(Photos by David Whealon) – Pulling is one of the most amazing exercises in physics that mankind has created. Conceptually it is astoundingly simple and has been since the days of farmers hooking their draft horses to sleds filled with rocks. Pull the weight as far as you can and the guy that’s able to do the best job gets the prize. Over the years pulling has evolved into one of the fascinating mechanical contests that mankind has developed. The balance of horsepower, weight, and driver ability makes the difference.
People don’t have a lot of appreciation for the role a driver plays in a pulling vehicle. It is not about just mashing the gas and keeping the thing hammered until the truck or tractor digs a pair of holes in the ground. No, there’s steering with a couple of brakes when the nose is up, there’s working the throttle to gain enough traction to get the whole load moving at a good clip, and there’s knowing exactly the right moment to put the thing on the deck and keep it there to make a full pull.
As in any sport, the greats rise to the top and many of them were on hand at the Pinetops 300. This small town pull wit nationally massive roots. What an event!
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