It will be a showcase of immense horsepower and torque when the truck and tractor pull hits the Park County Fair for the third straight year.

The sight and sound of engines producing thick smoke and roaring down the dirt creates a high-adrenaline experience for spectators during the Thursday, July 23 event, which begins at 7 p.m.

“You’ve got everything from mild to wild,” event co-organizer Richard Walker said. “Everybody’s in it for the same reason, because it’s a good time. It’s a challenge.” 

Ultimate workhorse

Sled pulling evolved from horse-pulling contests and early 1920s tractor events where farmers would bet on whose equipment was the strongest. Today, it’s trucks proving which is the ultimate workhorse.

Instead of a fixed weight, trucks pull a specialized weight-transfer sled. As the truck moves forward down the track, mechanical gears automatically shift a massive weight box forward over the sled’s axles. 

This shifting weight drives a metal plate into the dirt, drastically increasing friction and resistance. The further the truck pulls, the heavier the sled becomes until the vehicle loses traction or engine torque, and grinds to a halt.

“They change the gearing of the sled, and also the weight of the sled,” he said. “So the more stock vehicle stuff, they’ll lighten the sled up and make it to where you can actually get down the track a little bit farther before they load it heavy. But when you start getting into the pro trucks, they load it heavy and then the farther down the track you go they will put the coals to it to where they will stop you.”

Walker said truck pulls aren’t as well-known in Wyoming, as events have dwindled in the state over the past several years. This is mainly due to the fact that there isn’t a sled close by. 

“Back in the day it was pretty big,” he said. “And there’s a lot in all the states surrounding Wyoming. I think people need to come check it out and see if it’s something they want to do. Anybody’s welcome.”

Bringing it back

The truck and tractor pull has been a part of the fair since 2024, when the Park County Fair Board reached out about the possibility of bringing it as a grandstand event. Walker is a friend of a sled owner who lives in northern Montana and reached out. 

“I got a hold of him, and he said if we could make it happen, he’d come down,” Walker said. “So I just started making some phone calls and showed up to the fair board and got their approval.”

Walker grew up watching his dad compete in different motorsports, including truck pulling. His dad still competes, pulling the same truck he did when his son was a child. 

“As a kid I always wanted to compete against him and one day try and out pull him,” he said. “I wouldn’t be where I am without him and he is always there to cheer me on and help make the trucks better and better.”

It’s a family affair, as Walker’s wife also comes to pulls, cheering with their kids in the pits and occasionally competing herself. And last year his brother ran Walker’s truck during the fair event.

“It’s a good, family sport,” he said. “My kids love it. Some of the kids aren’t even old enough to legally drive, but they can do the pulls as long as they have a helmet on and they’re being safe about it. There was a kid that did it in Bridger last year that was 13 years old, and drove his grandpa’s old farm truck in it.”

Growing the event

Every year the Park County Fair event grows a little bit bigger, although Walker said getting the truck drivers to come down on a weeknight can be a bit of a challenge.

“It’s really hard to get trucks on a Thursday night, but there’s guys that are super willing to come and try and make the best of it,” he said. 

He’s hoping for a minimum of 50 trucks. He’s also looking for another good group of tractors this year after a strong showing in 2025. 

“Hopefully, we’ll have a pretty good turnout,” he said. “The more trucks, the better. We’ll see how it shakes out.”

There are six truck classes — stock gas/diesel, modified diesel, modified gas, pro mod gas, 3.0 diesel and unlimited — and light and heavy tractor classes. 

While there are locals who compete, the majority of the trucks, especially in the diesel classes, come from Montana. Last year there were also trucks from Thermopolis and Worland. 

“I need to find a way to make it more popular because obviously, the more people know about it, the more chances you have of people coming,” he said. “Anybody’s welcome. Bring anything you want. We’ll find a class for you.” 

In the future, Walker is also hoping to do a pit walk-through, allowing fans a birds-eye view of what goes on.

“They can look at different trucks, and see why things are built a certain way or why somebody tried something else,” he said. “They can ask drivers questions.”

May the best truck win

The bigger the truck, the more prize money there is to be won. Last year in stock gas, first place won $500, second $300 and third $100.

“The more money you have in your truck, the more money you have a chance at winning, depending on what class you’re in,” he said.

But just because someone has the most expensive vehicle, doesn’t guarantee a win. 

“Sometimes it’s a good old boy that puts a little more time and knowledge into how his truck’s set up or how his tractor is set up,” he said. “Anything can happen. For example, I do pretty good for the most part in my class, and last year, I went out and just knocked the tires off of it and couldn’t get any traction. I got my butt handed to me.”

Tickets for the truck pull range from $12-$17 and can be purchased at tickets.parkcountyeventsandfair.com/.