page_title: Tractor pulling
section_title: Antique tractor pulling
hierarchical_section_title: Tractor pulling / Antique tractor pulling
caption_attribution_description: English: Oliver Super 55 and Super 60 Row Crop tractors in antique tractor show.
context_page_description: Truck and tractor pulling, also known as power pulling, is a motorsport competition, popular in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Brazil and New Zealand, which requires antique or modified tractors to pull a heavy drag along an 11-metre wide, 100-metre long track, with the winner being the tractor that pulls the drag the farthest. The sport is known as the world's most powerful motorsport, due to the multi-engined modified tractor pullers.
  All tractors in their respective classes pull a set weight in the drag. When a tractor gets to the end of the 100 metre track, this is known as a "full pull". When more than one tractor completes the course, more weight is added to the drag, and those competitors that moved past 91 metres will compete in a pull-off; the winner is the one who can pull the drag the farthest.
  The drag is known as a weight transfer drag. This means that, as it is pulled down the track, the weight is transferred from over the rear axles and towards the front of the drag. In front of the rear wheels, instead of front wheels, there is a "pan".
context_section_description: Antique tractor pulling is how tractor pulling first got started. As early as 1929, farmers began attaching their tractors to drags, and dragging it down a field to see who could pull it the furthest. People who were event organizers at Bowling Green, Missouri and Vaughansville, Ohio found out farmers were doing this and that it drew spectators. By 1950, county fairs across the country started featuring tractor pulls. Spectators found it fascinating to see machines that would “Pull on Sunday, plow on Monday”. At first competitors would use a ‘Human Drag’, meaning a drag that was weighted by humans, different people would be added as the tractor made it down the track. However, organizers began to look at different ways to add weight to the drag, as spectators walking on the drag while moving proved to be a hazard. In the late 60s, a weight-exchanging drag was created, the drag that was created was basically a flatbed truck trailer with wheels near the back and a drag at the front. A mass that is moveable of up to 65,000 pounds or 29,000 kilograms, the mass starts at the back of the sled, slowly working its way up to the top as the drag moves down the track.
  The tractors are divided into different weight classes based on the tractor weight, the weight classes starting at 2500 and ending at 14000 pounds. The tractors could go in any class they choose, a lot of tractors will weight their tractors up, so they fit into the higher weighted classes. In order to be able to compete in Antique tractor pull competitions your tractor must have the original speed the tractor is supposed to have. Some pulling competitions will have a ‘dyno’ so you can ‘dyno’ your tractor, which means hooking up the PTO shaft on your tractor to the machine to test the horsepower. If your tractor shows it has more horse power than the original tractor is supposed to have, you get put into an alternate class called ‘Modified Tractors’. They do this to avoid the tractors that have been modified always winning, they want a fair competition.
  Most antique tractors when pulling needs about 14-15 pounds in their tires, however it could be more or less depending on the rules of the competition you are entering. There is also a drawbar rule, it is to be a minimum of two square inches in total steel at any point, as well must be rigid in all directions. The hitching device can be no more than 1 1/2 inch round stock (1 1/2 square), or less than 1 1/8 inch round stock (1 inch square), the hole has to be 3"X3 3/4"- inch diameter. The drawbar on a tractor should be no shorter than 18 inches from the center of the rear axle to the point of the hitch. All the weights that are on your tractor has to be non-moveable, they have to be safety secured to the tractor, bungee cords are not allowed to be used. All drivers when pulling need to remain seated, if they get out of there seat they could face disqualification. However, all these rules can change depending on what competition you go to.
caption: Oliver Antique Tractor
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