VTPA GENERAL RULES OPERATORS: 1. Must have written permission of owner or parent/guardian if under eighteen years of age.  2. NO ALCOHOLIC beverages/drugs before or during events for operators and/or crew members. 3. Must remain seated, be in full control, and operate in a safe manner at all times.  4. All participants must be able to handle their pulling vehicle safely by themselves. 5. Long pants, shirt and closed toe shoes required.  No sandals. No Shorts.   a.  3.5 mph Antiques are permitted to wear shorts. PULLING: 1. Pulling position will be at sign-up discretion. 2. First vehicle will be test puller only.  Test puller may take pull if sled is properly adjusted, or may re-pull immediately, or may re- pull in third position or last position.  If sled is reset, then no other vehicle will be test puller. 3. All decisions on re-pull must be made prior to pulling away from sled. 4. All pulls start with a tight hitch, no jerk pulls permitted.  5. Competitor is allowed 2 attempts for the pull.   a. For Garden Youth and Adult Stock classes and ATVs, if a vehicle is shut down within 25 feet of the start line, then the puller may make a second attempt.   b. For Garden Sport Stock, Super Stock, and Pro Stock Diesel classes, if a vehicle is shut down within 50 feet of the start line, then the puller may make a second attempt.   c. For 3.5 mph and 7 mph Antique Tractors classes, if a vehicle is shut down within 75 feet of the start line, then the puller may make a second attempt.   d. For All Farm Tractor, Truck, and V8 Mini classes, if a vehicle is shut down within 100 feet of the start line, then the puller may make a second attempt. Drivers must make a noticeable attempt to stop before shut down line.  Second attempt will count. 6. Operators have the option of spotting the sled on the starting line.  7. Judges have the option of moving starting line between classes.  8. Any portion of the vehicle touching boundary line during pull will result in disqualification.  Sled can touch out of bounds lines without disqualification to vehicle/driver.  There is no out of bounds past the full pull mark within safe limits, and/or the flagger’s discretion. 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.  This applies to track and pit area, pulling vehicles and pit vehicles unless the pit vehicle is manufactured for more. 13. No pulling vehicle shall be left unattended while it is running.  GENERAL: 1. Driver age must be:   a. In the Garden Youth classes, drivers must be youth ages 8 – 14 years of age.   b. In the Garden Adult Stock classes, drivers must be at least 12 years or older with written parental consent.   c. In the Garden Sport Stock class, drivers must be at least 14 years or older with written parental consent.  See Garden Sport Stock for age EXCEPTION.   d. In the Garden Super Stock and Pro Diesel classes, drivers must be 16 years old or older and capable of operating the tractor in a safe manner.   e. In the Garden ATV classes, when offered, drivers must be at least 18 years old.   f. In the Garden Team Pulling class, when offered, must be at least 10 years old or older.   g. 3.5 mph Antique Tractor classes, drivers must be at least 12 years old with written parental consent and Youth Tractor Safety Certificate.   h. In the 7 mph Antique, Farm Stock, Hot Farm, and Altered Farm Tractor classes, 2 WD Mini Truck classes, and V8 Minis classes, drivers must be 16 years old or older.  Those under 18 years of age must have written parental/guardian permission.    i. In the Street Legal Pure Stock, Street Mod, Super Stock 4x4, Work Stock Diesel, 2.5 Diesel, and 2.6 Pro Diesel Truck classes, driver must be 16 years old or older licensed driver. 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 or representatives are required to attend meeting at the scales prior to event time.  4. Contest will be governed by three or more judges with all decisions final.  Judges (consisting of flag person, tech personnel, sled operator, pull supervisor and/or VTPA officers/directors in attendance) may stop and/or disqualify any operators not operating safely.   Refunds of entry fees will be at the judge’s discretion. 5. No pit crew or operator coaching on track.  Coach must maintain a safe distance from tractor.    a. For Garden Youth classes, only one adult may accompany a youth driver onto the track.  This coach may assist the driver in getting in position, hooked to the sled, tightening the chain, and selecting the proper gear.  The coach must then step behind the white boundary line before the flaggers will display the green flags.  Once the pull is under way, a coach may not touch the tractor or interfere with operation unless the driver needs assistance in stopping the tractor. 6. Any operator, owner or pit crew disrupting the pull whether in the pit or on the track, will be cause for disqualification of that pulling vehicle from the class in question, all previous, and all subsequent classes for the remainder of the event.  All trophies, ribbons, and/or purse will be returned to the steward immediately.  7. Spectators and other operators not entered in class are not permitted on track area.  Track area is defined as area within the white boundary lines and 3 feet outside of each white boundary line. 8. Since reasonable rules cannot cover any and all eventualities, the discretion of the judges will prevail, including safety, operations, equipment, good sportsmanship and common sense.  Safety will be paramount.  9. All pulling vehicles must have functional breakaway kill switches.  This will apply to all classes except Garden Youth and Adult Stock Tractors, 3.5 mph Antique Tractors, Farm Stock Tractors, and Street Legal Stock Trucks.   10. Any loss of weights or safety equipment while hitched to the sled will result in disqualification with exception of test puller.  11. No moving of weights between tractors within the same class.  12.  Once sled is staged at the start line, pulling vehicle will have 2 minutes to make an attempt to pull the sled. 13. Pulling vehicle may be disqualified for delay if pulling vehicle takes more than 2 minutes to hook.  14. All vehicles will be teched and subject to random teching at any event.     a. Tech inspectors have the authority to inspect for enforcement of any rule at any time. These inspections may be on all vehicles at an event or all vehicles in a certain class, but may not single out certain competitors unless there has been an official protest made against them.     b. Competition specific inspections such as weight, hitch height, etc, must be performed before the vehicle returns to the pit area.  Announcement of these inspections must be made at the drivers’ meeting.  Drivers intentionally returning to the pit area without allowing these inspections may be disqualified at the judge’s discretion. 15. NOS (nitrous oxide) or propane injection fuel are illegal in all divisions INCLUDING street legal trucks.   16. All competing vehicles must have adequate brakes according to their class rules. 17. No tire chains, studded tires or duals.