General Rules
This is a family oriented organization, operated by Christians, and we will not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rom 1:16 There will be ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ALLOWED! Any person involved with a pulling event in any capacity (driver's or pit crew), consuming alcohol or drugs before, during or on the grounds after an event will be disqualified. Please help us promote a clean environment.
Texas Minirod Tractor Pullers Association is a privately owned organization.
In order to help us cover insurance and other costs, pulling with TMTPA requires an annual membership. There is a $25 fee for the first membership which includes one tractor. For additional tractors or members participating within the same family, the fee will be $10 per tractor and $10 per member.
General
1. Rule book will be for one year, subject to changes as deemed necessary by TMTPA
officials.
2. If qualified, tractor may pull in two classes at a points event, however may compete for
added prize money in one class only. Added money class must be determined at sign in.
3. Points pulls require a $15 hook fee per day for each class a tractor pulls in.
$10 payback as prize money.
4. Time permitting, most events will be two hook pulls. (See class rules for special
limitations on stock classes.)
4. The TMTPA officials will preside over any meetings, safety decisions, protests, and all
other TMTPA business and decisions.
5. All event participants are expected to help with the operation of the pull, i.e. setup,
teardown, flag man, sled operator, hooking, unhooking, track grading, layout,
announcing and any other jobs that need to be done. If TMTPA officials cannot get the
needed help from pull participants and crew, hook fees will have to be increased to
cover help expenses.
6. Tractors must be signed in 1 hour before pull starts. If competitor is going to be late
they may phone in the tractors they are going to be pulling, provided these tractors
have a current TMTPA inspection. If tractor is not signed in 30 min. before pull time, last
pulling position will be automatically assigned.
7. Drivers meeting before pulls start.
8. Tractors must weigh in prior to pulling.
9. Pulling positions will be determined by drawing.
10. Any violation or failure to comply with these or any other TMTPA rules can result in
immediate disqualification as determined by TMTPA officials.
11. Verbal directives by TMTPA officials will supersede written instructions.
Driver
1. DRIVERS must sign a liability waiver. Drivers under 18 years old must have a
parent or legal guardian sign and be responsible for them.
2. Driver must be seated and remain in control with at least one hand on the steering wheel.
3. Driver must watch the flag man.
4. No unsafe acts will be permitted on the grounds or on the track. i.e. no hot rodding, riders
on tractor, etc.
5. Each puller will have two tries to move the sled in the 75-foot distance.
6. Each puller will have three minutes to get hooked to the sled after it returns to the starting
line. If a puller has a mechanical problem they may drop to last position.
7. The first puller in each class has the option of taking the first hook or dropping to 3rd or
last position.
8. Drivers pulling first in a class are responsible for informing flag man if accepting or
declining pull before leaving sled. If driver leaves sled without informing flag man, this will
be the accepted pull.
9. Any driver must be old enough to handle the tractor. To be determined by TMTPA
officials. Minimum age 8 years old.
10. D.O. T. approved helmet with full face shield is required.
11. Long pants and shoes are required. No open toe shoes.
12. Drivers must properly wear fire suits which are labeled Fire Resistant or Fire Retardant
on Original Manufacturers label. Stock and Sportsman Stock exempt.
Flag Man
1. The flagman has complete control of the pull in progress.
2. The flagman has the right to stop a pull anytime they feel an unsafe act or condition exists.
3. A green flag signals that the puller may start and that the pull is in progress, a red flag
signals that the pull is over.
4. The flag man is responsible for informing the scoring officials if the first driver in each
class accepts of declines their pull.
5. The flag man is responsible for informing driver if they are out of bounds.
6. The flag man must be at least 18 years old and will also sign a liability waiver.
7. The flag man will not be changed during the running of a class unless circumstances
require a change as determined by TMTPA officials.
8. The flag man's decision is final.
Sled
1. Sled operator has the right to stop the pull anytime they feel an unsafe act or condition
exists.
2. Tractors may be pushed or driven back to the sled but must be in neutral while being
hooked or unhooked. All pulls must start with a tight chain.
3. If the first one or two tractors in a class have full pulls, the sled may be reset as
determined by TMTPA officials. Class will be restarted as decided by those participating
in the class.
4. The sled may be positioned anywhere on the starting line.
5. Sled operator will not be changed during the pulling of a class.
Tractor
1. Class number must be displayed on front of tractor and is subject to availability.
2. Out of bounds is determined by tractor tire touching or crossing the intended boundary
line, and will be disqualified from that pull attempt. Sled is permitted to cross track
boundary line. There is no out of bounds after the full pull line.
3. Tractors cannot be pulled until they have passed a safety/technical inspection. Tractors
which have not been previously inspected for the year must arrive no later than 2 hours
before the event begins.
4. Throttle must return to idle when released.
5. Tractors will have rear mounted accessible kill switch, which disconnects all power
to engine's ignition and fuel system. If tractor stops due to kill switch falling out, pull
attempt will be measured at that point. A 1/8" maximum tie strap may be used to
retain switch. Tie strap must be broken for a repull as determined by TMTPA officials.
6. Diesel trucks/tractors which run propane injection must have systems which are deemed
safe by the directors. Systems will require the following:
A. Must have an electric solenoid valve in the LPG line, which will allow LPG to begin flowing when the turbo has built a minimum of 10 lbs of boost in the intake. B. Solenoid valve must be electrically disarmed when the ignition switch is off, and
when the kill switch is disconnected.
C. LPG approved fittings only on all LPG connections.D. LPG approved hoses are the only fuel lines allowed..7. Tip over bars must support the competition weight of the tractor and may be constructed
with wheels or skid pads. Wheels will be at least 4" in diameter and 1" wide and have no
plastic centers. Skid pads are to be at least 2" wide and 3" long at point of contact and
be constructed of at least 1/8" steel. Bottom of skid pad or wheel max 5" off ground.
8. Wheelie bars with pads must have minumum 4" vertical bumper bars which are the rear
most point. Bumper bars not required with wheelie wheels.
9. Bumper bars or rear of wheels must not extend more than 10" behind the rear tire vertical plane. Center of skid pad or wheel must be a minimum 5" behind the rear tire vertical
plane.
10. Tractors will have fenders covering at least 1/4 of the width of the tire, and must be
designed to protect the driver from contacting the tire.
11. Tractors will have a fire extinguisher with a gauge and be at least 1-1/2 pound dry
chemical or equivalent and be within easy reach of the driver.
12. Seats may not extend behind the rear tire vertical plane, and must have a 3" minimum
backrest.
13. Tractors must have steering and brakes.
14. Rear wheel drive only.
15. No Classes for ATVs or ATV type vehicles.
Click THIS PAGE for diagrams of Wheelie Bar and Hitch requirements.
Hitch
1. Tractor hitch will not exceed 13" in height and must be rigid in all directions.
2. The hitch must extend at least 6" from the center of the axle to the hook point.
3. Hitch hole will not be any smaller than 1-3/4" and not more than 2-1/2" in diameter.
4. Hitch hole must have at least 1/2" of material all the way around it and will be a
minimum 3/8" thick on all classes except 1900 Lb. Modified and 2WD Modified Truck.
5. 1900 Lb. Modified must use minimum 5/8" thick material, see 2WD Truck Rules for truck
requirements.
6. Rear most part of hitch must not extend behind rear plane of the tire.
Engine
1. Exposed drive shafts, belts, chains and clutches will be shielded as follows: Top 180
degrees with minimum 1/8" steel or 3/16" aluminum unless class rules state differently.
Stock classes may run stock safety shields. Frame rails may be considered shielding if
they are made from material of the required thickness.
2. Starter pulleys on classes that exceed 4000 rpm must be billet and have bolt and washer
in mounting shaft end. Shielding is not required.
3. Fuel tanks will have a visable manual shutoff valve on the low pressure side of the
pump.
4. Engines must have deflection shields on both sides of the block, which are a minimum
of .060" steel or aluminum with the exception of the stock and motorcycle classes.
Shield will be as long as the block and to the bottom of the cylinder head and not more
than 4" away from the block or as close as possible. They are not to be bolted to the
block.
5. Engines that have a vibration damper/harmonic balancer must have a bolt through the
middle securing it to the crankshaft. It will be shielded 360 degrees with minimum 1/8"
steel or 3/16" aluminum. Inside diameter of shield shall not exceed 2" over the outside
diameter of the balancer. Provisions such as tabs, bars or expanded metal must be used
to contain balancer inside shield. Billet or SFI approved balancer or dampener does not
require shielding.
6. Tractors will have vertical upright exhaust pipe(s) a minimum of 12" and plus or minus 10
degrees from vertical. No tip outs.
7. No nitromethane, nitrous oxide, propane or pressurized fuel systems.
EXCEPTION: Diesel engine tractors may run any combination of propane injection,
methynol/water injection, or nitrous oxide injection as power adders only.
8. Safety official(s) have the right to fail any tractor for any reason deemed to be unsafe.
Weights
1. Weights and brackets must not extend behind the rear tires vertical plane.
2. Wheel weights must not have any protruding threaded rods.
3. If any part of tractor falls to the ground, the pull attempt is disqualified.
Points System and Purse Payout
1. Points will be awarded at all TMTPA pulls which are scheduled and pre-announced as
points pulls. TMTPA will further rent their sled and otherwise make appearances which
may be invitation only, however these events will not be points pulls.
2. Points placing for the day will be determined by the tractors total distance pulled, either
single or 2 hook events
3. Points will be awarded for each class as follows:
1st place.............30
2nd place............29
3rd place.............28 etc, etc.
4. Distances tied between 1st, 2nd, or 3rd will be determined by a pull off, pull offs may
use a floating finsh line. For ties other than those placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd; points will be
split between the tractors with the identical distances.
5. Disqualified pull attempts will be awarded points for position placed. If a tractor is
disqualified during a pull off, it will fall to last place in the pull off.
6. Points remain with the tractor.
7. If points are tied at end of season; points champion will be determined by number of first
place finishes, if still tied, champion will be determined by number of second place
finishes, etc, etc.
8. No pull points will be dropped from each tractor's points total when determining
points total at end of year.
9. If a stock class at an event is required to run as an eliminator class (see class rules for
stock), the top five will receive 30, 29, 28, 27 and 26 points respectively. All others will
receive 25 points for the first hook..
10. $10 of each hook fee plus added monies will be paidback as follows:
Fees will be paid to pullers for the top 3 places only.
1st = 50%, 2nd = 35%, 3rd = 15%
If two tractors in a class.
1st = 50%, 2nd = 35%
If one tractor in a class.
1st = 50%
Tractor may pull for added prize money in one class only.
11. Winnings may be picked up after all TMTPA equipment is loaded, otherwise they will be held till the end of the year and if not picked up will be donated to TMTPA.
12. Tractor must attempt to pull the sled in order to receive points or prize money.
13. Exhibition pulls receive no points or winnings.
Protest
1. Engine protests must be written and signed by the protester and presented to TMTPA
officials along with a $150.00 deposit.
2. After the event is over, if the tractor passes, the deposit will be forfeited. Protest fee will
then be given to protested tractor owner. If tractor is found to be illegal, all protest
fees will be refunded to the protestor.
3. If tractor is found to be illegal, all points and prize winnings will be forfeited for that day
and will be suspended for two consecutive points pulls and all pulls scheduled in between.
4. Only owners or drivers in a class may protest.
5. All protests must be made within 15 minutes after the class has pulled.
6. Upon receipt of a signed, written protest and deposit, TMTPA officials will inform tractor
owner/driver.
7. After receiving a protest request, tractor will be placed in a designated area.
8. Person designated by tractor Owner/Driver will tear down tractor.
9. Those present during tear down will be Owner/Driver and TMTPA officials.
10. Safety or technical items found to be illegal other than engine violations, will result in
a warning and the requirement that the item be brought up to legal status before
competing again.
11. The decision of the officials is final and calls of judgment are not subject to appeal.
Profanity or obscene language or other unruly and unsportsman like conduct will result in
suspension from future events.
TMTPA OFFICIALS DECISIONS AND DIRECTIVES ARE FINAL AND TMTPA OFFICIALS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ENTRY TO ANY PULLER.
PULLING WITH US IS MORE THAN JUST A DRAG!
