The board of trustees met at the 2011 summer pull in Troy, MO and two major announcments have come out of that meeting.

For years due to regional differences in rules, topcuts has been a hot topic.  Div 2 at Columbia, MO was voted on by the members to remain uncut tires.  The board has decided to add a topcut class on a trial basis for the next season.  Whether this class continues to stay as an official NATPA class in the future will depend on the amount of turnout from the pullers who have been asking for a topcut tire class.  The weights will be 3500-4000-4500-5000-5500-6000-6500 lbs respectively with a 15.5x38 tire size maximum, 200 square inches maximum (no rim width limit).

Div 3 engine/chasis rules (ex:weld on hubs OK--alum fuel tanks OK)
Div 2 speed (3mph)
Div 2 drawbar (18 inches high maximum)
Tire size 15.5x38 (any rim width) topcuts allowed
No weight protection for this trial year--"you scale it, you pull it" 

If there is enough puller support of these classes, the board can look at adding more weight classes for this division and tweaking the rules the following season.  Again this is on a trial basis,  it will be offered at the Corunna, MI pull in the fall as well as all other NATPA pulls for the 2011-12 season.  It will be run in between Div 2 and Div 3 classes in regards to order of pull.

Points will be accumulated all year for NATPA members.  In years past, you had to declare your points classes after your first two events you pulled at.  Some faithfully did that and some had to be chased down.  Starting this season, you do not have to declare your points classes until the Monday before Championship Pull weekend (which basically should be the Monday after the Lincoln, NE pull).  Many pullers by then will know what two classes they want to run for points.  If you do not declare by the specified date, then your two lightest classes you pulled in during the season will be the standard Curtis uses to declare for you.  For example, if you pulled Div 3 4500, 5000, 5500, and 6000 during the season and have not declared, you automatically will be entered in the 4500 and 5000 classes even if they was not your best classes as far as placings went.  It will be each pullers responsibility to turn in your classes.  

--RPM Monitors for Div 4/5 tractors--

** UPDATE--Div4/5 tractors should have a 3 prong female 110 outlet style plug in on back of tractor for the RPM recorder to plug into.  Wire your kit from Scheid Diesel up to the female 100 outlet.

ONLY USE ONE MAGNET ON YOUR RPM KIT (they send 2, but use only one)

To purchase an RPM monitor device for your tractor, call Scheid Diesel at 1-800-669-1934, and ask for Mike.  He is the contact person for NATPA on this.  They will ship the device to you; approximate cost is $49.55, plus shipping.

You are allowed one event without this.....the second event you attend without it, no points or distance will be recorded.  These devices will mount on your tractor and record the highest reading your engine hits going down the track.

NATPA will have 2 boxes at all events for your tractor to plug in to (ex: when kill switch is being hooked up, this will be hooked up also)

The NATPA board of trustees met at the 2010 Summer Pull.
Points of interest from the meeting are:

The tractors that have been pulling in 3250 Div 3 and 3250 Div 4 will still be allowed to do so.  The only "new" model let in is the Oliver 66 (Super 66 are NOT allowed).  After the 2010-11 season the board will re-evaluate this class and see if any additions/corrections need to be made.

Div 4 and Div 5 tractors RPMS's will be monitored going down the track.  NATPA will purchase an RPM sensing devise ("recorder box") that will be attached to the sleds during the season.  This will record the highest RPM a tractor is running while pulling down the track.  Once the tractor makes it's pull, the number on the box display will be compared to the RPM sticker on the tractor to see if it exceeded the legal RPMS or not.  EACH Div 4/5 puller will be required to have a standard plug in for the box to hook up to.  The wiring harness is easy to install and approximately $60.  A "grace hook" (event) will be allowed for new pullers and those pullers will be checked the old fashioned way, with the hand held tachometer.  After one grace hook, no points or distances will be recorded until that tractor is compliant and has the hookup to read RPMS.  Each Div4/5 puller will know for sure that their competitor is running the correct RPMS.  Also, after making a hard pull, Div4/5 tractors will now NOT have to go thru the normal taching process and revving up their already warm engines.  We will have the contact info where to purchase these units for your Div4/5 tractors on the website ASAP.