Fun Facts About Tractor Pulling

Although primarily created to be mechanical workhorses, tractors turn into racing and towing monsters when entered into tractor pulling competitions. Tractors entered in these competitions seldom look like the usual ones seen on farms. As an old sport in the U.S., some interesting facts about tractor pulling may entertain enthusiasts.

  1. Origins

    • The idea behind tractor pulling began with horses. Around the 1860's, farmers boasting about the power and speed of their horses proved it by hitching the horse to a detached barn door filled with people and letting the horse pull it as far as it can. People kept jumping on the door to add weight to the cargo and the horse that pulled farthest with the heaviest load won. When tractors entered the picture around the 1930's, farmers switched from horses to machines.

    Tractor Pulling Rules and Categories

    • Specific rules and regulations in tractor pulling depend on the area where it occurs, but the gist of the sport is still the same. A sledge -- a heavy sled made of metal and special gear and axle -- is hitched at the back of the tractor. The tractor pulls the sledge as far as it can over a track, usually 300 feet long. Whoever pulls the sledge the farthest wins. If several tractors pull the sledge to the finish line, more weight is added on the sledge until somebody wins. Tractor pulling categories also vary. The common ones are super-farm tractors, unlimited modified tractors and modified small tractors. The unlimited modified tractors and modified small tractors have some extremely unusual modifications -- some having as many as three V8 engines equipped in one tractor.

    Tractor Modification

    • For a time, competing tractors stopped looking like "real tractors." In the '70s and '80s, they got so fancy that they looked more like dragsters with an absurdly high number of engines, including both piston and jet engines. Nowadays, modified tractors use discarded or surplus military engines and machinery. For a turbocharged performance, tractor engines are converted to run on methanol.

    Tractor Pulling Venues and Betting Pool

    • There are stadiums built specifically for tractor pulling, but many events occur at country fairs in the summer and early fall. As with any race, a betting pool operates to add fun to the entertainment. Some base their bets on the model and others on the driver. People have various reasons and criteria for picking their winning tractor, but history shows John Deere tractors tend to be the favorites.