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.
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