Nebraska team places fifth in 2022 International Quarter Scale Tractor Competition

Calendar Icon Jun 28, 2022     

Nebraska Quarter Scale Tractor Team 2022. From left: Ryan Engle, Noah Wilke, Trevor Vancura, Colton Benjamin, Quentin Bock, Keaton Eichberger, Brittani Wacker, Nathan Lancaster, Jaci Kurkowski, Andrew Lutt, Karson Paitz, Landon Sokol, Adam Froncheck, Mark Venteicher, Sam Wilkins, Riley Eckhardt, Tristan Miller and Roger Hoy.
Nebraska Quarter Scale Tractor Team 2022. From left: Ryan Engle, Noah Wilke, Trevor Vancura, Colton Benjamin, Quentin Bock, Keaton Eichberger, Brittani Wacker, Nathan Lancaster, Jaci Kurkowski, Andrew Lutt, Karson Paitz, Landon Sokol, Adam Froncheck, Mark Venteicher, Sam Wilkins, Riley Eckhardt, Tristan Miller and Roger Hoy.

The Huskers were well-represented at this year’s International Quarter Scale Tractor Competition, held June 2-6 at the Exposition Gardens in Peoria, Ill.

The competition, now in its 25th year, is hosted by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). It allows students a hands-on learning experience by testing tractors they’ve designed in a series of performance challenges.

Teams are asked to design their own quarter-scale tractor with a 31-hp Briggs & Stratton engine and a set of Titan tires. A panel of industry experts judge each design for innovation, manufacturability, serviceability, safety, sound level and ergonomics. Teams also submit a report and give a presentation “selling” their design. The machines are then tested in three tractor pulls, a maneuverability course and a durability course.

Seventeen UNL students competed in two separate groups. The A-Team competes with the current year’s regulations, with the X-Team competing based on last year’s. Of the 24 schools competing in 2022, the UNL A-team placed fifth overall, and won the Team Presentation, Defense of Design and Ergonomics Award. The UNL X-Team placed first and won the Team Presentation in its division.

The A-Team, led by Seniors Brittani Wacker, Jaci Kurkowski, Andrew Lutt and Nathan Lancaster, also included Juniors Quentin Bock, Keaton Eichberger, Landon Sokol and Sam Wilkins. The X-Team was led by sophomores Trevor Vancura, Riley Eckhardt, Ryan Engle and Noah Wilke, and included freshman Adam Froncheck, Karson Paitz, Mark Venteicher, Tristan Miller and Colton Benjamin.  

Roger Hoy, professor of Biological Systems Engineering, said the teams both had strong showings at the competition, which was the first in-person meeting since 2019.

“Only two (members) of the 2022 team participated in 2019 and they did so as freshmen,” he said. “The learning curve was steep, but all returning members are excited for the 2023 competition.”

The UNL Quarter-Scale teams won a total of $900 for their performance this year, which will be used to help next year’s teams.