Analyzing the sport of pulling. April 24, 2020 01:37PM
I was talking with a friend of mine last night about the different parts of truck and tractor pulling and we decided that there are really two parts to the sport. The two parts, as we see them, are the product and the show. So lets break those two things down starting with the product. The product comes in four parts, the vehicles, the sleds, the pullers and the on track officials. I don't believe that there is anywhere in motorsports today with vehicles that are as amazing and beautiful as the trucks and tractors that pull on both the state circuits and the national stage. Who can walk by a 4 or 5 engine mod and not be in awe of the engineering and the craftsmanship of the most powerful vehicles in all motorsports. The Pro Stock class has taken the art of workmanship to another level. The paint and artwork on the TWD and FWD is eye catching to say the least. And the mini's with more engine than body are equivalent to bull riding, non stop action. The alcohol SS, both light and heavy along with the DSS are vehicles that have pushed an ag type tractor and into the 5000 HP range. Couple that with the 2 engine mod and the SF class where 50 HP is the difference between first place finish and a tenth place hook.

The modern pulling sleds in my opinion are one of the most overlooked improvements in the sport. And they are overlooked for one very good reason, they do their job flawlessly. I remember in the "old days" when sled breakage was just part of the show. A 1 or 2 hour delay was not uncommon.

The pullers, the team uniforms, the professionalism, the drive for the extra 50 HP or the secret to tires, chassis, engines, turbos, the list goes on and on. The drive to win and still be willing to help a fellow competitor. The pullers are the backbone of the sport.

The track officials are like the sleds, they do their job efficiently and fairly with little to no fanfare.

That to me is the product side of the sport.

Now for the "show" side of the sport. We also broke this down in to four parts also.
So lets start with the first.

Time, does the show start on time and run for a reasonable length of time? Does the track crew not only prep the track in a timely manner but also have the next vehicle hooked to the sled and ready to go down the track?

Is the announcing knowelagble, fun and engaging and still family friendly?

Is the lighting good, not only on the track but also in the pits. Are shows still trying to get by on poor under powered lights?

Are there reasonably priced concessions, adequate rest facilities, decent parking?

Well for me it's pretty clear to see that we take some of the most impressive vehicles in all of motorsports with great drivers and give them, in some cases poor tracks, late running shows, poor lighting, pits that are just plain awful and announcing that doesn't know a John Deere PS from a Hot Farm tractor.

But to be balanced, there are several great shows that the puller are able to showcase just what their time and effort have produced. Those are the shows that the fans leave with anticipation for next years show. The show that they can't wait to get home and tell their buddies about. I could list these shows, however I would like to hear from fans and pullers what they consider the top tier events.


Dick Morgan

www.PULLOFF.com
Independent Pulling News



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2020 03:03AM by Dick Morgan.
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RN Events April 24, 2020 03:54PM
A couple of events that come to mind quickly other than the obvious big events that we all know about. RN events can be great...Wauseon,Oh, Urbana,Oh, Wilmington, Oh, Greenville,Oh, and Arcola,In are some well run events with good pits, good tracks and good announcers. There are many others but these events stand out year after year for us. I'm sure there are others of this caliber that have escaped me at the moment.

S'no Farmer
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Looking at costs and sponsors post covid-19 April 25, 2020 11:26AM
State of NHRA post- Covid-19

I tend to compare NHRA and pulling because there is no other motorsport that has as much in common with pulling. The above editorial is from a well-known drag racing website.

While the number of zeros after the first digit is greater for a full-time top fuel or funny car team than a diesel SS or unlimited mod tractor, the underlying gist the writer's opinion could largely apply to pulling.

Post coronavirus, what steps should the major pulling orgs do to rein in costs?
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Re: Analyzing the sport of pulling. April 25, 2020 12:39PM
[www.youtube.com]

Chapel Hill is definitely a top event.

I remember the first time I went in the late 80s/early 90s and the event lighting was some of the best I had seen.
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Re: Analyzing the sport of pulling. April 27, 2020 06:52AM
Dick, I don't think there is a reasonably priced concussion. They can be pretty expensive! Bwahahaha!! JW
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