Lawnmower racing is a form of motorsport in which competitors race modified lawnmowers, usually of the ride-on or self-propelled variety. The original mower engines are retained, but blades are removed for safety. The sport attracts all ages, and is usually entered into in a spirit of fun rather than extreme competitiveness, though many participants do take it seriously.
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The sport was independently invented in 1973 in The Cricketers Arms pub in Wisborough Green – not far from the town of Horsham) in West Sussex, England, UK – by a group of young men bemoaning the prohibitive costs of getting involved in any kind of motorsport. They formed the British Lawn Mower Racing Association[1] and shortly afterwards, the North West Lawn Mower Racing Association was formed [2]
The sport was taken to the United States by the makers of a petrol stabiliser called Sta-bil, who had visited the UK and witnessed a race meeting. It has since grown to have multiple national organizations, including the U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association and the American Racing Mower Association.
Lawnmower racing should not be confused with go-karting, wherein lawn mower engines have often been used, especially amongst the amateur participants in go-karting. Lawn mower racing is based firmly around the use of both engines and chassis from regular model mowers. Also, where go-karts are exclusively raced on paved surface, lawn mowers can be raced off-road.
Since the summer of 1984, the North Wilkesboro Rotary Club has played host to lawnmower racing at its Wilkes County Agricultural Fairground facility. Sanctioned by the Allegheny Mower Racing Association,[3] oval track racing on the dirt is reminiscent of the beginnings of stock car racing at the North Wilkesboro Speedway and the birth of NASCAR. Crowds have grown from a few hundred to gatherings of thousands on several Saturday nights from June through September. The Wilkes County fairground site is said by many participants to be the premier facility within the AMRA circuit.
Proceeds from the club's lawnmower racing events are distributed throughout the year to the many activities supported by the North Wilkesboro Rotary Club. The club contributes to most local United Way agencies, provides annual scholarships to local high school students, holds a Christmas Party for the county's foster children, while also supporting worldwide relief efforts of Rotary International.
Australia's first mower race was dreamt up in a small, country pub in Harrietville, Victoria in 1978. Five men challenged each other to a race around the local hills of the area after an alcohol-related argument. They chugged up the steep slopes belching smoke from their unmodified Briggs and Strattons (popular lawnmower brands), rounded a nominated gum tree, then flew down in "Angel Gear" – Australian outback slang for neutral – to the finish line. "Half the town's 100 people, 300 sheep and 150 dogs were there," according to Brian Ross, six-time president of the Australian Ride-On Lawn Mower Racing Association (AROLMRA),[4] the biggest lawn mower racing club in Australia. AROLMRA has over 100 members and a large following in Victoria, and all over Australia. It holds between eight and ten races a year. The majority of races are held to raise money for the local Country Fire Authority, which is a volunteer fire service.
There are also lawn mower racing clubs in the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Nowra. The first ever national race between all the clubs was held in Dubbo NSW on May 16, 2009.