Photo by ESPN

ESPN sent Kristy Barry out to Macon, GA on March 20th and 21st to cover the 3rd Annual Lawn Mower Grand Prix – A USLMRA STA-BIL Racing Series Event presented by Cox Communications.

Yes, there’s a national association, often times broken bones, and even a hall of fame — for a series of races spanning from Minnesota to Delaware and Florida.

What started as a promotion for STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer 18 years ago has turned an old chore into a relatively new sport.

As many as 16 racers at a time compete in several classes based on engine size, RPMs and horsepower. To determine pole position for the final class races, riders go 10 laps around a tenth-of-a-mile course, and 20 laps for the final race.

Here in Macon, the 10-weekend racing season kicks off with 45 racers, around 400 spectators, and plenty of Anti-Monkey Butt on hand.

Special thanks to Pat “Rocket Man” Sullivan and his son Pete, who’s weekend was chronicled by Barry.

The 68-year-old Rocket Man blazes at speeds of 23 mph and aims to clobber his son, Pete, who beat him at nationals last year.

“He’s not going to give me the good engine now,” Pete says, standing at 6 foot 3 and looking like a big kid in a kindergarten chair when he sits in his mower.

Pete said at first he thought his dad was crazy for racing mowers. Now, even his brother-in-law Mike Paccione races mowers, has won two championships and roped his wife into racing.

The family is tough and resilient, or as they say here, “mowtivated.”

At the races this weekend, Paccione flipped his mower, dusted off the dirt and kept racing. Pete crashed his mower, broke his collarbone, landed in the hospital and returned the next day.

To read the entire article, head on over to ESPN’s Page 2.

Even though it was cold and windy the races went on and everyone had a good time. Here are the results for Saturday’s race:

JP HEAT

1. Aaron Laurents OOA

IMOW HEAT

1. Ronnie Henry 113
2. Bryan Reddin 444
3. Scotty Laurents OOS

SP HEAT

1. Bryan Reddin 444
2. Stacy Benoit 41B
3. Ronnie Henry 113
4. Mel Pennartz 44L (DNF)

JP MAIN

1. Aaron Laurents OOA

IMOW MAIN

1. Bryan Reddin 444
2. Ronnie Henry 113
3. Scotty Laurents OOS

SP MAIN

1. Stacy Benoit 41B
2. Bryan Reddin 444
3. Ronnie Henry 113
4. Mel Pennartz 44L (DNF)

Sunday March 21 found us back at the track still battling the cold and wind and still having fun. The race results are as follows:

IMOW HEAT

1. Bryan Reddin 444
2. Ronnie Henry 113 (DNF)

SP HEAT

1. Mel Pennartz 44L
2. Ronnie Henry 113
3. Bryan Reddin 444
4. Stacy Benoit 41B

IMOW MAIN

1. Bryan Reddin 444
2. Ronnie Henry 113 (DNF)

SP MAIN

1. Mel Pennartz 44L
2. Stacy Benoit 41B
3. Ronnie Henry 113
4. Bryan Reddin 444 (DNF)

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone who came out to race.

Ronnie Henry #113
CMRA President

WALB TV’s website has a recap of their recent coverage of the South Georgia LMRA. See “Lawn mower racing a cut above to some motocross enthusiasts” at WALB-TV.com!

From the article:

If you’ve got a lawn mower and a need for speed, rev your engines.

The South Georgia Lawn Mower Racing League will be back on the track next Saturday in Thomasville. The group is nearing the end of the its Nascar-like points season.

These mowers are fast. And there are lots of interested drivers in our area.

That’s why lawn mower racing is South Georgia’s fastest growing motor cross thrill.

This isn’t your ordinary backyard mower. These modified grass cutters are for a special breed of thrill seekers.

The Northbrook, Illinois-based U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA) will mark its’ April Fool’s Day birthday by passing from adolescence to adulthood as the sport that was born on April 1, 1992 comes of age.

“We’re turning 18, and as lawn mower racing comes of age, we need to get more serious about our sport,” said Bruce Kaufman, “Mr. Mow It All” USLMRA Founder & President. “As America’s oldest and largest national lawn mower racing sanctioning body, we used to say ‘anything mows,’ but we’re adults now. We’re still on the ‘cutting edge’ but now we’re all about maturity.”

Mr. Mow It All would neither confirm nor deny that to mark the USLMRA’s 18th birthday, Sodzilla, Turfinator, Weedy Gonzales and Sir Lawnsalot would come out of retirement for the 2010 STA-BIL National Lawn Mower Racing Series, but he did announce that the 2010 inductees into the National Lawn Mower Racing Hall of Fame & Museum of America will be announced on the 4th of July.

The U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association sanctions and presents organized lawn mower racing across America including the 18-race STA-BIL National Lawn Mower Racing Series and a network of 45 Local Chapters and Affiliated Clubs hosting more than 140 sanctioned races nationwide.

Races feature riding lawn mowers with cutting blades removed at speeds up to 60 mph. Lawn mowers race in four road course classes with all cutting blades removed: Juniors (15 mph), IMOW (20 mph), Prepared (50 mph) and Factory Experimental (60 mph).

USLMRA sponsors include STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer, HEET GasLine Antifreeze, Diesel Power!,104+ Octane Boost, No Leak, Alumaseal, Start Your Engines!, and K&N Filters.

The USLMRA also marked April Fool’s Day by announcing its’ 2010 STA-BIL National Lawn Mower Racing Series schedule. Be sure to check back for updated times and details!

The USLMRA STA-BIL National Lawn Mower Racing Series returns to the Avon Park Mowerplex, home of the Florida Lawn Racing Association (FLA) for two days of US Points Racing.

For all the details, please see the
STA-BIL National Lawn Mower Racing Series Calendar.