Trucks and tractors will be pulling their weight and more at the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 6, at the Linn County Fair. (Linn County Fair & Rodeo Facebook page)
By Janell Aust, Linn County Fair Board
MOUND CITY – It’s the height of truck and tractor pulling season and the event held at the Linn County fairgrounds is right in the mix of pulls being held all over the Midwest in late July and early August. The Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull is set for 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug 6.
This Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull event attracts a wide variety of participants, both local and regional pullers, as well as multi-generations. Several of the local pullers have been a mainstay at this event over the years, including the Paddock family (Brent, Tyler and Megan) each having their own pulling tractors, as well as Kyle Carstens of Parker and Cody Yarick of Rich Hill, Mo.
"The Linn County Fair has a great track for pulling and it helps make this an exciting event to watch,” says Brent Paddock, event chairman.
Drivers from several states away can be seen at this sanctioned pull, which has been held at the fair in Mound City for nearly 30 years. Even before OTTPA sanctioned events, the Linn County fairgrounds had been the site of truck and tractor pulls for several decades.
The hometown hospitality is another thing that brings pullers back to Mound City time and time again. A meal is provided to the participants before the pull, including something they all ask for – Demott’s homemade ice cream.
While these trucks and tractors do move fast, pulling is not about speed, it's about the power of the machine and skill of the driver. These machines hook on and haul close to 20 tons of weight from a standing stop up the 300-foot strip with ear-splitting engines roaring, smoke shooting in the air and dirt flying high.
Classes at the Linn County pull will include Limited Pro Stock Tractors, Pro Stock 4X4 Trucks and Pro Stock Tractors. Missouri State Tractor Pullers Association (MSTPA) also will be represented with classes of 9,500-pound Pro Field Tractors, Light Modified Tractors and 2.6 Diesel Pickups.
Tickets for the truck and tractor pull are available from fair queen candidates or ticket outlets, check out www.linncountyfair.org for more information. Advanced ticket prices are $15 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6-12 years, kids 5 and under are free.
The Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulling Association (OTTPA) was formed in 1982 and is the largest of three sanctioned national pulling associations, endorsing over 70 sessions of pulling in over 50 cities from Texas to South Dakota.