Lawn Mower Racing Association

Many lawn mower operators like to take things nice and slow, especially around trees. But there are some people who consider trees obstacles to conquer during hot laps. They would be your neighbors and friends who enjoy the sport of lawn mower racing.

 

Bruce Kaufman is the founder and president of the United States Lawn Mower Racing Association. Also known as "Mr. Mow It All," he says he's asked all the time about what the best lawn mower is for racing. His answer – a free one.

 

"They find them in the junk pile, behind the garage, kind of rusting out, maybe hadn't cut grass for a few years," he says. "They take them and they lovingly soup them up to one-of-a-kind creations like Sodzilla, and Turfinator, and Hedge Hog. We see new ones, old ones, everything in-between. We see brand new John Deere's, Cub Cadets, you name it. We also see things like a 1958 Springfield."

 

Kaufman says there are ten different classes of racing for all levels of budget and ingenuity. No push mowers or blades are allowed. A lawn tractor can toodle along at 6-miles-per-hour, or really tear up the grass with a super-mod factory experimental that will mulch the competition going 60-to-70-miles-per-hour.  

 

"The races are usually on grass, dirt, or clay. You have about a-tenth of a mile track, about 200-foot straight-aways, either an oval, tri-oval, or sometimes a road course," says Kaufman. "You have ten-lap heat races, and you have 20-lap finals, and we time them just like NASCAR. And although it's kind of tongue-and-cheek and humorous, these racers take it very, very seriously. When that green flag goes down, it's mow time baby!"

 

Lawn mower races are held from coast-to-coast. Racers compete for points, trophies, and bragging rights. Kaufman says a sense of humor is not required, but strongly encouraged.