Floyd Fun Days feature truck and tractor pull

By Kelly Terpstra, kterpstra@charlescitypress.com

Lookin’ for some good times this weekend?

Let the black smoke and roar of powerful engines lead you in the right direction.

After a brief hiatus, Floyd Fun Days will be back up and running this Saturday.

Just a stone’s throw away from Charles City, the re-energized local event will feature a variety of things to do and see. One of the highlights this year will be a truck and tractor pull, the first time ever such an event will have taken place at the Floyd event.

Organizer Dave Sargent, along with his family, came up with the idea to add a little something different to the Floyd Fun Days, which had been put on hold for about four years.  

“Floyd Fun Days used to be a big event in this town,” said Sargent. “We decided to try the sled pull thing and put a Floyd Fun Days together all in the same day. Hopefully it can be a great event for the community.”

Sargent’s mother, Terri, is also helping organize the rest of the activities planned for Saturday, which will include a parade at 10 a.m. and plenty of free games for the kids to play. Vendors will also be located in the Floyd Community Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

As far as high-octane horsepower is concerned, that starts at 1 p.m. with the truck/tractor pull, which is free of charge to watch. All spectators have to do is pull up their lawn chairs on the T-ball diamond in town to witness the dual-sled action.

Terri said it was a challenge getting the truck/tractor pull up and moving in the right direction, as they had to wait six to eight weeks for the insurance to get approved.

The real task will be to get the track ready, something Dave plans on doing the night before the big show. He thought about using clay but was afraid it wouldn’t dry in time in order to be track ready. Dave has sprayed the sod just south of the ball diamond and will then bring in a maintainer the day before the show to roll it back to expose the black dirt he’ll work with to make a track. The track will feature two lanes for trucks, tractors or semis to pull sleds.

There are 17 different race categories, according to Terri. One of the divisions is “Gals Gone Wild,” she said.

The Sargents interest in truck/tractor pulling started on a family vacation to Tomah, Wisconsin, the site of the the Super National Truck and Tractor Pull.

Dave will compete in Saturday’s pull and has also competed in McIntire. Saturday will not be an NTPA (National Tractor Pullers Association) sanctioned event.

“They’ll be some good modified stuff here — some stuff blowin some black smoke,” said Dave, who has worked for the city of Floyd for four years.

Dave said the noise isn’t extreme, but “some of the gas pickups will be screaming pretty loud.”

Announcers for the pull will be on the south side of the track under a tent. There will also be two gooseneck trailers set up around that area.

Competitors will register the day of the pull and it’s $20 for a hook fee.