Kelly was mesmerized with the sights and sounds, and became an instant fan. He remembers it clearly, after all the years that have passed since.

“The horsepower…,” he remembers.

At the age of 10, Kelly began pulling garden tractors and did that for several years, eventually rising to third in points in a national competition in 2007. At the time, $1,000 would work to build a competitive garden tractor.

In 2015, Kelly’s dream was realized when the Bull Headed Pulling Team was formed.

It’s probably still … “the horsepower” that draws him to it.

“And being able to put on a show,” said Giltinan. “It’s even better than I thought it would be because I remember being that (mesmerized) kid.”

Now, he and his teammates get to be the thing he used to be mesmerized by.

Kelly (the driver), his dad –John Giltinan, Tyler Lowe, Billy Dore, and others, jumped in head-first and have never looked back.

The highly-competitive USA East “Run What You Brung” Class is big-time pulling. See for yourself at https://youtu.be/5EHBSjPiDMc. It takes at least 10 times the garden tractor investment (or $10,000 a year), and lots of knowledge and experience to be a big-time player.

Photos submitted to Times Observer From left are John Giltinan, Kelly Giltinan, Tyler Lowe, and Bill Dore — the Bull Headed Pulling Team. Photos courtesy of Brock Johnson Photography.

The pulling truck is not your average 1955 Ford. The Sassy Racing Engine produces nearly 2,700 horsepower. The team hauls it with another big rig, a semi and custom hauler, purchased in 2016, that doubles as a place to work on the truck — and occasionally works great for indoor cornhole tournaments during rainouts.

The object of pulling is to, well, pull farther than your competitors — and that happened more often than not in 2018 for Team Bull Headed.

The team posted wins at Diesel Days in Meadville, Summit County Fair in Talmage, Ohio, and won at the Warren County Fair, perhaps the team’s most satisfying win to date as it was “home.”

There’s nothing like raising the trophy in front of family and friends.

And with family and friends.

Giltinan says he grew up with truck and tractor pulling; his uncle and father were apparently mesmerized long before Kelly.

Now, his dad works on this pulling truck.

The team took second-place finishes at Bloomsburg Fair and at the Night of Mayhem in Lisbon, Ohio — and did well at many others… well enough to earn the team’s first points championship, the ultimate accomplishment for every season. Kelly and his crew pulled at 21 events during the 2018 schedule.

Team Bull Headed has come a long way.

“Our first day was the worst day,” Giltinan remembers, reaching only about three-quarters of the track before major engine damage.

“You have some good runs and you have some bad runs, but we have some pretty good equipment,” he said, implying most runs are good ones.

There will be more of both.

The team has already started in with new equipment and modifications for next year. They’ll do whatever it takes to stay at the top of their game for a chance to repeat as champions in 2019.

Kelly, Tyler, and the team do it for the love of the sport and work 30 to 40 hours a week on the truck, in addition to their full-time jobs.

They love it. That’s the real prize.

“The trophies are nice for the mantle, and the purse might buy a new tire,” said Giltinan.