FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

By Stephen Moore - Donohue Motorsports

WILMINGTON, OHIO - A 1952 Ford 8N series farm tractor, dubbed the “8NCREDIBLE,” stunned those on hand Sunday at Wilmington Ohio’s Airborne Park when it roared to a final round top speed of 96.3185 miles per hour. The tractor, driven by Fletcher, NC’s Jack Donohue, is the first to ever compete at an East Coast Timing Association (ECTA) sanctioned land speed record event.

The sanctioned event is one of four held annually on the commercial landing strip located southeast of the town of Wilmington Ohio. This event drew over 150 competitors from across the USA and Canada. Donohue’s 63-year-old tractor, powered by a 1953 Ford flathead V8, was originally prepared at Donohue’s Western North Carolina facility.

Jack Donohue Motorsports’ goal was to challenge a farm tractor speed record of 67.677 MPH in Bonneville, UT set by Salt Flat Land Speed ace, Ab. Jenkins in 1935.

 

“Jenkins’ tractor was pretty much bare bones,” said Donohue. “So we used the old Flathead V8 because it was an option on the 8N in 1951-52 and stayed with as much of the original stock tractor as we possibly could. Of course, today the safety rules stipulate a whole list of equipment you have to install (eg. roll bars, parameter chassis, fire extinguisher gear, etc.), which really weighs the machine down.

Donohue explained bad weather in north western Utah resulted in poor racing surface conditions two years in a row which forced many competitors, along with Donohue, to compete this year at Wilmington’s famed “Ohio Mile.”

“Looks like we topped Ab. Jenkins’ speed today, along with all those out there claiming to have the world’s fastest tractor at 80 miles an hour,“ Donohue said. I think those cats are gonna have to get up and get their chores done a little earlier, maybe try an older tractor.” And with a smile , a laugh in his voice and a twinkle in his eye, Donohue said “Well it’s not real hard for me to say that, I was raised milking cows on a dairy farm, so the getting up part comes pretty easy for me.“