Jerry Lagod - 2013 NTPA Hall of Fame Inductee
Our first inductee into the NTPA Hall of Fame has made a major impact on the sport of pulling that was as prevalent in 1970 as it is in 2013. He developed a mystique early in his career as a developmental engineer for the sport of pulling, eager to squeeze more horsepower out of a proven system for his International Harvester customers. Ironically, Hypermax Engineering's creator, Jerry Lagod -- our first inductee into the NTPA Hall of Fame - was impacting the sport of pulling before he even knew what the sport was about. Multitudes of Super Stock championships won by the red persuasion would not have been possible without his decades as a driving force to advance more horsepower out of a binder's turbocharged engine.
At a young age, Jerry Lagod enjoyed bicycles, motorbikes, and race cars -- anything that had moving parts and could create power and/or speed. Lagod drag raced on the street in high school, and later raced road coarse cars. Jerry was very curious, and quickly recognized that the things he enjoyed most were engines.
During high school, Lagod drove a gravel truck with a P&H diesel engine for a couple summers in the latter part of the 1950s. Some drivers made fun of the powerplant and Jerry's enthusiastic propensity for driving the old Ford truck with the two cycle diesel. However, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and Lagod was full of mechanical intrigue, imagining what improvements and modifications could be done. This experience, in part, led Jerry to pursue his mechanical passion as a career. After spending a couple years at the University of Illinois of Chicago, he moved on to Angola, Indiana's Tri-State University where he wrapped up his degree in mechanical engineering.
With diploma in hand, Jerry began working for the International Harvester Engine Division, located in Melrose Park, Ill. in 1962. "IH" built their diesel engines for many applications. During his interview with the company, Jerry learned of a need for bodies in the fuel injection area. That sounded like a great place to begin, so he took the job and remained with the company for nearly a dozen years.
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"I am very appreciative that I made my living helping pulling and supporting the NTPA," Lagod said. Undoubtedly, decades of pullers and fans feel the same way about Hypermax Engineering. Without Jerry Lagod, the sport may not have blossomed in the 1970s as it did -- from the "silver side-shields" and dominating performers such as Danny Dean to this year's Super Stock Diesel championship by the Blagraves - many competitors have relied on the contributions of Jerry Lagod. He joins several competitors who have utilized his technology and hard work in NTPA's Hall of Fame.