During the week, the Schlueters are pulling in the field. On the weekends, they’re pulling in the dirt.

The Schlueter family is part of The Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulling Association. Most weekends during the summer, Clem Schlueter, along with his son Chuck and grandson Cory, can be seen making passes at the dirt tracks of the Midwest on souped-up John Deere tractors.

Clem began pulling in 1972, competing in the pro stock class. When his son, Chuck, was old enough, he pulled in the super stock class. Both used the same tractor, “Old Smokey.”

“It was a stock 4020 John Deere,” Clem said. “After a couple of years of pulling, we started souping it up.”

In 1981, Chuck won the Missouri State Points Championship in the super stock class. Clem won the Pro Stock Championship that same year with the same tractor.

“We probably had as many friends in the pulling area as we did in school,” Chuck said. “We spent all summer with them.”

The Schlueters took a break from pulling in 1982, but twelve years later, Clem and Chuck decided to begin again. After an unsuccessful year in 1994, they overhauled their pulling tractor and named it “Grand River Deere.” The Schlueter’s began to attain success, winning pulls and overall points championships. They have since added two more tractors to their racing team: “Grand River Deere Too” and “Barn Buddy.”

High school senior Cory Schlueter is the third generation tractor puller in the family. He became involved with tractor pulling in 1995, when his dad and granddad began pulling again.

“In ’95, I was so small, I really didn’t know what was going on,” Cory said. “Once I got a little older I started having some interest in [pulling].”

Throughout his youth, Cory worked as a member of the Schlueter pit crew. He has contributed to technological advances in the Schlueter pulling team tractors by incorporating computers and sensors that monitor engine performance.

Today, Cory can be seen taking tractors down the track, competing alongside his dad and granddad.

“I enjoy it a lot,” Cory said. “I’ve had my share of glory and defeat, but it’s a lot of fun.”

Cory and Chuck won the 2009 overall points championship driving “Barn Buddy” in the light super stock class. Cory said he plans to continue pulling in the future and would like to one day pull with equipment of his own.

“I will hopefully build a light super [stock] just like the old ‘Barn Buddy,’” Cory said. “It’ll probably stay the ‘Grand River Deere,’ to keep the tradition going.”

Tractor pulling may be what initially draws attention to the Schlueter family, but most of their time is spent behind the wheels of everyday tractors in the fields of Carroll and Chariton Counties in Northwest Missouri. The family owns 5000 acres of row crop and around 150 cows. Chuck and Clem Schlueter are partners in the farming operation, and Clem also runs C.C. Schlueter Construction.

Although they don’t win every event, the Schlueter’s continue to do what they enjoy.

“It’s the performance, the adrenaline in making a pass,” Chuck said. “We do all of our work, and that makes it even better. It’s even more satisfying when you do good.”

Cory enjoys the horsepower as much as his dad, but recognizes the tradition of pulling means more than trophies and championships. It’s not solely about Clem, Chuck and Cory either. It’s family time.

“There’s a lot of fun involved, but it’s also good to be around family and friends,” Cory said. “I enjoy working with my dad. It’s time together.”

Clem Schlueter said he is proud of his family and it means a lot to see them together, doing something they all enjoy.

“If you don’t enjoy it, you don’t have any business doing it,” Clem said. “That goes for the whole family. It helps that the whole family is interested.”

The future of Schlueter tractor pulling will not look much different than it does today. Clem, Chuck and Cory will be seen pulling sleds down Midwest tracks every weekend in the summer. Clem said, however, that his goals in competing have changed.

“There have been several years when I’ve fought pulling really hard, as far as going after points,” Clem said. “I don’t know that I’ll be doing that in the next year. I’ll probably pull when I want to pull and just have a good time.”