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rmpA pulls A croWd SOME CONSIDER “PULLING” A NEW SPORT. But according to the Rocky Mountain Pullers Association, pulling started back in the 1920s in the Midwest and has gradually moved all over the United States and Canada (even into Europe). Pulling is considered the most power- ful sport on Earth—and also one of the safest. Come watch a 1,850-pound vehicle pull 15,000 pounds of weight-transfer sled. Witness a 6200 pound vehicle pull 35,000 pounds down a dirt track. The object of the contest is to see who can pull the sled the farthest. The sled, as pullers call it, is technically known as a weight trans- fer machine. The modern day sled is com- posed of three basic components: frame and drive line assembly, skid pad and weight box. Competitors must combine driving skills, tire traction, knowledge of track conditions, the right gear ratio and an excess of horse- power to become winners. Pulling vehicles are divided into different classes such as modified tractors, modified 4x4 trucks, super modified, super stock and mini tractors. The difference between the Super Modified 24 East idaho statE fair GuidE | 2010 and Modified classes are that the Super Modified have blowers on top of their motors, except for the Modified Tractor class and they can run naturally aspirated motors or blown motors in the same class. Stock 4x4’s are also a part of the sport of pulling. The truck’s utilize fuel injected drag-racing engines that can put out more than 1,000 horsepower but are limited to one engine. The Super Stock tractor pulls with alcohol and diesel fueled engines that have been modified to generate up to 2,000 horsepow- er. The Modified Tractor class can sport up to six of the supercharged racing type motors, with the most powerful tractors drawing more than 6,000 horsepower. The sport of pulling all started nearly a cen- tury ago with stock farm tractors. It has now advanced to as many as six blown engines performing in front of throngs of people and pulling tons of cleverly engineered weight. But all this begs the question: Do these modern day pullers experience the same sense of satisfaction that the farmer did way- back-when? Join the experience and decide for yourself. pullinG chAmps Winners of the 2009 RMPA Tractor Pull Light stock: Casey Yeates heavy Gas stock: Tracy Fairchild stock diesel: Levi Lish mod diesel: Joshua Smith super mod diesel: Shane Boyer mod mini: Dennis Weber Pro farm diesel: LaDon Peterson super stock 4x4: Bill Schiffer super mod 4x4: Rick Walters mod tractor 3 engines: Russ Hodges mod tractors 5 engines: Jack Wheatly mod 2wd: Leah Stauffer trActor pull Fyi A pull performance that stretches the length of the track is called a full- pull. Each vehicle is measured to the nearest inch and whoever pulls the farthest is the winner of his or her class. sundAy, septemBer 5