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. Vermont V8 Mini 1. General Rules apply see page 2 2. VTPA minis follow the NTPA and ASTTQ rules and guidelines for safety, competition, chassis, engines, shielding, and safety unless otherwise stated in the following rules 3. Age: Driver must be 16 years of age or older. Those under 18 years of age must have written parental / guardian permission CHASSIS: 1) Tread width (foot print) not to exceed 72 inches or 6 feet measured at the widest point of tire touching the ground. 2) No portion of tractor shall exceed 96 inches or 8 feet in length from center of rear wheels to farthest point forward on tractor (i.e. weights, tires, fuel tanks, and toe hooks). 3) Front skid plates must be one of two types. Type 1 center mounted must be a minimum of 10 inches wide with rolled edge front and rear must be a minimum of 4 inches in length and securely mounted to front axle and or frame. Must be on center. Must be equal in strength to frame rails and or front end. Type 2 inline with each frame rail (on both sides) equal in strength to frame rail material. Must be securely mounted and braced to chassis minimum of 2 inches wide and 10 inches long with minimum 2 inch curve at front of skid. Both types must extend down minimum of 2 inches from what it is attached to. Both types must be able to support the weight of vehicle with a jack. 4) Driveline shielding for drive train excluding transmissions or gearboxes must be enclosed in 5/16 inch steel minimum or 3/8 inch round in shape inside diameter not to exceed 2 inches larger than outside diameter of largest drive train item. If u-joints are used in the drive shaft application, the shielding must be 5/16 inch steel or 3/8 aluminum with a 1/8 steel insert in the aluminum. Insert to be a minimum of 6 inches in width and centered over the joint. 5) Drawbars and hitching devise to be one piece construction with a minimum of 1 inch solid steel construction. No hollow tubing allowed. The hook point is to have a minimum 2 inch and a maximum of 2 ¼ inch round hole. Material around the hole to be a minimum of ¾ thick steel. Maximum height to be 13 inches to the point of hook and measured from a flat level surface. 6) Tire size is limited to 18.4 x 16.1 with a maximum of 143 inch circumference when mounted on 18 inch rim and inflated to 10 psi. The ground patch is not to exceed 19 inches on original tread 7) Wheelie Bars: wheelie bar & hitch heights same as NTPA specifications ENGINES – CLASS A: 1) Automotive type engines. Only 2 valves and one spark plug per cylinder. Automotive engine is an engine available in a passenger vehicle. Maximum 8 cylinders, and / or replica of this engine that is able to swing and run a stock crankshaft. 2) 380 cubic inch maximum for all supercharged engines and 575 cubic inch maximum for all naturally aspirated engines, grandfather rule is in place for the ‘Aggravation’ tractor. If engine configuration (i.e. block or rotating assembly) needs to be replaced, than those components will have to conform to current engine specifications. Class A Minis follow the existing rules such as big blocks naturally aspirated engines no larger than 575 cu. in. and no superchargers. Small blocks can be supercharged up to 380 cu. in 3) Blower / Supercharger limited to 8-71 maximum supercharger size. Supercharger size is to be determined by rotor length. For 380 cubic inch small blocks with 6-71s maximum overdrive is 18 percent faster than crankshaft. For 8-71s the maximum overdrive is 10 percent faster than the crankshaft 4) If an engine is not defined by manufacturer as small block designation, that such engine is limited to 671 with 0 percent overdrive or the same speed as crankshaft (owner/driver) will have to provide valid written documented information from manufacturer as to the engine’s designation of small block). It is not up to VTPA. 5) No high helix rotors allowed. Rotors must be standard helix. Maximum of 60 degree total pitch over the length of the rotor and no modified configurations of superchargers. One supercharger per engine, no multistage or stacking of superchargers. Supercharger case width limited to 11.25 inches at its widest point, no variable speed or multi speed superchargers allowed. Supercharger must be mounted with aluminum studs only. No other stud material will be accepted. 6) Supercharger restraint consists of 4 SFI approved straps one on each corner of the engine with each strap securely fastened to the engine by its own bracket. 7) Turbos or other forms of forced induction will be look at by VTPA and determined if such configuration will be allowed to run and with what restrictions. 8) No. 5 inch bore spacing big blocks allowed. ENGINES – CLASS B: 1) Class B Limited Minis – big blocks up to 468 cu. in., cast iron heads and blocks only. Single or dual carbureted or injected. Small blocks up to 410 cu. in. cast iron or aluminum blocks and heads allowed. Naturally aspirated. Single or dual carbureted or injected SAFETY: 1) VTPA registered competitor driver must be in the seat at all times when vehicle is running or being started and must have complete control at all times. 2) Helmet full face Snell 90 rating or SFI rating 41.2 no modifications or alterations of the helmet are allowed with exception for safety modifications. 3) Head sock or helmet skirt, single layer Nomax driving gloves, driving suit of SFI rating 3.2a-1 minimum, 360 degree neck collar SFI spec. 3.3 or Hahn’s device, fire resistance shoes no leather boots. All protective clothing must be SFI approved. 4) Seat and driver restraint system must be securely fastened to roll cage independently mounted from chassis. 5) Roll cages to meet or exceed SFI rating 47.3 6) Vehicle must have a quick release or swing away steering wheel 7) Vehicles with on board batteries or electric fuel pumps must have a battery disconnect switch mounted at the front of tractor so that a track official can kill the power in the event of an accident 8) Vehicle must have a five point driver restraint system that is quick release and be securely fastened during competition. Failure to use restraint is grounds for disqualification 9) Vehicle must have a 2 ½ lb B/C fire extinguisher, fully charged, with working gauge and be placed convenient to operator. 10) Blankets: a. Automatic transmissions must be equipped with an SFI 4.1 blanket. The blanket must extend from rear of engine block to front of tail housing. It must be fastened forward securely with two straps on each side, one above and one below the crankshaft centerline. The blanket should have a 6” overlap. Straps must be 2” wide, with not more than 1” spacing between each strap. The opening at the bottom of the transmission must be closed by steel plate, original steel plate is accepted. All Lenco-type planetary type transmissions, excluding reverser, must have a SFI 4.1 blanket. 11) Fuels: a. Legal fuels are: Ethanol, Methanol, Water, Diesel, Aviation Gas, Gasoline, or Propane Gas. Oxygen carriers and combustion accelerators are prohibited. Illegal fuels are intro methane, including nitrous oxide and propylene, as fuel or additive. No pressurized fuels allowed, except in UL approved pressure tanks or fuel cells. 12) Clutches and cans must have current verification papers valid for two consecutive years 13) Kill switches. Electric fuel pumps must be tied to safety kill switch. 14) Any competitor or crew member under the influence of an intoxication agent, drug or having a measurable blood alcohol content during competition activities shall be considered under the influence and be barred from any further involvement with VTPA and may face fines and or suspension WEIGHTS: 1) Ballast & safety equipment must be secured on the tractor. If they fall off you will be disqualified. 2) Weight class – 1900 lbs driver & tractor. (rule change for 2010) VTPA Specification Wheelie Bars 1) STABILIZER BARS at a minimum must be flush to the back edge of tire and not to extend more than 10” beyond back of tire. Rigidly fastened to axle housing or rear end housing. STABILIZER BAR system must be able to support the weight of the tractor in the heaviest class pulled. Jacking up the pads so the tractor is completely off the ground is a good test of the strength of the system’s support ability. STABILIZER BAR and bar assembly is not to be mounted to the drawbar and drawbar assembly (see Figure B) 2) STABILIZER PAD must be a minimum of 5” square with a minimum of 20” allowed from outside of one pad to another (see Fig. A) and a maximum height of 10” from ground. 3) BUMPER BAR must be mounted furthest most back point of stabilizer pad vertical and a minimum of 10” high. 4) SUPPORT BRACE must be attached to top of bumper bar horizontally back to stabilizer bar. VTMini Rules