First Time Fans

Planning your first trip to the Championship Tractor Pull? While it's guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience, a little knowledge beforehand might help you master the basics.

Cramming five action-packed performances of the Championship Tractor Pull into the four days of the National Farm Machinery Show is sure to leave a rumble in your chest. But what makes this competition so special? And how exactly does a tractor pull operate anyway? Well, for all you tractor-pulling rookies out there, here's how it works.

The Competition
The best drivers in the country are gathered for the Championship Tractor Pull and each one is gunning for the Full Pull! In this invitation-only event you'll see the largest, loudest and most innovative machines fiercely battling for a share of $200,000 in prize money (provided by our sponsor, Syngenta). After the dust settles from Saturday night's finals, six lucky drivers will return home as the reigning champs of the oldest large-scale indoor pull in North America!

How Does It Work?
The driver's objective is to pull a weighted sled the farthest distance down the track. (The individual weight classes indicate the weight of the vehicle, not the weight being pulled.) Pulling the full length of the track constitutes a "Full Pull." If two or more drivers in a weight class achieve a Full Pull, additional weight is placed on their sleds. The driver who then pulls the farthest wins.

The Makings of a Champion
Hours upon hours of workmanship go into each vehicle - sometimes the entire family may be involved! It takes mechanical knowledge and skill, but it also takes money, usually in the form of sponsorships solicited by the drivers. However, the secret ingredient to winning a pull is that special driver who can harness a 2,000 horsepower machine to create the perfect combination of traction, balance and power heading toward the finish line.

And on a side note...

The Indoor Roar
The Championship Tractor Pull is held inside Freedom Hall at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center. While this helps keep everyone warm on those chilly February nights, it does make for an especially loud evening. Some of the tractors actually use modified airplane engines for extra power, so please take the necessary precautions to protect your - and your children's - hearing. Earplugs are available in the concourse of the arena during the pulls.

Weather Watch
Although the Championship Tractor Pull is held inside the cozy confines of Freedom Hall, the back door is left open throughout the pull. So while there may be 19,000 people surrounding you and the tractors may occasionally spew fire, the cool air from outside does find its way into the arena. Be sure to dress warmly. It will certainly not be as cold inside as the outside thermometer might indicate, but it won't be room temperature either.