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Lisa Tatum has been setting the pace for women tractor pull drivers 
 
By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Championship Tractor Pull is a tale as old as time (or at least as old as 1969) and it’s still being touted as the country’s most competitive indoor tractor pull. The 2025 rendition of the invitation-only event brings together nearly 200 drivers from across the country looking to take home fame and a share of more than $300,000 in prizes.
Throughout five performances running Feb. 12-15, Kentucky Venues expects more than 70,000 fans (with earplugs) to pack into the iconic Freedom Hall at the Kentucky Exposition Center. They’ll watch as drivers go full throttle, hoping to reach the end of the track and get a “full pull.”
While the rip-roaring pulls excite the spectators, the stories behind those in the driver seats make the Championship Tractor Pull all the more special. One of those drivers, Lisa Tatum of Bardstown, Ky., said this particular pull will be sentimental for her.
 “I was the first female driver to win the Saturday night finals in 2003 when I was just 20 years old,” Tatum said. “I’ve competed a few times since then, but knowing I’ll be back in Freedom Hall this month still feels just as exciting and nerve-wracking as it did the very first time.
 “My dad and brothers introduced me to pulling when I was 16, and it’s been a real family tradition for us. People think it’s just hooking a truck to a sled, but there’s so much more involved ii timing, fuel, weight distribution, and a whole lot of intuition. I’m proud to be carrying on our family’s passion and can’t wait to give it my all at this year’s Championship Tractor Pull.”
 Tatum has experienced many successes since she began her driving career in 1997. She was the first two- wheel drive points champion as well as the first female in the Professional Pulling League in its inaugural season. She was also the first female to win the finals at the National Farm Machinery Show. She also won the Jeff McPherson Memorial pull the year after he passed. He was a puller from Ohio and one of Lisa’s favorite trophies is from that event.
Tatum believes that the best part of truck and tractor pulling is equally the competition and the people. She loves the thrill of tractor pulling but also contributes the love of pulling to many of the people she has met through competing.
 “I love the thrill of pulling,” she says. “I live for that 300-plus foot ride. It’s in my blood, my heart and my soul. I crave another trip down the track as soon as I finish the last ride. But, I don’t think the time and miles away from home would be worth it if I didn’t have people I truly loved out on the circuit. And yes, I still get nervous. I’ll quit when I stop being nervous. I still shake in my boots and that’s part of it.”
When she began pulling  she was often the only woman participating in the event. She encountered her share of individuals who doubted her abilities but she proved that she belonged in the driver’s seat, all thanks to her family’s support. Tatum said it was quite intimidating to be the only woman, but she used this to her advantage and received a great deal of support due to her gender.
 “There’s nothing like having every female in the crowd hinging their hopes on me doing well,” she said. “I’m sure I gained more attention, more articles in newspapers, more interview and TV time that I deserved thanks to being female, but I’m always grateful and try to do whatever I can to present the sport in a positive light.”
 Tatum lives 30 miles from the Louisville in the city of Bardstown. She was not raised on a farm and was never involved with 4-H or FFA, though her father was raised on a tobacco and dairy cow farm.
 “My parents ran an auto parts store and I tell people I was raised in the back of that auto parts store,” she laughs. “I’ve always been surrounded by successful farmers through my hobby of truck and tractor pulling. The ag bug bit me in 2020 through growing sweet corn and learning very quickly the quality of crop relies heavily on the quality of the soil. This led to continuing my education through agronomy classes at Purdue University, managing the grain at a local, prominent distillery, and eventually as a coordinator for a soil sampling company.”
 And just last year Tatum founded and is president of Farm Assist Ag Solutions, a custom soil sampling business. 
 “I now go out in the field, collect soil samples and write prescriptions, much like a doctor would do,” she said. “This new job has taken me across the country. I’ve recently been to Texas, Colorado, Montana and Virginia. I feel so blessed.”
Tatum took agronomy classes at Purdue University and eventually graduated from Northern Kentucky University. She plans on finishing up the crop advisor online certificate program that Purdue offers.
 “I learned through my experience what I’d like to see done differently to keep the grower at the forefront, and that’s just what I plan to do now through my business. I want to provide quality, comprehensive sampling to farmers. I truly believe soil sampling is one of the most important steps you can take for lowering input costs and raising yield.”
While soil sampling takes center stage, Tatum plans on making the truck pulling circuits.
“I guess I expect to just keep doing what I’m doing as long as I’m able,” she said. “If I can keep the team owners happy and keep my seat, I’ll happily fill it.”
 The Championship Tractor Pull takes place daily at 7 p.m. Feb. 12-15. There is an extra performance on Saturday at noon. Tickets start at $9. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.champpull.org. Parking is $15 per vehicle at the gate or $12 online (one-time entry).

2/3/2025