Tractor pulling
Tractor pulling is a popular motorsport in the United States, Canada, and Europe, in which antique or modified tractors pull a heavy drag (sled) along an 11-metre-wide (350-foot) track, with the tractor pulling the drag the furthest being the winner.
History in the US
Farm implements were pulled by horses prior to the invention of the tractor; today, fixed weights on drags (sleds) are dragged for a set distance, with additional weight added in successive rounds. Tractors remained single engine until the crossbox was introduced; modified tractors added multiple large turbochargers, as well as intercoolers. Engine sizes increased from 7,400 to 11,000 cubic centimeters.
Two-wheel-drive (2WD) truck class
The 2WD division of the United States National Tractor Pullers Association was established in 1983, with a weight limit of 2,800 kilograms (6,200 pounds) for each competing truck. Alcohol methane engines with up to eight cylinders are permitted, but diesel engines are not.
Super stock, pro-stock, and mini-modified
The NTPA Mini Modified class is a highly specialized and custom built tractor to be fitted with a naturally aspirated engine, at minimum. They weigh only 930 kilograms (2,050 lbfu22c5ft) with the driver.
Antique tractor pulling
Farmers began attaching tractors to drags and dragging them down a field as early as 1929. By 1950, county fairs across the country featured tractor pulls, and in the late 1960s, a weight-exchanging drag was invented that allowed spectators to walk on the track. Antique tractors are classified into different weight classes based on the tractor weight.
History in Australia
The first Australian tractor pull took place in 1976 at the Elmore Field Days in Victoria, with the difference between first and last place as small as one or two metres. The competition is open to both men and women, with the only restriction being a Learner Driver’s Permit.
Drag (sled) pulling
The step-on method, in which people stood in fixed positions and stepped aboard as the drag passed, was used in the early days. Most drags (sleds) have grouser bars that act like teeth and dig into the soil to stop the sled.
Engines
Tractor pulling, which began in the late 1970s, uses high-powered engines, primarily single, double, or multiple US-made big block dragster engines, but today, a lot of parts from discarded military machinery are also used.
References
The National Tractor Pulling Association (NTPA) 2010 Pulling Rules (www.ntpapull.com/Gregg’s Releases/St. Hyacinthe 2006.htm. [permanent dead link]) are published by the NTPA, a division of World Pulling International, Inc. (WPI) (www.ntpapull.com/Gregg’s Releases/St. Hyacinthe 2006.htm.
External links
Tractor pulling is covered in Wikimedia Commons.
What is the point of a tractor pull?
Tractor pulling is known as “the world’s heaviest motorsport,” with the goal of determining the strongest machine and the best driver. Unlike any other motorsport, it is not about speed, but rather distance pulled, with the pulling track measuring at least 30 feet wide by 320 feet long.
What are they pulling in a tractor pull?
Truck and tractor pulling, also known as power pulling, is a motorsport competition popular in the United States, Europe (especially the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany), Australia, Brazil, and New Zealand that requires modified tractors to pull a heavy sled along a 35-foot-wide, 330-foot-long track, with the winner receiving a trophy.
How does a tractor pull work?
When more than one tractor completes the course, more weight is added to the drag (sled), and those competitors who moved beyond 91 meters (300 feet) compete in a pull-off; the winner is the one who can pull the drag (sled) the furthest.
What is a truck pull?
A tractor/truck pull is a competition in which a group of engine-modified farm tractors and trucks pull a heavy metal sled over a set distance, with the winner being the one who pulls the sled the furthest (in their class).
How much does a pulling tractor cost?
Though spending upwards of $60,000 on a pro-stock machine isn’t unheard of, the winning pull doesn’t always come from the most expensive machine.
Why do pulling tractors smoke?
Tractor pulling isn’t simple or easy; it puts motors under some of the most extreme mechanical stress imaginable, and diesel-powered pulling machines frequently eject large clouds of thick, black smoke because they’ve been modified to generate a lot of torque.
What time do the tractor pulls start?
Session 1 begins at 8 a.m., and Session 2 begins at 6 p.m. Grandstand seating is limited to reserved seating.
What engines do pulling tractors use?
The engines used in these classes are mostly modified versions of John Deere and International diesel engines. The thrifty Super Farm class, which starts with a 640 cubic inch engine and is limited to the use of a single 33 inch turbocharger, is very popular in Regional NTPA competition.
How many feet is a full pull in tractor pulls?
At some events, the full-pull distance is set by the first truck to pass the 300-foot mark, while at other venues, the full-pull distance is set by the first truck to pass the 300-foot mark.
What weight can a tractor pull?
What is the maximum combined weight of a tractor and single trailer? The maximum combined weight of a tractor and single trailer has increased from 24.39t to 31t, while the maximum laden weight of trailers has remained constant at 18.29t.
How much fuel does a pulling tractor use?
“We’re running at 1,200-1,250 cc of fuel, and we burn about two or three gallons of fuel on a 10- to 12-second run,” Little says. “We’re also using water injection in these tractors, and that does two things: it keeps the motors from melting because we’re running at 1,600-1,900 degrees.”
What are the rules for garden tractor pulling?
INDIVIDUAL CLASS RULE LINKS IN DETAIL:
- Open to 2-wheel drive rubber tire tractors.
- A class must have at least three tractors to qualify.
- Each tractor may compete in more than one class, but not in the same class twice.
- All drivers must sign a release form before pulling.
- No alcoholic beverages allowed.
How heavy are tractor pull sleds?
A “full block” that weighs 2,000 pounds and a “half block” that weighs 1,000 pounds are used in most sleds.
How much horsepower does a pulling truck have?
The majority of the engines in the u201cOpenu201d division have been modified to run on methanol fuel, though fans will occasionally see a diesel-fueled Super Stock join the fray.