Complaining about pulls

Complaining about pulls July 03, 2025 07:01AM

avercusauto

Registered: 08/22/2019
Posts: 148

We all like truck and tractor pulling. But everyone of us has our complaints about things that we think need to change. The latest topic about Tomah is a great example. I don't want to get into debating classes or organizations, but a positive talk about improving the shows and venues. And there is 1 event, in my mind, that seams to stand above and beyond the rest. And that is Made's Power Weekend. No I have never attended Made's. But I have talked to a puller that went over there. And they will tell you that it is an experience like no other. How well the show is ran. Why don't we get some of these pullers that have gone to Made's together, and have them tell us why Made's is so great. What does Made's that makes that even so amazing. Just for once, everyone puts their ego to the side, and we see what we can do better.

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	Re: Complaining about pulls July 03, 2025 08:20AM
Dick Morgan Moderator Registered: 03/25/2008 Posts: 1,964	Great post! Dick Morgan www.PULLOFF.com Independent Pulling News Reply Quote

Re: Complaining about pulls July 03, 2025 10:34PM

Was there

I was there this year and it was amazing. Everything that most people complain about that happens at a tractor pull here in the states (complaining especially on this site) is what happens there. There is loud music constantly(quality sound system) and all tractors have their own introductary song when they pull onto the track. We complain about that here and there everyone is dancing and cheering and having a blast. There they have a very large interactive scoreborad with fireworks, a winners circle, an amazing sound system, which displays current standings with distances on each track. We have either nothing or a screen that you can barely see. Their announcers are very engaging, humorus, and educated about each tractor. They also keep things moving, quick track prep, quick results, which includes time for driver interviews as they get pulled off the track in front of the crowd. You can still hear each individual tractor run with no announcing overtop of the run but hold on after the run is completed the crazyness starts. Nobody leaves after the pull because the bands and dance party starts. You think we can drink beer here in the states you are in for a rude awakening! Here is the key to it all.... It seems there are two groups that organize the show. The pulling group which focuses on the technical side of putting on a tractor pull but there is also the entertainment group that figures out how to keep everyone engaged between the pulling action. We are missing the entertainment part of all pulls here in the USA. I also attended Tomah this year and it was a great pull but it was boring as hell in between tractors. Plus the speed of the show was extremely slow. The comparison of the two is night and day when you leave Tomah you feel like you have seen a tractor pull. When you leave Made you feel like you have left a celibration.

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Re: Complaining about pulls July 03, 2025 10:52PM

Mc

They can take their crap music that is ANNOYING crap music and shove it, music that bleeds into the pull at US fairs is bad enough. That noise they call music is terrible ear piercing crap. And they have a few pulls a year so they make a specticle of it, over here the pulls are plentiful, so it would be a terrible idea to have that specticle at ever pull. Go over there to see it keep it away from here.

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	Re: Complaining about pulls July 04, 2025 01:07AM
Was there	And there is your answer Mr. Morgan why the sport never grows because we cater to the same group all the time and do not try to attract new fans. End of conversation! Reply Quote

Re: Complaining about pulls July 07, 2025 06:53AM

Sascha

Moderator
Registered: 03/27/2008
Posts: 1,268

Quote
Mc
They can take their crap music that is ANNOYING crap music and shove it, music that bleeds into the pull at US fairs is bad enough. That noise they call music is terrible ear piercing crap.

Mostly agree on that - But

Quote

And they have a few pulls a year so they make a specticle of it, over here the pulls are plentiful

You are REALLY wrong there. There are over 100 tractor pulling events just in the Netherlands a year, when you count in the brush pulls - and that place is like 200 x 200 mls or so.
I am not in the NL, but a little east in north western Germany and I am pretty sure we have 2 - 3 pulls every weekend in my state in summer. No way I can keep track of them all. There are 7 "decent" sleds really busy in my state + a bunch of hillbilly sleds.

Thanks to Youtube, some of the "lower level" stuff:
Netherlands:

Germany:

Floating Finish - the German Tractor Pulling Web Show and EU Live Streams: [www.youtube.com]

Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2025 07:24AM by Sascha.

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	Re: Complaining about pulls July 04, 2025 12:12PM
Fan 2	You failed to mention they have a finish line and pull offs over there! The one hit wonder stuff over here has hurt the show quality of the show, not the lack of more useless music and loud screaming of the announcer between hooks Reply Quote

	Re: Complaining about pulls July 04, 2025 02:54PM
patches Registered: 04/04/2008 Posts: 1,799	Quote Fan 2 You failed to mention they have a finish line and pull offs over there! The one hit wonder stuff over here has hurt the show quality of the show, not the lack of more useless music and loud screaming of the announcer between hooks couldn't agree more Reply Quote

Re: Complaining about pulls July 05, 2025 03:59AM

Jake Morgan

Admin
Registered: 03/25/2008
Posts: 2,669

Quote
Fan 2
You failed to mention they have a finish line and pull offs over there! The one hit wonder stuff over here has hurt the show quality of the show

I completely agree with this... Floating finishes and one and done passes are absolutely hurting this sport. I love the DSS class but it is embarassing lately, and the worst example of this. Make pullers run multiple passes (pulloffs) and the smart pullers will tune them to run multple passes...

Jake Morgan
Owner, PULLOFF.COM
Independent Pulling News

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	Re: Complaining about pulls July 05, 2025 07:53AM
plb	I like pulloffs as much as the next guy!! Except, we pull alot and extra runs do not help the bottom line as far as we are concerned!!! And, If a guy makes a killer 1st pass, then, in a pulloff, the already hot engine say no mas and kicks a rod, that is no good and we miss a few pulls fixing it. There is always 2 sides to a story and this is mine. Reply Quote

Re: Complaining about pulls July 05, 2025 08:38AM

The Original Michael

Moderator
Registered: 07/06/2008
Posts: 1,826

Quote
plb
I like pulloffs as much as the next guy!! Except, we pull alot and extra runs do not help the bottom line as far as we are concerned!!!
And, If a guy makes a killer 1st pass, then, in a pulloff, the already hot engine say no mas and kicks a rod, that is no good and we miss a few pulls fixing it. There is always 2 sides to a story and this is mine.

What about moving pulloffs to the end of the show? However, imo extra money should be paid for a measurable pulloff hook, but that could get dicey with some promoters.

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	Re: Complaining about pulls July 05, 2025 01:42PM
Fan 2	Not having pull offs hasn't helped breakage at all. They set them on kill and blow them up in one pass! There have been MANY monster runs in pulloffs due to adjustments made for the pull off. That skill of the pullers to adjust for a second pass has been obliterated with the one pass stuff. It was a good part of the show. Reply Quote

	Re: Complaining about pulls July 07, 2025 12:20AM
Stormy Registered: 04/04/2016 Posts: 143	I've watched many of the videos from over there, and honestly it looks like everyone gets in on first pass, it seems set so light any decent run is getting a Full Pull. Is this good for the show? Here you better lay one down or your going home. BB Reply Quote

Re: Complaining about pulls July 07, 2025 07:12AM

Sascha

Moderator
Registered: 03/27/2008
Posts: 1,268

Sled settings really depend on were you are and how many tractors are on site.
Especially, the further you go south or east, the less tractors are there and the lighter the sleds will be. Part of the story also is, and that's totally different to the US, a tractor pull here often is a 2 x 6 to 10 hour deal on the weekend and not run in short 3-4 h sessions, at times even during the week.
People's attention span here still seems longer.

Floating Finish - the German Tractor Pulling Web Show and EU Live Streams: [www.youtube.com]

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Re: Complaining about pulls July 05, 2025 12:32AM

Face in crowd

Quote
Was there
I was there this year and it was amazing. Everything that most people complain about that happens at a tractor pull here in the states (complaining especially on this site) is what happens there.

Excellent post. I think the takeaway here is that there are tradeoffs to some of these added features that the Made pull has. It's like comparing church services between Baptists, Protestants and a contemporary service. Different preferences.

There is loud music constantly(quality sound system) and all tractors have their own introductary song when they pull onto the track.

I think introductory music would be easy to implement and very cool. It's simple and short, like the "walk up music" at baseball games. I heard something like this years ago when "Slowride" was played as Terry Blackburn came to the track. As for the other music, I think fans information from their announcers and not loud music at pulls.

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	Re: Complaining about pulls July 07, 2025 07:17AM
Sascha Moderator Registered: 03/27/2008 Posts: 1,268	You should keep in mind, Made is THE biggest event here and assuming that tractor pulling in Europe is always like it is in Made is quite a leap. What's going on there in terms of "entertainment" is unlike most other pulls. Floating Finish - the German Tractor Pulling Web Show and EU Live Streams: [www.youtube.com] Reply Quote

Re: Complaining about pulls July 04, 2025 03:15AM

plb

I too was at the Made pull a few weeks ago and at Tomah. My 1st time to Made but 9 times prior to other european pulls, The difference is amazing! The only place in the US that comes close is BG with the beer drinking and partying that goes on all weekend!!
I remember Hillsboro, Wi tried to tie in music with the pulling and it did NOT go over every well at all!! They, In Europe, it`s just do it the way they do it and it works for them, In the US, we do it our way and thats just the way it is. I like US pulling because we have more tractors and you can carry on a conversation with other people while the pull is going on. Europeans have way more different engine combo`s that I also really like that you just don`t see in the USA.
I do recommend that everyone should attend a European pull at some point just to experience it!!!

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	Re: Complaining about pulls July 04, 2025 06:53AM
patches Registered: 04/04/2008 Posts: 1,799	Being a long time fan of 50 plus years in my opinion what they have and we lack is variety,and we had that at obe time.our sport also gad 1o times the pullers than it does now,with fewer classes,so there was way more to go around. Reply Quote

	Re: Complaining about pulls July 04, 2025 08:05AM
Promoter	As a promoter we can’t go on with 3 to 4 in a class with the sanction fees Ntpa is changing us Reply Quote

	Re: Complaining about pulls July 05, 2025 03:27AM
Puller	As a puller, we are tired of it to and wish they would cut some classes. The 5.0 class killled 4.1 in region 2 Reply Quote

	Re: Complaining about pulls July 06, 2025 02:19AM
Bonestock Registered: 03/17/2017 Posts: 178	The 4.1 class has never had good numbers to start with in region 2. So no loss IMO. It's light pro world here. Maybe the 5.0 will work. Reply Quote

	Re: Complaining about pulls July 06, 2025 02:39PM
Supertiquer Registered: 04/03/2016 Posts: 840	Quote Puller As a puller, we are tired of it to and wish they would cut some classes. The 5.0 class killled 4.1 in region 2 You nailed it right there. Too many classes actually hurt the sport. Now there will be many that disagree with me and I'm ok with that. Reply Quote

Re: Complaining about pulls July 06, 2025 04:20PM

The Original Michael

Moderator
Registered: 07/06/2008
Posts: 1,826

I think the classes kill themselves. What I mean is a RN class pays, what, 10 or 12 places? At some point the numbers tend to balance near the number of places paid.

Super Farm had big numbers then light pro was added. That class had big numbers then 4.1 which never was huge, now 5.0 but none of them huge in R2.

Add to that light pros were split in 2. Now, Hot Farm may grow for a year or 2, but sooner or later lots of them will quit, change to a different organization, or change classes (or lobby for a new class that splits hairs with an existing class).

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Re: Complaining about pulls July 06, 2025 10:27PM

patches

Registered: 04/04/2008
Posts: 1,799

Quote
Supertiquer

As a puller, we are tired of it to and wish they would cut some classes. The 5.0 class killled 4.1 in region 2

You nailed it right there. Too many classes actually hurt the sport. Now there will be many that disagree with me and I'm ok with that.

I'm going to add some to this.i think not mant limits kills classes.since you used the class with the word "pro" I'll say,a big IF,just image if 40 yrs ago it stopped at a hard limits of oem,blocks heads,p pump,4.1,540.thered be no need for components,no need for all these other classes,there'd be variety with all brands represented with a real chance at winning,fans in the seats,and there'd be 1000's of pros to go around.

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Re: Complaining about pulls July 06, 2025 10:41PM

The Original Michael

Moderator
Registered: 07/06/2008
Posts: 1,826

Quote
patches
just image if 40 yrs ago it stopped at a hard limits of oem,blocks heads,p pump,4.1,540.thered be no need for components,no need for all these other classes,there'd be variety with all brands represented with a real chance at winning,fans in the seats,and there'd be 1000's of pros to go around.

Perhaps, but see my post above. It"s also possible if PS was originally limited in turbo and engine size, that eventually guys would decide it doesn't make sense for 25 tractors in a state/RN class only paying 10 places, so other class variations would have happened anyway.

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Re: Complaining about pulls July 07, 2025 12:57AM

Badgerfan

I have commented on this a few times that we need to take some ideas from our European friends and implement them here. I have never been but hope to some day, but from watching video clips and listening to Sascha my thoughts,

We need pull offs. Best run is the first one class get boring nothing to cheer for or get the crowd excited. Announcers can get the crowd excited building to a pull off. I have heard many fans ask why no pull offs or full pulls anymore. I listened to Bill Vories in a interview one time who agreed we need them back, as a puller you build for how you have to run and you set your tactor for the first one to get into the pull off, second run turn it up. Carnage happens but you build and tune for what you have to do you can make it live.

With pull offs/full pulls add excitement with announcers and special effects. I think a flying saucer could land on the track and NTPA's announcers would continue talking like they just woke up, nothing gets them excited. They would benefit from guys like Stacey Butson and Jon Strandlie. Add sound, light shows, music, or pyrotechnics to get the crowd wound up.

Better score boards showing top 5 distances and who is leading, no one knows what distance the class is chasing or who they are chasing. On track driver interviews, and top finisher interviews with the vehicle so the average fan can put a name with a vehicle.

My biggest pet peeve is announcing, the announcers need to get excited, need to know the vehicles and drivers and classes, and not talk when something is going down the track. Did I mention the need to get excited? Announcers can make or break a show, Tomah for example needs to add someone that gets excited when something happens, and they need to announce drivers/vehicles and do interviews before they pull not DURING or after.

As for music I don't mind it but my dad does. You need to look at what is going to pull the new generation in. If it is not loud up beat constantly something happening your going to lose them. Not what our sport is used to but needs to make adjustments to grow or its going to keep shrinking. I won't touch number of classes, we all know there are way too many that are way to close to each other you can't tell the difference between them.

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Re: Complaining about pulls July 07, 2025 01:50PM

been around

Original Michael, your theory about PS should be applicable to any class, at any level of pulling. That theory you suggest certainly has not reduced the # of entrants
in GN FWD and TWD. Most in those classes are pulling just for the fun of it and they know they likely will not go home with a paycheck, Many of them would
probably be better financially to pull the Region circuit.

Badgerfan, pull offs were employed for decades. As far as I'm concerned, too often they are a complete waste of resources. Especially time. Time that ends up eliminating other class(es) due to rain cropped up, that was in the forecast. Time that the spectators get tired of sitting around seeing the same pulling vehicles to pull again, for what.
Which is no excitement. And too often, pull off contestants just decide, they are not coming back for it OR claim they are broke OR come out a basically do not do much more than bump the sled OR decide let's not pulloff and we'll split evenly that purse and points = all are a wasteful joke of resources.

The pulls are already plenty noisy enough without adding nerve frustrating loud screeching so called music.

Improving pull announcers knowledge and interaction with the pullers, has been a constant uphill challenge since the formation of the sport. At least today, we have
3 that really do know their stuff. And 2 or 3 others that are quite good. I'm glad they do and I like listening to them. I cannot say that about very many others.

I agree with 1)your scoreboard and 2) the announcer needs to associate the final placing result puller name with its vehicle name.

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	Re: Complaining about pulls July 07, 2025 11:47PM
Just Sayin’	I will offer up this suggestion. Many fairs won’t have a scoreboard BUT something that would serve as a visual would be having the top 3 staged similar to what Louisville does. Even if you are crammed for space, you could do too 2 or even just the leader. It’s a visual that would help in many ways and costs zero. Reply Quote