Pulling and the honest reality! April 18, 2026 09:42AM
After reading the "Banana Ball" post I started to think, has pulling really sunk that low that somebody thinks that's the solution. First, how many pulls are there on an annual basis, to many that that alone makes it impossible, two, the sport should never be cheapened to that level. However let's talk about what's possible and what's positive. I realize that my next view is pretty minor, however this issue sets the tone for the show. When the test pullers hooks and roars out the end and the crowd goes crazy only to have a reset and the next vehicle goes 290 the crowd is already disappointed with that hook. Never add weight, take weight out, the fans has already seen an exciting hook and now we've given them a less exciting hook. And next are the same old ideas from years gone by. Run a fast show, don't stop the show for any reason ( awards, a word with some talking head, etc ) next have the next vehicle ready to hook to the sled even before the scrapper tractors are done working the track, colorful vehicles ( PS mainly ) and something I've written about for years, move the high HP vehicles to the middle of the show. Granted some events are starting to take that approach. And try and keep the show under 4 hrs. The product on the track has to be good enough for the fans to want to come back. Pulling is not to going to become bigger, however it can become better.


Dick Morgan

www.PULLOFF.com
Independent Pulling News



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/2026 09:45AM by Dick Morgan.
Reply Quote

Re: Pulling and the honest reality! April 18, 2026 10:21AM
Couldn't agree more..
Dick ,1 question i have.why do national clubs have distance boards and not include a speed board too ?
Reply Quote

Re: Pulling and the honest reality! April 18, 2026 12:31PM
patches, because once pulling got rid of the speed limit pace tractors, the only thing that mattered was distance. Which is still the standard. Some local pulling organizations also display the speed, which I certainly like seeing. Why the "big boy" organizations will not do that is a great question. Knowing the speed certainly adds an extra dimension of action. That is one small investment way for pulling to improve to become better.

I have advocated for decades to pull the premier power classes in the middle of the show and pull the dumpy low show vehicle classes at the end of the pull show.
Seldom that is how it is done. Apparently to appease how much work the sled operator has to do.
Reply Quote

Re: Pulling and the honest reality! April 18, 2026 11:02PM
Doesn't that give the next pullers too much information???
That is the same as hearing an announcer analyse the run and tell to much information that the rest of the competitors give information on where to go or not to go.
Reply Quote

Re: run Pulling and the honest reality! April 20, 2026 03:04AM
Pulling needs some operational changs but the actual pull itself can't really be changed.

Start pull at advertised time.

Take lower number puller classes and run them first. Variety is great for fairs where most people attending may go to that pull only.
Old way of "mods" tear up the track run em last" needs to be re considered. Re build the track fill time with kids games, auction, crowd dance songs, etc.
Not announcer babble.
At some regional events late in the season my be only two mods, then run them last as the high horsepower shootout.

NO classes after 11 pm. Those days have to be gone, overrwork track crew and officials, less than 100 spectators is no longer the sign of a great pull. Crowds start to fall over after about 3 hours. Same with monster trucks, banana ball, MLB, NFL, NBA...etc.

BG has moved late class awards to next session. worked well last year.

PULLERS need to have a greater respect for the sport and promoters. Pullers need to be ready to hook OR BRING BACK THE 3/6 MINUTE CLOCK. The literal clock at the start of track or Start Flag to have clock on arm watch and don't be afraid to enforce.

PET PEEVE: Winners who dont make their way to winners circle of announcer tower in timely fashion.
Crowd DOESNT care that the entire population of your town is in victory lane. They want to hear YOU talk about your pull, you set up OR what products you use.
ESPN RULE was as puller was taking off helmet, shove the mic in their face and ASK A GOOD Question! Crowd appreciates the honest response.

Not always happening at Smaller events. But it becomes ridiculous at larger events. I HATE Calling "so and so the winner's circle" by name any other sport that has to do that.
Reply Quote

Re: Pulling and the honest reality! April 18, 2026 02:36PM
Quote
Dick Morgan
After reading the "Banana Ball" post I started to think, has pulling really sunk that low that somebody thinks that's the solution. First, how many pulls are there on an annual basis, to many that that alone makes it impossible, two, the sport should never be cheapened to that level. However let's talk about what's possible and what's positive. I realize that my next view is pretty minor, however this issue sets the tone for the show. When the test pullers hooks and roars out the end and the crowd goes crazy only to have a reset and the next vehicle goes 290 the crowd is already disappointed with that hook. Never add weight, take weight out, the fans has already seen an exciting hook and now we've given them a less exciting hook. And next are the same old ideas from years gone by. Run a fast show, don't stop the show for any reason ( awards, a word with some talking head, etc ) next have the next vehicle ready to hook to the sled even before the scrapper tractors are done working the track, colorful vehicles ( PS mainly ) and something I've written about for years, move the high HP vehicles to the middle of the show. Granted some events are starting to take that approach. And try and keep the show under 4 hrs. The product on the track has to be good enough for the fans to want to come back. Pulling is not to going to become bigger, however it can become better.

Dick, I will call attention specifically to your line where you mention there are “too many (events)” making it impossible. The comparison with Banana Ball and baseball, there are how many baseball games across the country - MLB plays 162 and they’ve changed things up quite a bit the past few years. Inter league play, DH for all teams, pitch clock, runner on 2nd in extra innings, and so on. And there are tons of side activities between innings, shirt cannons, mascot races, and more. Go to a minor league game and it’s even more antics, but the games are still OFFICIAL and matter. I believe the original post regarding “Banana Ball” wasn’t making the reference to having pulling events that aren’t official or a circus act, just bringing flare and slicing up the atmosphere to attract a new audience.

I can’t get my grandkids to go to the drag strip to watch an NHRA race, but they ask me every year when the Night Under Fire event is.

Speeding up the show isn’t going to attract new viewers and that’s what the sport needs. I think the Cletus McFarland idea was a step in the right direction.
Reply Quote

Re: Pulling and the honest reality! April 18, 2026 03:08PM
Not stopping show for anything? I kinda like where they do winner interviews and awards between classes, when re weighting sled takes alittle extra time anyways and patrons can hit the concession stand too! Used to be they started the evening with lighter classes and moved to heavier classes as evening went along, kinda glad to see most pulls mix and match classes nowadays. Kinda nice if they pulled noise verses smoke opposite each other on twin track deals, but doesn't always work out that way.
Reply Quote

Re: Pulling and the honest reality! April 19, 2026 12:23AM
Good post, Dick. One thing that comes to mind for me is that we need to always remember that there are certain levels of pulling. If we're talking about trying to grow pulling and make it more mainstream, the discussion should begin and end at the GN level. And I think there are some efforts being made there.

If we're talking about new ideas, here is one. Run a show without changing the sled. All night long. One setting. I've heard actual announcers who didn't understand that pulling 330' in one class wasn't necessarily better than a guy going 280' with a heavier sled. I remember when I started watching pulling. I saw a hot farm pull into a corn field at the end of the track. I left that pull thinking that tractor should challenge the big boys. I bet there are classes that could be booked together and tracks that are long enough, that a pull could be billed as a one sled setting pull. Has that ever been done before? What classes could be booked that would be able to run at such a pull?
Reply Quote

Re: Pulling and the honest reality! April 19, 2026 01:00AM
Quote
Pllnfn
I bet there are classes that could be booked together and tracks that are long enough, that a pull could be billed as a one sled setting pull. Has that ever been done before? What classes could be booked that would be able to run at such a pull?

Diesel and Open Supers and Pros
Reply Quote

Re: Pulling and the honest reality! April 19, 2026 02:33AM
Dick, when I started that thread, I didn't explain properly what I meant by it. I feel most felt I was saying that we needed to be goofy and do crazy antics do draw in a crowd. And I do agree that pulling could use some crowd participation more. I don't think we need to go crazy with ridicules stunts to do that. I guess I was wondering, is someone going to come up with a formula for an event that works better by thinking outside the box. Over the past couple years, you are seeing more and more events that are trying something. Usually it involves higher payouts. But they are trying different things. I truly feel that someone is gong to come up with an idea within the next ten years that will change pulling events. Yes, if that does happen, you will see everyone try to copy it. But I do think there is a formula for a pulling event that will work.
Reply Quote

Re: Pulling and the honest reality! April 19, 2026 07:19PM
We have the formula,and have done everything possible to not stick with it
Reply Quote

Newer Topic Older Topic

Author:

Your Email:


Subject:
Spam prevention:
Please, enter the code that you see below in the input field. This is for blocking bots that try to post this form automatically. If the code is hard to read, then just try to guess it right. If you enter the wrong code, a new image is created and you get another chance to enter it right.
Message:
Website Statistics
Global: Topics: 41,336, Posts: 243,003, Members: 3,746.
This forum: Topics: 38,916, Posts: 238,051.

Website Daily and Monthy Hits: http://pulloff.com/webalizer

Our newest member All in time