North Carolina Lawnmower Racing
Since the summer of 2005, 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, oval track racing on the dirt reminds many 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.
Australian Lawn Mower Racing
Australia's first mower race was dreamt up in a small, country pub in Harrietville, Victoria in 1987. The story goes like this.... Five blokes spontaneously challenged each other to a race around the local hills of the area. They chugged up the steep slopes belching smoke from their unmodified Briggs and Strattons, rounded a nominated gum tree, then flew down in "Angel Gear" (neutral), to the finish line. For the record, a rogue called "Roger" won on his rover. "Half the town's 100 people and 150 dogs were there,“ says the 6 time president Brian "Muddy" Ross.
A.R.O.L.M.R.A INC. (Australian Ride-On Lawn Mower Racing Association) has become, over the years, 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 8 and 10 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.
You can see their official website at www.arolmra.tk. Or see the world famous Mowtec Racing Team website at www.mowerracing.piczo.com.