Adrenaline rush draws competitors to tractor pull

COSHOCTON — It was all about the strength of the big boys’ toys Tuesday evening as truck and tractor pullers showed off their might on the grandstand track during the open truck and tractor pull at the Coshocton County Fair.

“They are coming from all over to take part in the pull,” said fair board member Jason Massie, who helps coordinate the event at the fair each year.

Massie expected about 50 to 60 participants at this year’s open pull, which consisted of four tractor classes and two diesel truck classes. The top five participants who pulled a sled of up to 30,000 pounds the farthest took home various cash prizes, he said.

“It’s all about the adrenaline rush for that 20 to 25 second trip down the track,” Massie said.

Pullers participated in the Hotrod V8, Classic Super Stock, V8 Modified and Limited Farm and Super Farm Combo tractor classes and the 8,000 Open Street Diesel and Super Stock Diesel 4-Wheel in Tuesday’s event.

Part of the excitement of pulling is watching tractors that once went about 18 mph at top speed do more than 30 mph after being modified, said Todd Cooperider, of Columbus, who came out to the pull with his McCormick 0-6 Orchard in the Hotrod and Classic Super Stock classes. That’s equals about 800 horsepower, or 20 times what it typically would be, he said.

“It’s a motorsport that you get to feel and see the horsepower,” he said. “There is nothing like driving down the track.”

As a member of the Central Ohio Tractor Pullers Association and a puller who grew up watching family members participate in the sport, Cooperider said truck and tractor pulling also is about gathering with friends and family for a good time.

“It’s like a big family, coming out and hanging out with friends. It’s addictive,” Cooperider said.

Although Doug Gehrig, of Woodsfield, took to the track in the Classic Super Stock class with a John Deere 4010, his brother Darin Gehrig helped modify it for pulling.

“I just hope it stays together when it goes down the track,” said Darin, who came with his brother to the fair to compete for only the second time with their John Deere.

“If it stays together, I’ll be happy,” he said with a laugh.

For people who aren’t competitors in the rugged event, coming out to the fair to be spectators can be just as rewarding.

“I’ve been watching the pulls for about 25 years. This is a good fair to come to because they have excellent pulls,” said Lawrence Blubaugh, of Millwood, who also attended the antique tractor pull and the Ohio State Tractor Pullers Association Truck and Tractor Pull earlier in the week.

Watching the modified tractors is especially exciting, Blubaugh said, because they have been built to be powerful.

“Some of what they can do is out of this world,” he said. “There is going to be some good competition here tonight. This is no backyard thing.”