Where's everybody at June 08, 2018 06:49PM
I just got home from saluda pull and was very disappointed in the turn out there was only about 7 minis and 8 super stocks I was just wondering where everyone is at
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Re: Where's everybody at June 09, 2018 02:27AM
I've heard just recently that some pullers just weren't going to travel that far to events. I do know that a lot of farmers are hurting right now and are still in the fields.

I sometimes think about back in the 70s when pullers were traveling to the far west coast and down into Florida for events. It's a different atmosphere in the pulling world than it seemed to be back then. The year end rewards aren't as big as well as the purse but cost have gotten outrageous. Guys used to win pickup trucks and had more incentive to travel long distances.

We seem to be falling into a pattern of the very big events getting more and more vehicles to the point of having too many and the smaller events getting less and less vehicles to the point of not having enough. I have no answers other than the cost are so high that some people might be saving their equipment for the big events and not wanting to hurt it at smaller events. I'm more in the other direction, as much as I have invested I want to run it more to get my so called money's worth out of it.

S'no Farmer
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Pulls taking to long bad for the fan June 09, 2018 04:38AM
I wish there would have been another pull within a 100 miles of my hometown hook last night the pull went so slow a person could have made two hooks driving in between classes blown two wheal was pathetic one truck held the class up for 43 minutes 17 minutes the first time had to drop a position to fill it up with fuel after crossing the scales and spent another 28 working working on it holding up the sled when his position came up again half the crowd left and didnt pay to se the drivers smoke there last cigarette or get a good luck kiss from there wife and kids or what ever they do wich was not being ready to hook to the sled .There is a time limit and should be in forced it is a rule Or the drag ass classes that are ALWAYS the same ones pull last so they can waste theyre time instead of everyone elses and its bad to say but it seems to always be truck pullers be ready to hook or take em to the trailer would break a bunch of that crap Amen
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Re: Where's everybody at June 09, 2018 10:23AM
I guess you're right about that but after I drove 2 1/2 hours and paid $25 to get in a national event I guess I was expecting more of a turn out. I know you can't force pullers to come but I felt like I should have gotten some money back after no one showed up to put on a good show
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Re: Where's everybody at June 09, 2018 11:50AM
gotta remember crops are late in some palces and they come first traveling too some places is not as bad as others benson and salyda for some are a hard day drive or more then a long day back a two day pull ends up being 4 or 5 day away so thats lost time in the field
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Re: Where's everybody at June 09, 2018 12:12PM
Alot of people talk about the crops and farmers, but the most of the crops are in already and classes like the mini rods aren't farmer heavy anyway. So... where are all the pullers? 2 heavy supers, 9 super farms and 6 unlimiteds running ntpa grand national circuit? Those aren't the numbers people expect when paying $25.
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Re: Where's everybody at June 09, 2018 01:35PM
PULLERS have just about priced themselves out of a classes and soon a place to pull thats the answer to your low numbers, Congrats to Fireman Phil for winning winning the LLSS class with Under Pressure at our hometown pull last night
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Re: Where's everybody at June 11, 2018 01:46AM
I went to the Saluda pull on Saturday night and it was even worse.

Unlimited Super Stock - 8 tractors because of breakage from the previous week
Minirod - 5 tractors because 1 broke the previous night
Pro Mod 4x4 - 18 trucks
CTPA (carolina tractor pullers association) (local) 3.0 diesel trucks - 1 truck, which broke after 8 feet
CTPA (local) 2.6 trucks? announcer didn't know - 2 trucks
CTPA (local) diesel street truck - 1 truck

Saluda is the closest pull the Atlanta, with Chapel Hill TN or Knoxville being the next closest. The Saluda pull is typically pretty good and I don't mind driving for a national level event, but this year was pretty sad. I knew USS and Minirod were small classes, but I had hoped the CTPA classes would make up for it. Not only did they not make up for the higher cost and the low national event turn out, they made me have no desire to attend a CTPA event.

I really wish the PPL or NTPA would have an outdoor event closer to Atlanta. If we use Chicago as a central point, Atlanta is a 10-11 hour drive and many of the pullers live closer. I'm willing to bet just about all the pullers at Saluda went through Atlanta in their travels.

Even if they don't move the event, they need to start grouping classes that teams run across multiple classes because they share equipment. Unlimited Mod Tractor, Minirod and TWD truck should almost always be paired together as a lot of teams run equipment in all three of those classes. If nothing else, minirod should always be paired with another blown class. Additionally, in order to advertise the class, there should a minimum number of hooks (minus breakage that weekend or prior weekend) of like 10 vehicles; which would apply to national and local classes.
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Re: Where's everybody at June 11, 2018 04:24AM
The underlying problem for all of this and the solution to all of this is ----- the returns from investment-- the returns are not there like the use to be, EVERYTHING has went up, EXCEPT the return, EVERY compitition pulling vehicle cost 3 to 4 times what it did 15 yrs ago, yet the powers to be HAVE DONE NOTHING for the return to the competitor, travel costs much more, in my opinion if there was a guarantee of off setting the expense it might persuade pullers to make the trip, just my opinion.
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Re: Where's everybody at June 11, 2018 04:41AM
I agree on the reasons why attendance is down, but I also don't think if a show is going to be put on, put on a show, don't do it half way. Putting on a poor show shoots the event in the foot for the following year.
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Re: Where's everybody at June 11, 2018 05:32AM
Pink Panther, I've been saying that on here for the last 2 years. Every time I mention that purses have not changed in decades, I get some promoter on here harping about how they have the right to make a profit, but the pullers are just doing it as a hobby. It isn't just a hobby anymore. There will be $100,000,000 in iron sitting at Tomah in 2 weeks fighting over $200,000 in prize money and donated gas cards and microwaves. Of course, that is after they pay around $500 bucks just for the right to pull there in the first place. Quit drinking the Kool-Aid folks, places like Tomah and Louisville make a killing every year and the purses haven't changed in 30 years.
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Re: Where's everybody at June 11, 2018 06:46AM
I agree Grubby, another thing i didn't mention too, charging the driver an whoever is with him to get in the gate, I for one dont understand why charger the people putting on the show for such measly returns, i can see not letting a puller an whole crew in but the driver an one crew shouldn't be charged.
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Re: Where's everybody at June 11, 2018 11:38AM
Oh but the promoter couldnt do that it would be showing a little apriciation and would cost them 1000 dollars if 50 showed up to put on there show
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