Mower Racin

Lawn mower racing.......  When I first heard of this I thought of old men in shorts, with black socks and sandals riding around in their yards, seeing who could get their grass cut the fastest.  All if have to say is,.......  boy was I wrong.  Now let's just imagine for a second.....  Your driving down the high way at 65 miles an hour...  Hang your head out the window, close your eyes and turn loose of the wheel.  That should get enough adrenaline pumping to give you an idea of what it is like to race in the United States Lawnmower Racing Association.  Overall this was one of the most amazing things I have seen in my life.  Mowers flying around the track at break neck speeds and the crowd cheering on their favorite drivers.

We made the trip up to Ooltewah Tn and hung out with Rodney Peeler, Barry Goodner, and the rest of the members of the East Tennessee Lawn Mower Racing Association for a test and tune on March 31st.  About 5 minutes into it I was hooked.  Sitting there watching these modern day gladiators, I started picturing the mowers I had at the house and trying to figure out a way to fix'em up to try and compete with these guys.  But I soon realized that I had a lot to learn before I could just jump right in.  After standing a listening to the drivers talk, it was like standing in the pit listening at a NASCAR event.  Pulley's, motors, suspension, I could hardly keep up.  But as the day went on, I got a better understanding of what it takes to attempt to hang with these guys.  So for now, I'm going to start in the stock class.  Speaking of classes there are quite a few in the USLMRA.  So here's a breakdown of the current classes.

KIDS- STOCK
Ages 8-12 Must have blades removed, kill switch, and motor at 3650 max rpm

SUPER STOCK
Ages 12-16 Must have blades removed, kill switch, single cylinder L head 15 hp and under, 3650 max rpm

IMOW CLASS
Ages 16-Up Same rules as SuperStock but different age class

AP CLASS
Ages 16-Up Blades removed, kill switch, 8 hp and under L head

CP CLASS
Ages 16-Up Blades removed, kill switch, OHV single cylinder, Twin cylinder L head, 20 hp and under

SP CLASS
Ages 16-Up Blades removed, kill switch, 8-15 hp L head

BP CLASS
Ages 16-Up, Blades removed, kill switch, Twin cylinder OHV 20 hp and under

FX CLASS
Ages 16-Up Blades removed, kill switch, Single cylinder max 465 cc

The above is a brief overview of some of the rules and regulations.  For a complete listing, go to the ETLMRA website.   They have a bunch of info on upcoming races, results, membership, and photo's.  They are a great bunch of guys so don't be afraid to ask questions if you need to know something.

So, drag out your mower, and head on up to East Tennessee to compete in the fastest growing event in motor sports.  I can guarantee that you will enjoy it.

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PICTURES
March 31st Test and Tune & June 23 Race

Racin Pictures	Drivers
Mowers	Crowd

RednekTv Staff Race