Wearing torn overalls, covered in grease and smelling like diesel — not the typical description of a student realizing what they learn in class.

But for 25 agricultural engineering students — work outside of class means building a tractor.

A team of students participated in a tractor-building contest in June and the tractor they built is on display at the 2006 North Carolina State Fair.

The American Association of Agricultural and Biological Engineering provided the motivation for the tractor build as it sponsored the event.

In June of 2006, the N.C. State Pack Pullers traveled to Moline, Illinois to an official John Deere test track — submitting their tractor to compete against tractors from 28 other schools from around the country.

Judging criteria included team presentation, a written report, tractor design, technical inspection, maneuverability and pull performance.

This year the tractor took 12th place in the overall competition, and the event organizers gave it high recognition in the design category for its camouflage coloring.

According to John Long, a graduate student in agricultural engineering, the recognition is a big step up from where they started in 2004.

“At the competition in 2004, we used a design we had from 1999. When we went to compete, we found out that the competition had changed,” he said. “The [other] schools had stepped it up. The tractors competing used computer-controlled transmissions and data acquisition systems had been added. We underestimated the competition, so that year we finished 24th.”

Since then, the Pack Pullers have come a long way. According to team members, they have seen an increase in both interest and performance.

The team has also grown, and more students return to compete year after year.

“It’s a challenge each year because the rules change,” Long said. “So we have to come up with something new. You basically have all the parts and some rules and you say, ‘Well, how can we put this together?'”

He emphasized the work the team put into the tractor.

“There are a lot of late nights spent in the BAE shop and sitting in front of computers, and a lot of camaraderie built within the team,” he said.

Team members expressed an appreciation for the real-life experience the tractor building lends to what they learn in the classroom — and more and more students are joining the team.

For the 2007 competition, 25 students signed up to join the Pack Puller team.

“Some friends and guys from the department spiked my interest,” Wes Hicks, a junior in agricultural engineering, said. “It sounded like a lot of fun … good experience of what we might be doing when we get out of school.”

Community members said they are impressed with student cooperation and with the tractor itself, which is now showing at the State Fair in the Antique Farm Machinery building

“I was raised on a farm, so I have a lot of sympathy for these guys,” Mike Franklin, a guest lecturer at N. C. State and a member of the Board of Biological and Cultural Engineering, said. “They are excited for next year because they did well. Success is great encouragement.”