Meet The Mid Atlantic Pulling Association

Of the course of the year, we go to a variety of events all across the country. All throughout the summer, one association kept coming up in conversation and a “new up and comer”. So, we thought we would reach out and see if we could get some information about the Mid Atlantic Pulling Association (MAPA), how they started and what the future holds for them.

We sat down with Michael Harvey, President of the Mid Atlantic Pulling Association and got the inside scoop.

DA: Tell us how the Mid Atlantic Pulling Association got started?

Harvey: As you know truck pulling is a growing sport. We began in 2011 so that we could continue the growth of the sport with the goal of having family friendly events for all ages. The last deciding factor was that several tracks had approached pullers saying that they were not going to continue putting on pulls unless they could get some help and rule structure. So, we started the Mid Atlantic Pulling Association to do just that.

DA: How is the Mid Atlantic Pulling Association currently structured?

Harvey: We started with five board members and quickly expanded to six.  Currently, those members are myself, Keith Crouse, Jessica Harvey, Larry Waldridge, Martin Magaw and Candise Magaw. We are currently continuing to expand our number of board members as the opportunity arises. Our member base ranges from 25-50 members which includes members with no trucks, members with trucks or members with mini-tractors. Our organization has worked out well because of the die-hard passion each of us has for the sport. We all currently or have in the past pulled trucks and attend as many pulls as possible within a three to four house travel range.

DA: How many races are in your typical season?

Harvey: The numbers of events we put on her year are about 10 to 12, give or take a few based on rain outs. Once a year with help from Crouse Sled Rental we even hold an additional benefit pull (non-points baring) in which all proceeds are donated to a foundation chosen by us. Last year we donated to the Sandy Hook Foundation and this year proceeds went to St. Jude’s Medical Research Hospital.

DA: What does the future hold?

Harvey: In the future we would like to see MAPA continue to grow. Our goals include gaining more members and increasing the interest to the next generation. We are dedicated to the pullers and putting on the best show possible. We would like to be able to provide more payouts and events to our dedicated pullers and future pullers. We are working with some great sponsors and track promoters to try and help the sport continue to grow while providing quality entertainment for fans and competitors alike.