Classic and antique tractor pull contest this weekend
File photo A driver checks his traction at a previous tractor pull. This year’s event is this weekend.
MOSES LAKE — Three days of competition to see whose tractor pulls the most weight are scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Grant County Fairgrounds. The 11th annual Northwest Fall National Antique and Classic Tractor Pull will be in the Ardell Pavilion.
It’s sponsored by the Columbia Basin Antique Power Club. As the name implies, it’s for drivers owning antique or classic tractors. To qualify, the machines must have been built prior to 1959.
“It’s getting bigger and bigger every year,” said Dan Waters, owner of Waters Tractor in Othello. Previous Fall National events have drawn up to 100 tractors and their owners. It’s one of the biggest tractor pulling events of the year in the state, Waters said.
Admission is free. The action starts at 1 p.m. Friday and continues at 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. A truck pull is scheduled for noon Saturday at the fairgrounds.
A special pull is scheduled to commemorate tractor owners, both in and out of the club, who have passed away. Proceeds will go to the Shriners Children’s Hospital.
The goal is to pull a sled loaded with weights as far down the course as possible before the tractor dies, stalls or can’t move any further. Drivers also must conform to speed limits – even a fraction over and the tractor and driver are disqualified, Waters said.
To make it more challenging still, the sled is geared to add more resistance as the tractor moves down the track. Tractor drivers are allowed to modify their engines, but they must be tractor parts and from the original manufacturer. Within certain limits drivers can modify the tires, and can add weight front and back.
Tractors are classed by weight, among other factors, and any added weight counts toward the total. So drivers have to calculate how and where they’re going to distribute extra weight. There’s a speed limit, but it’s best to build some momentum before reaching the start line.
People who want more information can contact organizer Mark Valentine, 509-770-4432.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.