Championship Tractor Pull Roars Into the 2014 Western Farm Show in Kansas City

News provided by

Western Farm Show

Jan 08, 2014, 07:00 ET


Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) January 08, 2014 -- As one of the nation’s top indoor tractor pulls, the Championship Tractor Pull at the 2014 Western Farm Show will present truck and tractor drivers with many unique challenges compared to outdoor events, adding to fan fun and excitement at this highly popular competition.

Scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights, Feb. 21-22, at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo., the event will feature 125 drivers and vehicles from throughout the Midwest, with $56,000 in prize money at stake. Each night features a different show with a total of 10 competing truck and tractor classes, including Light Super Stock Tractors, Super Farm Tractors, Modified Tractors, Pro Stock Trucks and Tractors, and the powerful Super Stock Tractors.

“The Championship Tractor Pull offers well-rounded entertainment for the whole family, not just the gear heads who enjoy the mechanics of the sport,” says Dave Bennett, the voice of the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulling Association of Carthage, Mo., which stages the event in partnership with the Western Farm Show.

Bennett says indoor tractor pulls offer a whole different experience than outdoor pulls, putting driver skills to the test and revving up fan enthusiasm.

  • Short track – The track at the Western Farm Show will be about 220 feet long, compared to 300 to 325 feet at outdoor pulls. “The longer tracks are what the machines are really built for,” Bennett says. “On a shorter track, the entire driving style has to change in terms of motor RPM and gear selection.”
  • Brick wall versus open end – At most outdoor events, vehicles come to a stop in an open safety zone at the end of the track. The Kemper Arena track ends with a brick wall, with sand added as a cushion. “It takes a lot of nerve to stay on the throttle and rely on the sled to slow you down so you don’t hit the wall,” says Bennett. “Some of the rookie drivers don’t have the nerve to do that and stop too soon.”
  • Knowing the dirt – Bennett notes that the dirt used to build indoor tracks is typically less consistent, or “tight” in pulling vernacular, compared to outdoor tracks, further testing driver skill. “Outdoor tracks can be more forgiving, but these guys are professionals and know they will have to match their speed and gear selection to the dirt composition and consistency at Kemper,” he explains.
  • Noise – Within the confines of Kemper Arena, the noise level is much louder than outdoor events, which Bennett says is “music to the ears of a gear head.” With engines ranging in the 10 classes from 1,000 to 6,000 horsepower, it is recommended that attendees wear ear plugs. Fans can bring their own or purchase a set for just one dollar at the event.
  • Exhaust – Indoors or outdoors, tractor pulls generate a lot of exhaust fumes. At Kemper, an elaborate exhaust system – termed a “smoke eater” by Bennett – draws diesel fumes from the machines through rubber tubes and vents them to the outside, maintaining a comfortable atmosphere inside.

Fans can meet many of the drivers and see their machines on display from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, at Kemper Arena. Access to this midday display is open only to attendees of the Western Farm Show. Tickets to the Western Farm Show and to the tractor pull are sold separately.

The 2014 Western Farm Show is scheduled Friday through Sunday, Feb. 21-23, at the American Royal Complex adjacent to Kemper Arena. It will once again feature over 500 exhibitors and more
than 400,000 square feet of floor space filled with the latest farm equipment and other agricultural products. Other attractions include the Stockmanship and Stewardship Low-Stress Livestock Handling Demonstration, FFA Day, the Health & Safety Roundup, Family Living Center and much more.

Show hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Adult admission is $8 and free for children 12 and under. For more information, visit http://www.WesternFarmShow.com, like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WesternFarmShow and follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/WesternFarmShow or Instagram at http://instagram.com/WesternFarmShow.

Ken Dean, Western Farm Show, http://www.westernfarmshow.com, +1 (816) 561-5323, [email protected]