The "Real" Giant Pumpkin

I thought from some books and articles I've read I had an idea about growing giant pumpkins. I was wrong. You would be correct in saying there is not much published information about the sport, either in books or peer reviewed type articles but there is a lot of shared knowledge between growers. I learned growers track genetic heritage meticulously, go to great lengths to avoid soil compaction, add multiple truckloads of organic matter for each plot, and micromanage almost every conceivable aspect of the growth and development of the plant. Wow. I'm just happy to have something around 100 lbs. The monsters these folks are growing just go too far past the line of fun/hobby into the realm of work. I learned it's common to water 3 times daily with sprinklers under the leaf canopy to control soil moisture and reduce plant stress. Setting up sun shades to reduce the intensity of light hitting the plant is also common in our latitude. From what I've learned, I won't be attempting to grow a world record any time soon. I've got enough to worry about with my job that pays let alone a job that I have to pay to do!