Why, and What we like about truck and tractor pulling. December 15, 2016 07:07AM
I believe we can safely say that everyone that reads this page like tractor and truck pulling, however I started to wonder why,what is it about the sport that we find so interesting and exciting. And to a larger degree why do we like certain classes. So to start out I am going to go start with national level classes and discuss a couple class at a time and look their pro's and con's.

Lets start with the Open/Unlimited SS class. The vehicles in the class make tremendous power on engines that where originally designed to produce a couple hundred HP, yet with the technology today the 650 alcohol tractors are making in the range of 5000 HP. The class also has a good representation with a variety of color. However with the advancement of the Cummins and the NTPA's/PPL “any engine any sheet meta rule” the class “ has turned the class into a Cummins class. Now I realize that one of the Galot tractors won the NTPA champion, however I'm wondering if other teams are willing to make the time and investment that it takes to keep the 6 cylinder tractors competitive?

There are a couple of other things that are also problematic with the class. First is the Cummins situation , second is the limited opportunity to hook anywhere else with the tractors, they are mainly a “national level only” vehicle. However the biggest problem I see with the class is the lack of any new tractors being built. I think if you look at the NFMS lineup from years past you will actually see a decline in their numbers, this is a big problem for the class.

Another class that I would like to discuss is the TWD drive class. Granted while every Chevy, Dodge, or Ford is basically the same vehicle the workmanship and paint jobs makes this a fan pleasing class. The numbers in this class are strong not only at the national level but also at the state level. One of the great things about the class is the ability to be able to hook almost anywhere in the country. With the full body TWD there are countless opportunities to hook at almost any organization. However what makes the numbers strong is also what can work against the class. A pullers can go from a Chevy to a Ford in about 2 seconds. The class really does not support any brand loyalty. I think it would be more realistic if the announcers would ask the fans if they support one engine builder over the other.

And finally lets take a look at the Mod class. While I realize there are several versions of the Mod class at the national level, I think we can safely say that from a fans point of view they are all basically the same. Just the brute HP that this class has makes it a fan favorite. The tremendous wheel speed, engine noise and flying dirt put the Mods in a class of their own. Unlike any other class in pulling the Mod class has not only a variety of engine configurations but also a couple different engine options. And when you throw in the NTPA Unlimited Mod class, and NTPA Lt Unlimited Mods this is really a class that fills the fans appetite for raw HP. However the down side of the Mods is they can start to get a "cookie cutter" look to them, to much of a good thing can get boring. The class needs to open up the rules that will encourage other engine types to be able to compete.

Tomorrow we will look at a couple more classes.


Dick Morgan

www.PULLOFF.com
Independent Pulling News



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2016 07:09AM by Dick Morgan.
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