Dirt in your hair, engine roar in your ears, powerful machines made even more powerful with someone’s bare hands, sleds getting (and failing to get) hauled… What’s there not to love?
And yet, it’s incredible how little general attention tractor & truck pulling is getting. It fully deserves to be recognized as much more than casual sport at a local county fair.
That’s why we decided to round up several of the most important events around the world. May this blog post grow infinitely in the years to come!
5 of the World’s Best Tractor & Truck Pulling Events
1. National Tractor Pulling Championship (Bowling Green, Ohio)
The Bowling Green Pull may be called national, but it’s so much more than that. Although there are no official stats, tens of thousands of enthusiasts consider it (and make it) the world’s largest championship!
The 3-day event takes place mid-August every year since 1962, and includes both tractors and trucks. As well as every weight class we’ve heard of, and then some!
There are two- and four-wheel drive trucks, mini rods, super farm, open and diesel super stock, pro stock, modified, unlimited modified, and super semis. You’ll see anything from modified mini rigs to beasts of 20,000 lbs. Get ready for a whole lot of smoke!
Best of all, if you’re a camper, this is a great chance to bring the two passions together as there’s a huge Pulltown campground where you can stay instead of airbnb-ing a place.
2. Championship Tractor Pull (Louisville, Kentucky)
Who says these things only take place in summer?
If you’re in or near Kentucky, you can enjoy one of the best ones every year in February.
The Louisville Pull is actually part of the National Farm Machinery Show.
But high-octane fun isn’t the only reason why we love this project (and you should, too).
There’s also the fact that they are working very hard to popularize the sport, making their competitions accessible online, for free, from anywhere in the world! So if you’re not sure that tractor pulls are your thing, head over here to have a taste before you go.
3. Outlaw Truck & Tractor Pull Association (50+ Towns)
Our last US entry isn’t a single entry. Organized by one of the world’s biggest pullers associations, it takes place across the Midwest, covering 50-something towns in Nevada, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, South Dakota, plus Texas.
That, as well as the sheer quality and diversity of what’s on offer, accounts for more than half a million visitors that they manage to rake up year after year!
They even have an app that allows you to keep track of the events and results. Honestly, I didn’t expect an app!
4. Made’s Powerweekend (Made, Netherlands)
Power pulling is a quintessentially American motorsport, but that doesn’t mean it’s not loved around the world.
Made’s Powerweekend proves it! We couldn’t find any figures, but it isn’t considered Europe’s largest tractor pull for no reason. By the looks of it, it’s amazingly organized and even looks somewhat fancy. But even if you’re a fan of folksier pull races, you can’t help admiring such efforts! The line-up includes old-timers, which have to be older than 30 years to be eligible.
The event has been around since 1993, and happens every June. It’s followed by many concerts and even DJs (which, to be honest, aren’t my kind of fun).
They also livestream the event. But, unlike Louisville Pull from above, you have to pay a fee to access it.
5. Honorable Mention
This was originally intended to be a round-up of the world’s biggest and most important tractor & truck pulling events. But then, while doing our research, we realized one thing. There are hundreds of smaller, yet extremely important events that deserve a mention because they are trailblazers in their communities and, with some support, could easily develop.
One of these local jewels is Back to the Bush Festival, held annually in Miles, near Toowoomba and Brisbane (Queensland, Australia). To be exact, tractor pulling is just one aspect of the festival, but it’s probably the most attractive.
We thank George Pennisi, an arborist from Brisbane (yes, you read that right!) and a self-professed power pulling fan, for drawing our attention to this festival. George had never even heard of this motorsport before attending the event. “It was a thrill to see these machines in action! This from a guy who didn’t know a thing about tractors until two years ago, when I first saw the beasts. What blew me away is that it’s almost like Formula 1, requiring a knack for engineering along with incredible driving skills,” he told us in an email.
Last year, he was especially impressed with older, agricultural pieces of machinery that were carefully repurposed for pulling.
