After a long absence from the Park County Fair, truck pulling will make its way back to the main stage this year. The true test of vehicle strength will be featured at the grandstands Thursday night.

Trucks from around the area will be put to the test, roaring down the track trying to pull a weight sled as far as they can; the further they go, the harder the sled becomes to pull, as its weight continues to increase and strain the vehicles.

The goal of truck pulling is not speed, explained event organizer Megan Werner of the Montana Pullers Association. It’s to simply see who can pull the sled the furthest down the track, with trucks typically aiming for the 300-foot mark.

Six classes will be featured at the event: 3.0 Diesel, Stock Gas, Hot Rod Diesel, Stock Diesel, Modified Gas and the Super Stock Gas.

“The 3.0 Diesel is always a great show for the audience; it has a lot of smoke and horsepower for the audience,” Werner said. “Kids always get a kick out of those.”

Trucks featured in the event will range from any time period, she said, as past entries have ranged from trucks built in the 1960s and 70s all the way to modern machines.

“We see anything from classics all the way to brand new, just anything people want to put in,” Werner said.

Some of the most expensive trucks are typically in the Modified Gas and the 3.0 Diesel, she said, with some competitors putting in $50,000 to improve their vehicles.

Werner said that the event is one where everyone is welcome, with truck pulls drawing fans of all ages.

“It’s a real family friendly event,” she said. “Everybody seems to enjoy it, lots of loud engines and motors … Anybody that is a motorhead will enjoy it.”

Any local racers interested in entering can sign up the day of the event between 4-6 p.m. at the Park County Fairgrounds. There will be a $100 hook fee and a $15 pit pass for the crew.

Werner said that locals typically enter into the Hot Rod Diesel, Stock Gas and Stock Diesel categories, and “everybody loves to see a local” in the contest.

She added that they typically pay out the top three spots in each division, with $10,000 spread across all six classifications.

It will be divided into $3,000 for both the Modified Gas and 3.0 Diesel categories while the four remaining classes will each have $1,000 in prize money.

“We’d love for everybody to give it a shot,” Werner said. “We want to get new generations involved.”

If you are interested in seeing a truck pull, she noted the Montana Pullers Association’s Facebook page has photos and videos of past events that showcase the event.

Admission to Thursday’s event is $12 for general admission and $17 for box seats. The gates open at 6 p.m. and pulling starts at 7 p.m.

Anyone interested in participating or anyone with questions about the event can reach out via the association’s Facebook page or email mtpullers@gmail.com

“It’s something that has been around forever,” Werner said of truck pulling, “and we want to spark it up again in our area.”