LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Battle By The Bay is back, and event coordinator Nick Simonds couldn’t be happier.

“We are ready for family-friendly events to start making their way back into our lives. We are excited to be a part of this for people.”  Simonds remains upbeat despite rainy weather causing some scheduling issues.

The truck and tractor pull was originally scheduled for this Saturday at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds. Wet weather has forced him to move the date to Sunday, May 30, 2021.

Simonds describes the event as a “Dirt-flying, rolling smoke-filled, high-horsepower, adrenaline-packed good time!”

While he sounds pretty excited about the events, Simonds is a recent convert to tractor pull fandom. He was introduced to the sport just a couple of years ago. “Lots of local pullers in our area would go to Virginia every weekend for pulls. Sometimes those events were 4 or 5 hours one-way. They approached me about putting one on in SOMD. These pullers said ‘We’ve got neighbors and friends and family who have never seen us because the drive is so far.’  They wanted that hometown pull.”

Simonds said he knew very little about those events until he attended one and was immediately sold on the idea. He held the first Battle by the Bay in 2019 and immediately began to plan the next event.

COVID Canceled Last Year’s Battle

Unfortunately, COVID canceled those plans. Simonds says he didn’t give up the event. “We really never stopped planning even when we had to change it.  We didn’t put it down. We just temporarily paused while we modified the plans, so when the time was right, we were ready to rock-and-roll.”

He says he began working with the St. Mary’s County Health Department to plan for a scaled-down event that met all CDC COVID-19 safety guidelines. “Then, two weeks ago, that was all lifted and we had to redo a few things. But that’s a good problem. I couldn’t be more excited. Just to have the event whether it was on a smaller scale or the scale that we can have it now.”

Overwhelming Support


Simonds says he’s been blown away by the support from local businesses and the community for the event. “It’s much more than I could have ever imagined.”

The Battle by the Bay features four main categories:

  • 7,800 Light Pro Stock
  • Wheel Standing Mega Trucks
  • 6200 National 4×4
  • 10,500 Hot Farm Tractors

Fairground gates open at 12 p.m., and the fun begins at 2 p.m. this Sunday. Tickets MUST be purchased the day of the event at the gate. Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for children 5 and up. Children under 5 are free.

There’s also the option to live stream the event for $20. Simonds says, “It’s a great option for those who can’t make it out or don’t feel comfortable. You can watch from anywhere in the world.”

Simonds is thrilled to host the first summer event at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds since 2019 and can’t wait to see the crowds. “We’re giddy to have them there. We’re excited for them to get excited. We couldn’t be more excited to have crowds of people come to enjoy this. That’s really what this event is about. We can’t just can’t wait.”

Click here to learn more about the events: https://baytractorpull.com/