Glenville couple inducted into NTPA Hall of Fame

The National Tractor Pullers Association has named Ken and Cindy Lamping, Glenville, Minn., members of the 2016 class of the Pulling Hall of Fame. Their induction concluded the Association's 46th annual Convention and Awards Banquet in Dublin, Ohio.
In truck and tractor pulling, participants strive to drag a metal sled weighing up to 20 tons the greatest distance along a straight, dirt track. The Lampings were recognized for "Lifetime Achievement in Service to the NTPA Organization," which included leadership positions at the state, regional, and national levels of the motorsport. The consolidation initiated by Mr. Lamping of rival pulling clubs resulted in the United Pullers of Minnesota, an association which Mr. Lamping led until 1993 and which won Member State of the Year honors in 1990. From 1988 through 1995, the Lampings teamed to administer the Copenhagen/Skoal sponsorship of the entire NTPA pulling circuit which encompassed nearly 500 events per season. Cindy succeeded Ken as the NTPA's Member State Coordinator in 1994 when he was named to the executive board of World Pulling International, Inc., the NTPA's parent company. Ken stepped aside from the board's vice presidency in 2014 and retired in 2016.
The Lampings' breadth of experience and depth of commitment have made them a trusted voice in the motorsport. "When I'm looking for advice," said NTPA general manager Gregg Randall, "one of the first people I think to call is Ken Lamping."
WPI President and CEO David P. Schreier concurred: "Ken and Cindy Lamping's sincere efforts in assisting in the rebuilding and advancement of the WPI/NTPA structure were recognized and accepted by the competitors, promoters, fans, and sponsors. I will always value their personal friendship and support."
During their induction ceremony, the Lampings expressed their appreciation and wonder at the thought of being Hall of Famers. "When I made the phone call to Dave Schreier in 1987," admitted Mr. Lamping, "I never realized how my life was going to change. All I wanted to do was organize pulling in Minnesota."
Added Mrs. Lamping, "I want to thank everybody that I've ever worked with at any time."
The Lampings are the 67th and 68th individuals inducted into the Pulling Hall of Fame, whose honorees' plaques are displayed at the NTPA's offices in Worthington, Ohio. Established in 1980, the Pulling Hall of Fame was created to recognize those that have had a a significant impact on the sport of truck and tractor pulling. This year's Hall of Fame Awards were sponsored by Firestone Tires of Akron, Ohio and American Awards of Grove City, Ohio.
The NTPA is the sport’s oldest and most respected truck and tractor pulling sanctioning organization. Governed by a board of directors, the NTPA is managed by World Pulling International (WPI), an independently owned entity. Headquartered in Worthington, Ohio, the NTPA provides rules and regulations and the infrastructures required for organizations throughout the country to arrange truck and tractor pulls.