Vermont Tractor Pullers Association All rights reserved by VTPA  VTPA General Rules (all divisions except Garden) OPERATORS 1. Must have written permission of owner or parent if under eighteen 2. NO ALCOHOLIC beverages before or during the pull. 3. Must remain seated, be in full control, and operate in a safe manner at all times. PULLING 1. Pulling positions will be assigned at sign up. 2. Number one will be test puller. Test puller may take pull if sled is properly adjusted, or may re-pull immediately, or may re-pull in third position. 3. All decisions on repull must be made prior to pulling away from sled. 4. All pulls start with a tight hitch, no jerk pulls permitted. 5. A competitor is allowed a second attempt within 75 ft. to start sled. 6. Operators have the option of moving starting line between classes. 7. Judges have the option of moving starting line between classes. 8. Any portion of the tractor touching boundary line during pull will result in disqualification. Comment: This would be limited to the front or the rear tires. There is no out of bounds once the tractor passes the full pull mark. 9. Vehicles that are being repaired or readied for pull and that miss their turn, will pull last. 10. Vehicles must be stopped immediately on signal from track official. 11. Vehicles must be in neutral or park when hitching or unhitching 12. NO PASSENGERS. Note this applies to track or pit area GENERAL 1. Age: Driver must be 16 years of age or older. Those under 18 years of age must have written parental / guardian permission. 2. Violation of any rule will constitute disqualification. The punishment of the violation will be up to a panel of judges (See Rule #4). Grievance will be discussed at that point, with the judges’ decision being final. 3. All operators are expected to attend meeting at scales 15 minutes prior to event time. 4. Contest will be governed by three or more judges with all decisions final. 5. Judges (consisting of flagman, tech personnel, sled operator and/or pull supervisor) may stop and disqualify any operators not operating safely. 6. No pit crew or operator coaching on track. 7. Any protest against operators and /or equipment must be made by end of that class and before start of next class, and only by another operator within the class. 8. Any operator, owner, or pit crew disrupting the pull whether in the pit or on the track, will be cause for disqualification of that tractor/truck from class in question, all previous, and all subsequent classes for the remainder of the event. All trophies and ribbons will be returned to the steward immediately. 9. Spectators and other operators not entered in class are not permitted on the track. 10. Since reasonable rules cannot cover any and all eventualities, the discretion of judges will prevail, including safety, operations, equipment, good sportsmanship and common sense. Safety will be paramount. 11. Driver or operator must be in seat when vehicle is running. 12. All pulling vehicles must have a functional breakaway kill switches. This will apply to all classes except stock antique, farm stock and street stock trucks. 13. Any loss of weights or safety equipment while hitched to the sled will result in disqualification with exception of test puller. 14. No moving of weights between tractors within the same class. 15. Driver will be disqualified if he or she delays contest. 16. All tractors will be teched and subject to re-teching at random at each event. 17. NOS (nitrous oxide) or propane injection fuel are illegal in all divisions INCLUDING street legal pickup trucks. 18. BRAKES – All competing vehicles must have adequate brakes. a. Rear brakes are mandatory on vehicles that compete in the following divisions: Super Stock, Pro Stock b. Front brakes are mandatory on vehicles that compete in the following divisions: Four Wheel Drive Trucks c. All drivelines must have 3/8 inch steel, 360 degrees around brake components, and both ends must be closed with 1/8 inch, or greater, steel. This rule applies to Modified, Modified Minis, and Trucks. MODIFIED TRACTORS 1. General Rules apply see page 2 2. Modified tractors are those using any combination of engines, transmissions and final drives. 3. Weight classes are: a. 6,200 lb single V8 engines only, naturally aspirated b. 7,200 lb Open – all engines c. 8,200 lb No single engine tractors. 4. All engine fans must be shrouded with steel 1/26” or thicker 360 degrees. Harmonic balancer shielded 360 degrees with 3/16” steel or thicker. Unless a fluid damper or solid steel balancer is used. 5. All exposed turbochargers or positions there of, must be shrouded with steel 1/16” or thicker. 6. All superchargers and supercharger drive components must conform to current SEMA specifications. 7. All automotive type engines using clutch must be equipped with current SEMA approved clutch housing, flywheel, pressure plate, and clutch disc. The remaining drive train to be original tractor transmission, together with any additional manual transmissions, must be shielded 360 degrees with a minimum 3/8” steel, fastened every 6” or closer with 3/8” or larger bolts of grade 5 quality or better, or butt and seam welded. 8. All automatic transmission must be covered with current SEMA approved six strap or 2 three-strap scatter blanket, fastened securely in place. 9. All industrial or aircraft engine clutch housing must be constructed of, or shielded with, steel with minimum thickness of 3/8”. Remainder of drive train must be shielded as in rule #6. 10. Engines used in both automobiles and trucks are classed as automotive. 11. No portion of a modified tractor may exceed 14’ forward of the center of the rear wheel. 12. All tractors must be equipped with a dead-man throttle. All throttles working in a forward-rearward direction shall be closed in the rear most position. 13. All ignitions must have a kill switch in working order within easy reach of the driver. All diesel and fuel injected engines must have a fuel shut-off valve control within easy reach of driver. Electric fuel pumps must be tied in with kill switch. 14. All exhaust must discharge vertically upward with a minimum of 12” above the bend in the pipe and must be securely attached. No rain caps to be used. Measured from top of pipe to bottom of bend. 15. All modified tractors must be installed with safety bars. With pad minimum of 5” square and must not exceed more than 10” off the ground, and a minimum of 32” long from the center of rear axle. A minimum of 20” apart and must have a 12” high vertical brace and horizontal brace back to tractor. 16. Rear tire maximum limit on 6,200 & 7,200 lb tractors – up to and including 30.5. 17. No loaded tires. 18. All modified tractors to have breakaway switch in working order. 19. Neutral start switch must be in working order. 20. All modified tractors must have fenders. 21. All drivers of modified tractors will be required to wear helmets with shields and fire suit with a SFI 3-2 A-1 rating. Gloves and hood are also required. 22. All modified tractors must be equipped with working neutral light visible to sled operator. Amber light. 23. A deflective shield is required on both sides of all engines. Shields must extend the complete length of block casting and be securely fastened. It is to be made of aluminum or steel minimum of 0.060” thick. Solid frames may serve as part of shield. 24. Minimum drawbar length of 18” from center of rear wheel to point of hook. Maximum drawbar length of 4 feet. Maximum drawbar height of 20” from top of hitching device parallel to ground. Drawbar must be rigid in all directions and parallel to the ground. No use of three-point hitch arms. Drawbar must be no thicker than 1 ½”, with 3” diameter opening. Cross sectional thickness must be 7/8” minimum. Pulling point may not be more than 1 ½” from back of hitching device. Modified Tractor