LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Next week the National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) celebrates its 50th anniversary – and Freedom Hall will be filled with pullers and fans as the Championship Tractor Pull makes its 47th run.

The show began in 1963 as an electricity demonstration and exhibit. In 1969 the venue expanded and was renamed the National Farm Machinery Show. That same year Championship Tractor Pulls began.

The invitation-only event offers what the NFMS deems "the nation’s best drivers and their ground-pounding machines." Drivers compete in Pro Stocks, Super Stocks, Modified and Alcohol tractor classes, as well as two- and four-wheel-drive truck classes.

Pulls are held for four evening performances with an additional pull on Saturday afternoon. While it’s exciting to win a portion of the $200,000-plus prize money, it is the glory of this awe-inspiring event that makes drivers work hard to receive an invitation to this pull they consider the "granddaddy" of them all.

Joe Eder, a puller from North Collins, N.Y., has been part of the hobby for 46 years. "Louisville is a very prestigious pull and we always enjoy it," he said. "Winning multiple years is special because it is a great show and we always look forward to it."

Eder Motorsports will have its four-engine alcohol modified tractor at this year’s pull. The modified tractor is equipped with four – count ‘em – supercharged engines that run 2,850 horses apiece, "which makes them close to 12,0000-horsepower," he said.

Eder, who has been doing this full-time for the past 20 years, added he has "drove them all over the country and the world." Growing up around farming and racing, this championship driver now builds tractor for others as well as for himself.

Another longtime puller in the Super Stock class, Esdon Lehn of Dayton, Minn., started pulling in 1977 after getting his start at local fairs. "We wanted a more organized pulling," Lehn said. "We looked for a tractor that was already running and pulling at the bigger events. We found one that a guy would sell."

These days Lehn’s crew runs an International 1486 named Red Line Fever that came about when the movie "White Line Fever" was out in the late 1970s. When Lehn had his tractor pinstriped, the painter asked what name he should use, and Lehn went with the movie theme.

"Only, instead of White Line, we used Red Line to represent the red zone, which is the danger zone for pullers. Something could break when it gets into the red zone," Lehn explained. "We are supposed to keep under that zone.

"Red at first thinking was for International, but then we incorporated the Fever to go for the red line. Some days you have to do what you have to do to win."

The Red Line Fever is the same International 1486 they have been updating since 1981. "We just kept updating the chassis and made the hood a little longer and wider to make everything fit for four turbo chargers. That makes it look more like a pulling tractor."

To make these updates simpler they use aluminum rather than steel because it bends easier.

Lehn started going to the NFMS decades ago. "Back in the 1980s and 1990s when we were trying to win, I thought, ‘Boy this is tough here,’ then we won. The last 10 years we have had a good run."

He has won 12 national titles. "I am second-to-most wins of anyone out there. They keep saying I need to retire. When we started to pull tractors I never dreamed we would still be doing it; I would like to go for 40 more years," he said.

When not on the road Lehn and his brother farm and build parts for other pullers.

Lance Little of Tuscola, Ill., has been pulling Pro Stock tractors for the past 27 years. "My brother Chris got me started. I went with him when I was a little kid. He got me hooked on the sport," said Little.

He drives a John Deere 5020 Pro Stock named after the John Wayne film "True Grit" "My brother’s tractor is the War Wagon; it goes along with True Grit. Chris retired from pulling in 1994," Little said.

Chris is still involved in the family business, Tantrum Enterprises. "He does the engine building and helps us drive," Little said. "We build pulling tractors. We started that in about 1992.

"The Championship Tractor Pull – it is the granddaddy of them all," Little said. "You work all summer to try to get invited. We are all farmers in some way or another and want to go to the show. You pull all summer to get a good enough application to get invited to Louisville, the Grammy Award of tractor pulls."

Louisville has special memories for him, but 2011 outshines them all: "Mike Walden, a boy I grew up with, my brother’s brother-in-law, always went with us when we were younger. He passed away in 2011 and everything was dedicated to his memory. We won everything that year.

"One gentleman came through, but we took first, third and fourth (places). The stars lined up, the Good Lord was with us; it was like (Mike) was riding with us, everything just clicked."

Larry Phillips of Vine Grove, Ky., drives lightweight Super Stock Alcohol tractors. "Jerry Sipes and David Bewley are neighbors that got me into pulling. I went with them when I was a kid and was a helper," Phillips said. "Jerry let me drive one day in Tompkinsville, Kentucky. Jerry and I bought one together then I carried on with the tractor."

The Championship Tractor Pull takes place Feb. 11-14. Log onto www.ticketmaster.com/National- Farm-Machinery-Show-Championship-Tractor-tickets/ artist/854364 for ticket information.