03:03:36pm, Monday, February 16, 2026
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What needs to change in pulling.
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Moderator Registered: 03/25/2008 Posts: 1,892 |
Pulling is becoming like the Olympics. The Olympics went from having a few to events like snow angel making, skateboarding, unicycle dancing. And nobody cares, it's to diluted, to boring. Well, that's what pulling has become, to diluted, to many look a like classes. Is there a solution, yes, will it happen probably not. When the NTPA lost most of their state organizations they lost the ability to make uniform state rules. That, in itself was the beginning of the problems that pulling is now in. I would like to hear different ideas that will help the sport. I know that there is several social media platforms, however I don't that has translated into more ticket buying fans. Just more exposure, yet is there more fans attending events. Dick Morgan www.PULLOFF.com Independent Pulling News |
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There were never uniform state rules
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Registered: 01/07/2022 Posts: 151 |
Dick,
I’ve sat in many state meetings and NTPA meetings over the last 25 years. The only reason there were member states was primarily for insurance. The two organizations I am most familiar with HSTPA and OSTPA had rules that were always different than the national org. Safety rules were followed but for instance years ago our original LSS had an updated motor, we went to a HSTPA event in Mooreland, Indiana. We were allowed to pull that night but told we were not welcome back due to our updated motor by the president of HSTPA. NTPA rules say no OHC in SS at RN/State level. OSTPA said we don’t like that and allowed OHC tractors to run at their events. Regardless of what the majority of the SS pullers wanted at the time. At the time Mike Laribee was president and always said if you outlaw OHC then Lustik, Roberts, Larry Kline those guys won’t come, so OHC tractors were allowed to run at their events “state” level. The problem in pulling is and always has been everyone looking out for their own sand box. States instead of seeing themselves as part of something bigger they saw NTPA as competitors because both were trying to have contracts signed by a limited number of promoters. NTPA and the whole member state idea is an epic fail, we can say that now with the 20/20 vision hindsight provides. Dave once said WPI/NTPA didn’t need the member states to survive, was he right? Time will tell but I would argue their national level shows have had really good numbers overall (not including OSS and DSS) The biggest problem in pulling is NTPA never controlled the product and put their foot down. These are our rules for a RN/State tractor and you will either follow those or find your happiness somewhere else or get your own insurance. So what you ended up with was uniform safety rules but a bunch of different playgrounds. |
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Re: There were never uniform state rules
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Moderator Registered: 03/25/2008 Posts: 1,892 |
Thanks for the response, I remember talking to Mike Laribee and he the OSTPA has to compete with a regional NTPA event and they were both in the NTPA. Apparently the NTPA didn't have much concern about the OSTPA getting events. It's unfortunate that the state organizations were put in that position. Dick Morgan www.PULLOFF.com Independent Pulling News |
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Re: There were never uniform state rules
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Registered: 08/16/2021 Posts: 495 |
I'll be honest I appreciate the idea of growing the sport and reaching new fans. However a sport like tractor pulling is better off focusing on keeping the fans it does have engaged and coming back to pulls. I actually think Full Pull has done a great job of that.
As far as classes and rules go I think the show needs to last 3 hours or less or you lose peoples attention. Put whatever classes you want in that window and preferably no more than one single charger class. It's mentioned once a week or more but we need to make the actual pull experience something closer to what's done in Europe I believe. |
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Re: There were never uniform state rules
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Registered: 03/27/2008 Posts: 1,250 |
European shows are more often 8 hours than they are 6 Working hard on getting "new" folks in here, as with the same old we're not getting anywhere anymore. Floating Finish - the German Tractor Pulling Web Show and EU Live Streams: [www.youtube.com] |
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Re: There were never uniform state rules
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That is fine, as long as your content being a grassroots level sport, and when the "current" fan base gets old and dies... who replaces them? |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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Registered: 08/22/2019 Posts: 124 |
If you don't mind, I will weigh in my 2 cents. Someone as a fan and small time puller. I truly don't think there is a simply answer to what needs to change. An organization like the NTPA has to make decisions on rules and business strategy that is always going to upset people. They are not going to get it correct 100% of the time. They are going to make mistakes. Could they be doing a better job, sure? I am not the one in charge, so I don't know. Yes, I feel there are a lot of things that need to change, but would any of those changes actually help. But now look at all of the things we can't control. Weather will always be a crutch for this sport. It is a variable we can not fix(excluding indoor pulling). And every year, people get upset about it. Look at how many more things there is for people to do on the weekends compared to 30 years ago. Those events aren't going away. Look at the generations coming through high school. It's different than 30-40 years ago. I don't mean anything negative about it, but they are growing up in a completely different world. If you ask me what I think the the #1 thing that needs to change, we need vision. We need to quit looking 1 year down the road. We need to look at where we want to be in 10-20 years. And this goes for pullers and organizations. Not every idea and change is going to work. There are going to be a lot of things that get tried and fail. We need to look past that and move. We can't change the past. But we can work towards the future. |
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This needs to change
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Case in point
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NTPA RN pull tonight in Sandusky, OH. Combined 4 classes have total of 18 tractors. 5.0 PS has only 2. |
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Re: This needs to change
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Registered: 07/06/2017 Posts: 432 |
A pull has to have class fillers. The guys who just like going to have a good time. Those guys need parts too.......But most of today's suppliers really seem to only wanna help those who have a fat checkbook. |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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NYS tractor puller
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I have a question. Farley Iowa pull.
I don't know the answer to . I wasn't there , I just heard about it . I do know it was 2500$ to enter . So there is money out there for entertainment. Did Farley Iowa do anything for pulling growth or the fans ? Can the pullers afford more events like this . Was it sanctioned by any organization? I guess . Maybe there was topic on it earlier. This came to mind reading the posts |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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Big Show Big Money
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Pulling needs 8 or so pulls like the Farley Iowa pull a year. Pulling needs a top series. People want to go see the best, and currently, there is no way to determine what is the best. Case in point, a week from now is it in Wisner, NE or Bowling Green, OH. Not trying to start argument over which is better just trying to prove a point and peoples opinion will vary depending on location. |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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Registered: 03/31/2008 Posts: 824 |
1. Attitude. Everyone needs to realize and approach pulling as entertainment first and competition second. This would address many of the comments above. It covers sandbox rules and we would not have 5000 single charger diesel classes.
2. Financial / sponsorship. While I appreciate the pulling parts suppliers giving back, the vast majority of pulling sponsorship should be coming from outside of the pulling community. Companies that have the majority of their income from pullers are only returning the pullers money. Plus, when there is a financial relationship between the vendor and organization(s) it creates questions about favoritism. 3. Safety. Safety rules are important, but everyone needs to realize that risk cannot be totally eliminated just like in the rest of our life. The cost to the pullers as a whole has to be balanced versus the reduction in risk before a new rule is implemented. Also, new rules must be finalized before and communicated at fall / winter meetings. The turbo blanket rule in 24 completely overwhelmed the single vendor and allowed vendors that happen to be sponsors to profiteer (see #2 above). The turbo inlet cross rule coming out in March this year in addition to its questionable benefit was totally unacceptable. For a rule to come out after the first of the year there has to be a specific incident to point at, the driveshaft coming out at the Farm Machinery show several years ago as an example. |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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Excellent post! |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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TAP
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Here's a radical idea (RJ has already suggested this in a lot of ways). Limit each class to 10-15 vehicles. If you don't have 10-15 Vehicles in a class it's not a GN class. If you have more than 10-15 then it's based on past performance if you're not in the top 15 you can't run GN. If you finish out of the top 10 maybe you get relegated to RN for the next year and a RN gets a chance at GN. Make the Payouts higher, maybe have a slightly higher sign-up fee, truly promote the best of the best. Keep the schedule to no more than 5 weekends and 10 hooks, give enough time for breakage between events and make it such that competitors want to compete at every event. Make winning a points championship even more prestigious and financially incentivizing.
Obviously, this would eliminate some historic classes potentially (Semi, SSD...etc) and frustrate some classes like PS, TWD, Mini, FWD but hey that's show biz! |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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Moderator Registered: 03/25/2008 Posts: 1,892 |
Those that sign up and those that actually show up are two very different things. Dick Morgan www.PULLOFF.com Independent Pulling News Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/2025 07:22AM by Dick Morgan. |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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TAP
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That's why you make more reasons for pullers to show up and for fans to want to watch...... |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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Moderator Registered: 07/06/2008 Posts: 1,757 |
No, we do not need English Premier League soccer rules combined with Ice-capades. |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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TAP
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You're right....Because the English Premier league is a total flop...LOL |
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Re: What needs to change in pulling.
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As an avid fan of tractor pulling and drag racing, here are my 2 cents.
I just just spent the weekend at the NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, MN and attend this event and the NTPA GN pull in Hutchinson every year. One thing I would say is that we have fewer tractor pulls in MN than other states, such as Ohio, where the highest HP classes attend, such as SSD and PS. Heck, you can't find a SSO class pulling in MN as far as I know. With this being said, I would say that drives the attendance at the tractor pull in Hutch, it is the only local show where the big boys pull. Hutchinson bleachers are usually packed. Also, Hutch only brings in the "elite" classes, usually. And as a spectator, that is what I spend my money for. I hate to say it because I understand not every puller can afford high HP pulling and need to start somewhere but if it isn't over 3,000 hp, i'm not interested. This sounds crappy, but it is the mindset of most spectators. For example, at the NHRA event, EVERYONE packs the stands for nitro and top alcohol classes, most leave for the rest. It's human nature, we want to feel the energy and thrill of HP. To add the the NHRA conversation, I am always blown away how many drag racing fans have zero idea how intense tractor pulling has become, most people I talk to comment that the only tractor pull they have been to are the ones at the county fair. This is a problem, because these are all gearheads that love HP. When I explain how tractors in classes such as SSD, SSO, and PS are built and the power output they have come to, they are blown away. I think NTPA and Lucas oil need to at least align enough on rules and regulations and continue to allow more innovation in classes. Whether it be small things like screw type superchargers in alcohol classes or allowing more innovation in diesel classes, it has to keep up with the times. With the advancements in VGT technology and aerospace superalloys, there is no reason tractor pulling should not be at least attempting to use custom (and reliable) VGT turbos and maybe even common rail injection to help light these diesel tractors at the line and make more reliable and consistent runs like in NHRA. There are components and materials available today to make this a reality, period. Many of which are not even used yet.I know, for example, Ryan DeBroux semi uses common rail but there are pumps out there to deliver even more fuel flow if needed. If someone could combine a national NHRA and NTPA into one Thursday-Sunday event, I think it would be a huge hit and bring exposure to both sports, and maybe bringing tractor pulling to national television. Only bringing the largest classes in each sport, 3000+ hp. I would pay stupid dollars to go to this event and would travel a long ways. Another reason for this is how the pace of life has picked up for so many. With so many different things to do on the weekend, it is hard to go to everything I want to, it would consume a lot of my life. If I could see a top class drag race and tractor pulling event in one week, it would be a yearly must attend. But I know this is a pipe dream. |
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