Runs vary from 10 to 20 seconds at full throttle, using up 15 to 20 gal. of fuel. So much fuel is used that the tractor has to be refueled after every run. After the competition pulling season has ended, it keeps busy making promotional appearances throughout U.S. and Canada. John Knox is owner and manager of the tractor. "The engines are aftermarket aluminum replicas of Dodge 426 Hemi en¡gines, but are supercharged and bum straight methanol. Each engine has more than three times as much power as a conventional pickup. All that horsepower is really hard on the 5-ft. tall, $4,000 rear tires. They're pretty well used up after one season." John's wife Rodalyn drives the Sassy Massey and is the only nationally competitive woman driver in the U.S. "She competes in 20 pulls each year. Last year she ended her rookie season in third place nationally. She won the Indy Superpull and five grand national events and seven second places." John's 26-year-old son Brian is the mechanic. John migrated from drag racing cars to tractor pulling. He started repowering tractors in 1979 when he rebuilt an old Massey Harris 55 to compete in professional tractor pulls. At the time he was a Massey Ferguson dealer. "Over the years we kept upgrading the tractor and adding engines and called it the Sassy Massey. As we kept upgrading and building more tractors we went to more specialized hybrid parts. Now the Sassy Massey doesn't have any major Massey Ferguson parts at all." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Knox, 173 S. Sugar Hill Rd., Weare, N.H. 03281 (ph 603 529-2814).

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