The third weekend in August is a very busy—and very loud—time at the Wood County Fairgrounds with the hosting of the National Tractor Pulling Championships.
The biggest tractor pulling competition in the United States draws spectators from around the world—including Canada and The Netherlands.
According to the National Tractor Pullers Association (ntpapull.com), this competition is “the world’s heaviest motorsport.” With over a dozen different classes of vehicles, ranging from farm tractors to modified diesel trucks, the goal is to drag a metal sled, equipped with a moveable weight system capable of carrying up to 65,000 pounds, down a 300-foot-long track.
This motor-powered sport doesn’t reward speed, but distance. As the vehicle moves down the track, the weight of the sled is hydraulically shifted, making it more difficult to pull. The winner in each class, going the furthest distance, wins a cash prize that tops out at around $3,000.
Two local champions
Jim and Paul Holman, brothers from Wauseon, started working as a team by competing in the four-wheel-drive truck class back in 1986. By 1989 they had moved up to the Grand National Circuit—the level of competition that contains the “best of the best,” and have since won the championship eleven times—the most in the four-wheel-drive Grand National class.
“We enjoy the competition, but there’s also a lot of companionship between the competitors,” says Paul. “Many of us share similar interests.”
Paul, a farmer, and Jim, working as an engineer at Dana Corporation since 1984, have combined expertise which is certainly a contributing factor in their success.
“I’ve applied what I’ve learned at Dana on the truck, but I’ve also applied what I’ve learned on the truck at Dana,” says Jim.
Summer fun
The tractor pulling season runs throughout the summer, beginning in May and ending with a final pull-off that takes place in Urbana, Ohio, in September. “We’ll run 18-to-20 times throughout the summer, take a break in the fall, and run maintenance and make modifications during the winter,” says Jim.
The Holman Brothers are grateful for their success, but they don’t view the competition as a matter of life or death. “We’ve been blessed in this competition, but it’s a hobby for us,” says Paul. “I don’t play golf, so I gotta have something to do.”
“My favorite thing about this is being around the people,” says Jim. “We share similar interests, and the competition isn’t cutthroat. First prize in our class tops out at around $1,500, so we’re certainly not in it for the money.”
The National Tractor Pulling Championship takes place August 15-17 at the Wood County Fairgrounds, 13800 W. Poe Rd., Bowling Green, Ohio. Advance tickets are available at Kroger stores. Each of five sessions set to take place Friday through Sunday is $20 for adults in advance and $22 at the gate. Three-day passes are $100 in advance and $110 at the gate. Kids 10 and under are free.
Northwest Ohio Tractor Pullers Association
www.pulltown.com has promoted the
NTPC since 1967. 419-354-1434