Pullapalooza: Revved up at the National Tractor Pulling Championships

Sept. 13, 2024

In all of motorsports, tractor pulling is regarded as the most powerful, and Fleet Maintenance went to this year’s 57th National Tractor Pulling Championships to find out what kind of maintenance is needed to obtain that power.

John Hitch

Bowling Green, OHIO— Before heading to the Woody County Fairgrounds one Friday in mid-August, I didn’t know much of anything about tractor pulling or the many types of tractors and trucks, the pulling sleds, or just how much skill goes into building the most powerful vehicles in all of motorsports.The next day, after attending the 57^th National Tractor Pulling Championships, I’d gained a new appreciation for these juggernauts of the track, their expertly crafted engines, and the human ingenuity it took to build and maintain them.

This is a tale that words alone cannot tell, so click the “Start Slideshow” button to come along.

Also, if you want to know more about how tractor pulling works and its history, visit: https://ntpapull.com/pulling-101/

About the Author

John Hitch | Editor-in-chief, Fleet Maintenance

John Hitch is the award-winning editor-in-chief of Fleet Maintenance, where his mission is to provide maintenance leaders and technicians with the the latest information on tools, strategies, and best practices to keep their fleets' commercial vehicles moving.

He is based out of Cleveland, Ohio, and has worked in the B2B journalism space for more than a decade. Hitch was previously senior editor for FleetOwner and before that was technology editor for IndustryWeek and and managing editor of New Equipment Digest.

Hitch graduated from Kent State University and was editor of the student magazine The Burr in 2009.

The former sonar technician served honorably aboard the fast-attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN-723), where he participated in counter-drug ops, an under-ice expedition, and other missions he's not allowed to talk about for several more decades.