Tractor Pulls an exciting part of Logan County Fair more than 50 years

[August 02, 2018]  With their high energy, loud engines, and lots of horsepower, tractor pulls have been an exciting part of the Logan County Fair tradition since 1966.

The Pulls are the main grandstand attraction on Thursday evening, Aug. 2nd.

In tractor pulls, sometimes known as “power pulling,” the goal is to be the best driver of the strongest machine and pull a weighted sled the farthest.

Darrell Ebbersten, superintendent of the tractor pull department, a “full pull” may be about 320 feet, though few machines make it that far. He said more often, the average full is 220 to 300 feet since it gets more difficult the farther the sled is pulled due to the weights transferring to the front of the sled and causing resistance. Track conditions are important.

With premiums for all the classes and prizes totaling $13,800, the pulls are very competitive.

Logan County Fair’s Tractor Pull includes seven different weight classes ranging from as garden tractors as small as 1,050 pounds to pro-stocks as large as 9,500 pounds.

Class 1255 is the Garden Tractor Pull. These are 1,050-pound tractors which are the size of mowers, but much more powerful. The weight for these includes the individual. Because they are smaller, there is a separate sled they pull. Ebbersten said these tractors can pull about 8,000 to 10,000 pounds on a sled. The top prize for this class is $210.

The next weight class is for 5,500-pound tractors. Ebbersten said these are like what many farmers use. This group includes class 1256, which is for antique tractors manufactured before 1939 and class 1259, which is for classic tractors made between 1940 and 1953. Roll cages are used with the tractors in case of an accident and the sleds are bigger. These tractors can often pull up to 30,000 pounds. Top prizes for class 1256 and 1259 are $210.

Class 1257 is the 6,000-pound super stock, which have high horsepower and can use alcohol as a fuel source, though many use diesel fuel. Ebbersten said it is hard to know how much the super stocks can pull, though it may be in the 30,000-pound range. Top prize for this class is $650.

Class 1258 is for 6,200-pound two-wheel drive trucks. There is a range of body styles for these trucks, but all are very powerful. Ebbersten said these trucks often have souped up motors that are blown and injected and have about 2,000 horsepower. They can pull between 45,000 and 50,000 pounds, using almost all the weights. Top prize for this class is $700.

Class 1261 is for 7,800-pound pro-stock diesel trucks, which are also very powerful. Like other trucks, the pro-stocks can pull a lot of weight, though Ebbersten said it is hard to estimate how much. Top prize for this class is $650.

Ebbersten said the trucks sit lower to the ground than the tractors.

Class 1262 is for 9,500-pound limited pro stock. Ebbersten said these are usually turbo-charged, but the ITPA has stringent rules about how large the turbo charger can be. Top prize for this class is $700.

The classes are all sanctioned by the Illinois Tractor Pulling Association, which means the ITPA authorizes the tractor pull and everyone competing must follow their competition rules. The ITPA also decides the weights and classes for tractor pulls.

According to the Illinois Tractor Pulling Association website, after “recognizing the need for uniform competition rules, the Illinois Tractor Pulling Association (ITPA) was organized on January 24, 1968, making it one of the oldest sanctioning bodies for truck and tractor pulling in the nation. From those humble beginnings, the ITPA has taken this vision of a level playing field and safety of the competitors and spectators to be recognized as the premier truck and tractor pulling organization in the State of Illinois, as well as the Midwest.”

The ITPA site says, “An abundant year end points fund encourages pullers to build and maintain some of the finest pulling machinery in the land.”

The judges for the events have gone to tech school.

Those who enter the tractor pulls must be members of the ITPA. Ebbersten said most competitors come from throughout the state, though some have also come from Missouri, Indiana and Wisconsin. Some competitors will also compete at fairs around the state and throughout the Midwest. Having several local entrants helps bring more local people in to watch the competition.

Logan County Fair Board Secretary Mike Maske said one change over the years is the sleds. Years ago, people stepped on the sleds as they passed. Ebbersten said at that time, the tractors or trucks might be going one or two miles per hour. Now they may be going 20 miles per hour or more, so stepping on the sleds would not be possible.

Some of the tractors and trucks are now more modified and more powerful than they used to be.

Ebbersten said the 9,500 pro class is new this year, replacing the 10,000-pound pro class. At least one local man will be competing in this class.

First up this evening will be the lighter weights with Garden Tractors beginning at 4:30 p.m. and the start of the big guys 'Tractor Pulls' at 6:30 p.m.

Come join other motor enthusiasts who enjoy this entertaining and exciting grandstand event. Hear the roar and see the power which has made 'Tractor Pulls' a part of the Logan County Fair tradition now for over 50 years.

[Angela Reiners]