On Saturday, September 24, the world of tractor pulling was informed about the death of Semi competitor J.R. Collins of Painesville, Ohio at the age of 82. J.R. was a multiple NTPA Grand National Champion in the 20000lbs Super Semi class with his Mack semi-truck called ''Buckeye Bulldog''. He won his first NTPA GN title in 1994, and the second followed a year later in 1995. Then he had to wait for over a decade to win his next 2 NTPA titles. That was in 2008 and 2009. In his 33 years of competition, J.R. has won 6 National titles with his Super Semi Mack and was known in the whole US Pulling scene. But not only in the US.
In 2006, J.R. was invited for the first and only time with his Buckeye Bulldog to a pull across the pond. That was the 28th European Superpull in Ahoy, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. J.R. did some show pulls there, to show the spectators the differences between the US and European Semi pulling. Since that, he was also better known in the European Pulling scene. In 2018 after all his successes in the sport, J.R. Collins also was inducted into the NTPA Hall of Fame.
With the sudden passing of J.R. Collins, the pulling sport has lost another great ambassador and supporter. He will be missed by everyone in the future.
