GREAT ‘MOWMENTS’ IN LAWN MOWER RACING HISTORY

  • 1963
  • 1973
  • April Fool’s Day, 1992
    • Formation of the U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association and first STA-BIL Nationals announced in New York Times, USA Today, Washington Times, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune.
    • “Racing Ray” Mrocks and of Lake Zurich, Illinois, becomes First USLMRA Member and competes on his mower Sodzilla
  • Memorial Day, 1992
    • The Dixie Chopper Jet, The World’s Fastest Lawn Mower, named as Official Pace Mower.
  • Labor Day Weekend, 1992
    • Inaugural STA-BIL Nationals held near Chicago
      • Covered on CNN Headline News; named one of the “Top Five Special Events” by Inside PR magazine
  • 1993
  • April Fool’s Day, 1993
    • Inaugural Grass Cutter’s Ball held to honor start of lawn mower racing season.
  • May, 1993
  • Labor Day Weekend, 1993
    • STA-BIL Nationals featured live on CBS This Morning and in AutoWeek magazine
  • November, 1994
    • Featured on Paul Harvey Radio Network on 1300+ ABC affiliates
  • 1995
    • STA-BIL Regionals series expands to 12 U.S. Cities
    • STA-BIL Nationals 30-minute Prime/Sportschannel TV show reaches 60 million households nationwide. Video News Release reaches 6.5 million viewers in 42 markets
  • Christmas Day, 1995
    • Featured on internationally-syndicated TV show Inside Edition
  • February, 1996
    • Named Top Entertainment/Media Event of 1995 by BrandWeek marketing magazine
  • September, 1996
    • Video News Release airs in 55 U.S. markets (including 28 segments airing in top 20 markets) plus overseas, garnering more than 10 million viewer impressions.
  • 1997
    • Mattel Hot Wheels releases “Home Improvement Action Pack” featuring Dixie Chopper Jet Powered Mower and STA-BIL Nationals logo on front and back of packaging.
    • Featured on TNN Friday Night Motor Madness, CNBC Great Stuff and named as one of three best sports quotes of 1997 by Newsweek magazine.
  • April Fool’s Day, 1997
    • Feature story on the front page of the Wall Street Journal (Marketplace). Stories also appear in New York Newsday and Newsweek.
  • 1998
    • Web site listed on Yahoo!; named “Worst of the Web” and “Best of the Web.”
    • Presented a night of lawn mower racing at legendary Charlotte Motor Speedway.
    • 4-Race Series airs on Nashville Network (TNN) Motor Madness.
    • Featured in Esquire magazine and Fox Network newscasts nationwide
    • Featured in Snapper newsletter
    • Featured on TV series “It’s A Trip” airing in 41 million U.S. homes via The Disney Channel.
    • Presented a night of lawn mower racing at Charlotte (Lowes) Motor Speedway
    • 4-Race Series airs on Nashville Network (TNN) Motor Madness, reaching 60 million homes
  • 1999
    • USLMRA membership tops 500 in 40 states, Canada, England, New Zealand and Australia
    • Snapper announces Snapper Safety Program and partnership with STA-BIL Series
    • Exhibition races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway
    • TNN broadcasts 6-week series of STA-BIL Lawn Mower Racing
  • August, 1999
    • STA-BIL Racers compete in the famous British Lawn Mower Racing Association 12-Hour Race
  • 2000
    • Featured on front page of the New York Times
    • Nine-week television Series airs on Speedvision network.
    • Article on Lawn Mower Racing and color photo appears on front page of New York Times.
    • Featured on Fox Sports Net South (8 million viewers)
    • STA-BIL National Lawn Mower Racing Series featured on CBS-TV Early Show with Bryant Gumbel
    • Sports Illustrated featured STA-BIL Lawn Mower racing on inside back page column.
  • July, 2000
    • Inaugural STA-BIL ‘Rider Cup Challenge’ with British Lawn Mower Racing Association.
  • 2001 – A Lawn Odyssey
    • STA-BIL Racing expands into Canada.
    • Speedvision airs 7-week Series.
  • 2002
    • Expansion of USLMRA Local Chapters across the country with 20 Local Chapters by summer, 2002.
    • Mowers turn 80+ mph at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    • STA-BIL Nationals expands to a 2-day event.
  • 2003
    • Discovery Channel airs 1-hour documentary Turf Rockets: The Cutting Edge.
    • STA-BIL Nationals televised on ESPN2.
  • 2004
    • Featured in Hollywood movie The Prince and Me from Paramount Pictures, with lawn mower racing as a key element of the screenplay.
    • Mowers race live in New York’s Rockefeller Plaza for NBC Weekend Today Show, March 20, First Day of Spring, 3.7 million viewers.
    • STA-BIL Nationals televised on ESPN2.
    • Featured in Hollywood movie The Prince and Me from Paramount Pictures.
  • 2005
  • 2006
    • Featured Opening Day of the 2006 New York International Auto Show.
    • Lawnmower Racing Mania 2007 video game for and PC released
    • Featured on USA Network’s “Characters Welcome” promotional campaign.
    • Two (2) original shows for Speed Channel’s “Lucas Oil on the Edge” airing Q1, Q3
    • USLMRA lawn mower racer Bobby Cleveland sets World Land Speed Record at Bonneville Salt Flats: 81.00 mph on July 4.
  • 2007
    • Featured on Speed and Outdoor Channel.
    • 15th Anniversary STA-BIL Nationals, Labor Day Weekend.
    • Two 30-minute shows air on Outdoor Channel “Motor Mania” Series.
    • Two (2) original shows for Speed Channel’s “Lucas Oil on the Edge”
    • Feature segment on CBS Sunday Morning, with Charles Osgood.
  • 2008
    • Inaugural Performance Mowersports Expo (PME).
    • Three 30-minute shows air on Outdoor Channel “Motor Mania” Series.
  • 2009
  • 2010
  • 2011
  • 2012