Pulling Garden Tractors

 

GENERAL RULES FOR ALL CLASSES

• Open to 2-wheel drive rubber tire tractors. No dual wheels, chains, spikes or paddle tires.

• Must have a minimum of 3 tractors to make a class. If fewer than 3 tractors register for a class, the track officials will decide whether or not to run the class.

• Each tractor may be entered in more than one class, but not more than once in the same class.

• All drivers must sign a release form before they pull. Track owner or club is not responsible for accidents or damages.

• No alcoholic beverages allowed.

 

SAFETY RULES

• ALL TRACTORS, NO EXCEPTIONS, MUST BE APPROVED AND PASS INSPECTION OF OFFICIALS TRACK/SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. You will get one warning on any change and it must be fixed (next time found wrong or not corrected will result in a disqualification).

• All drivers must wear long pants, shirts and shoes (discretion of officials). FIRE SUITS AND ONBOARD FIRE EXTINGUISHER ARE REQUIRED WHEN USING ALCOHOL AS FUEL, AND FIRE SUIT JACKET MUST BE ZIPPED WHEN PULLING!

• All tractors must have sturdy, safely secured fenders that will protect the driver from the tires (discretion of officials). Using edge of fender as a grasp point to obtain "leaning leverage" will result in disqualification. Sturdy handles may be installed for this purpose.

• All tractors must have a secure seat. Seat must have a back, which stands a minimum of 3" above seat surface (discretion of officials).

• A working KILL SWITCH is required in all classes except Kids and Garden Stock.

• All tractors must have wheelie bars or skid pads that will support the weight of the tractor.Bottom of wheelie wheels or skid pads can be no higher than five (5) inches from the ground and center of wheelie wheels or skids must extend at least five (5) inches behind a vertical line drawn at the rear face of tires. Skid pad minimum three (3) inch square.Wheels – minimum size – 1 inch wide by 5 inch tall.

• No portion of tractor shall interfere with the sled or chain. This simply means, when you hook to sled nothing can touch.

• As a combination of safety and courtesy, pullers and crew should not line the track in front of the spectators.

• No tractor(s) should be left unattended while running. If a tractor is moving with engine running, the driver must be in the seat and in control of the tractor.

• All tractors must be operated in a safe manner at all times. (If you are not hooked to sled, use just -enough throttle to keep engine running. You will be warned only once.)

• NO “SHOWING OFF” (speeding, hazardous or unsafe driving, horsing around).

• Brakes – must have working brakes.

• All components should be attached properly in order to perform the function intended.

 

WEIGH-IN & PRE-PULL INSPECTION RULES

• Tractor and driver will weigh together prior to each pull. Driver must be in seat, ENGINE OFF, and have all proper equipment in place. (GAS, HELMET, SEAT, ETC.)

• No bouncing, sliding or abusive use of scales. You may drive onto scales and TURN ENGINE OFF. All tractors will be pushed off scales.

• Hitch height will be checked at weigh in. Weights can be moved, none added, after leaving scales, but hitch may be re-checked at official’s discretion. Hitch height must be checked with weight bar extended.

• Hitch height can be no more than 13 inches from the ground to the top of the hook opening, unless otherwise specified in Individual Class Rules. See diagram for example. Hook opening should be 1 1/2 inches minimum in diameter with pulling point not more than 1 inch from the back edge of hitch. All hitches must be parallel to the ground. HITCH MUST BE STATIONARY AND SECURELY ATTACHED. Hitch design subject to discretion of track officials.

• No portion of any tractor may exceed eight (8) feet forward from the center of the rear wheels. No part may exceed six (6) feet in width.

• WEIGHTS can be moved after leaving scales, but NO ADDITIONAL WEIGHTS can be added. Hitch height may be re-checked at official discretion.

• NO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL CAN BE ADDED AFTER LEAVING SCALES.

• Weight, hitch and kill switch can be checked at any time before or after you pull.

• After you have pulled, if you are asked to go back to the scales for re-check, you will not be allowed to change anything and no one needs to touch your tractor. (Go straight to the scales, you will be watched all the way.)

• RPM on all tractors must be checked prior to pull.

 

PULLING RULES

• SIGN-UP will start one hour before the pull and will stop fifteen minutes before pull starts.Entry fee may be required, which goes into the purse money.

• Pulling position determined by drawing.

• Class and pulling position must be attached to tractor.

• Contestant must pull in established position. In case of mechanical breakage, which has been determined by track official, contestants may drop to last pulling position.

• Track officials have the option to change the sled in the first three (3) pullers attempts. If sled is changed, the class will start over. In case sled weight changes, the tractor will be allowed to shift or change weight, but will need to re-weigh and have hitch height re­checked.

• Each driver has the right to have the sled spotted to a particular location on the starting line. Driver or assigned crewmember is responsible to clearly request the location before the sled is returned to the line.

• Once a class is called, the pullers in that class MUST remain in the pulling area or notify the track officials if they leave the area for any reason. From the moment that both tractor and sled, are prepared to pull, the puller has three (3) minutes to hook and make attempt. An "attempt" is defined as any forward motion of the sled less than 50 feet - any sled movement greater than 50 feet counts as a pull.

• Tractor must start pull with a tight chain, no jerking of sled.

• First puller in each class has a re-pull option. The puller must inform the flagman of decision before leaving the sled.If sled is changed, the next puller is considered the first puller.

• All tractors of all classes to hook, AND, the puller must be OFF the tractor while hooking to prevent injury to the individual responsible for hooking the sled to the tractor. The tractor's engine may be running during the hooking process, but the puller may not remount the tractor until it is hooked; and, the area between the tractor and sled is clear.

• The FLAGMAN has complete control of the pull in progress. His decision is final. The flagman or sled operator has the right to stop any tractor. Arguing with flagman, sled operator, or club officials may result in disqualification or suspension.

• All pullers must obey the flagman. No puller will be given the green flag until tractor is clear. If you have a child pulling, they must be able to control their tractor. They will not be given the green flag until tractor is clear. PARENT MAY WALK INSIDE THE WHITE LINE BUT CANNOT TOUCH THE TRACTOR WHEN IN FORWARD MOTION, START AND STOP ONLY. SEE KIDS CLASS RULES FOR REQUIREMENTS.

• Driver must stay seated during course of pull and have control of tractor at all times. At least one hand must be on the steering wheel at all times.

• Depositing of equipment (loose weight, etc.) excluding breakage onto track while tractor is in a forward motion will result in a disqualification. DISCRETION OF FLAGMAN!

• Pull will be measured where the contestant's TRACTOR (not the sled) runs out of bounds or forward motion stops. Pull will be measured from the center of the foot where the chain is fastened to foot. ALLOWING YOUR TRACTOR TO TOUCH THE WHITE LINE OR GO OUT OF BOUNDS RESULTS IN DISQUALIFICATION.

• Tractor may be running but must be in neutral when unhooked from the sled.

• All RPM limited classes must control RPMs with governor or electronically – driver cannot have any control of maximum RPM limit.

 

PULL OFF RULES

• More than one full pull in a given class will result in a mandatory pull-off.

• Tractor must be re-weighed and hitch height re-checked.

• All tractors must be ready to pull. A time limit will be given (3 minutes or discretion of officials).

• You will get one attempt to move the sled. (As with regular classes, sled weight may need to be adjusted—Officials will make the decision.)

• Pull off will follow the next class pulled (discretion of officials).