The Newark Star Ledger published this piece last Saturday, just as the STA-BIL Bowles Farms Turf Battle in Maryland was getting underway.

The rolling front lawn of Mike Paccione’s home in Branchburg is dry, straw-colored and not so much trimmed as flattened. It is not the lawn you’d associate with a man who owns and lovingly maintains three riding lawn mowers, two detailed in a gleaming cherry red. But then again, none of them is actually equipped with blades.

Paccione, 43, is an underwriting manager for Chubb & Son, but in lawn mower racing circles, he’s known as Mow Power, whose fierce maneuvering and grace under pressure have vaulted him to the top of the national circuit in three short years. Between racing, working, taking care of his three children and working out, who has time to cut the grass? A mite sheepishly, he admits, “I actually have a service.”

This weekend Paccione and his family headed down to southern Maryland for the STA-BIL Bowles Farms Turf Battle, a major race in the national championship series, which will culminate Labor Day weekend in central Ohio with the STA-BIL Keeps Gas Fresh Finals & Challenge of Champions.

Read the rest of the story here, and check back soon for official results from last weekends races!

About the Author of this Post

As Founder & President of the USLMRA, Bruce Kaufman is on the “cutting edge” of American motorsports. Known on and off the track as Mr. MowItAll, you can reach Bruce at Bruce@letsmow.com or follow him on Twitter!

Related posts from The Cutting Edge Blog:

1. Maryland’s 2011 STA-BIL Bowles Farms Turf Battle Recap from Mr. MowItAll
2. “Push Pause” – Video From the STA-BIL Bowles Farms Turf Battle
3. Lawn Mower Racing with the USLMRA and Paccione Family on WPIX News
4. The Marion Star Covers Chuck Miller’s Entrance in to the National Lawn Mower Racing Hall of Fame
5. Truly MOWtivating Piece on Rocketman Racing by Tina Paccione