This ‘Message from the President’ appears in the 2011 Cutting Edge Yearbook, which we just posted. You can reach Bruce Kaufman, Mr. MowItAll via our Contact page, or on Twitter at @MrMowItAll.
The sport of Lawnmower Racing continues to experience rapid growth, and the U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association continues to take the lead and set the pace for its’ expansion.
2010 was a transformative year for the USLMRA with:
- The creation of a U.S. Open Racing Program.
- Re-branding of our STA-BIL National Lawn Mower Racing Series to become the STA-BIL Lawn & Garden Mower Racing Series.
- Additions of new Local Chapters and Affiliated Clubs across America.
- Rapid expansion into Social Media Marketing across our National, Local Chapter and Affiliated Club networks.
- Continuing our National Lawn Mower Racing Hall of Fame and Museum and Performance Mowersports Expo.
- Televising the STA-BIL Keeps Gas Fresh Finals via a 3-Race Series on Fox Sports Net’s “Race Freaks.”
The creation of the U.S. Open concept has opened USLMRA racing to various sanctioning bodies, racing organizations and local groups across the country, and even into Ontario with our friends at the Western Ontario Outlaws. In 2011, the U.S. Open program expands to three events, with plans for a full-blown U.S. Open Points Series on tap for 2012. By opening up our rules, we’ve made many new friends and attracted many new racers throughout the sport of lawnmower racing. “If it’s safe, it will race” is a key theme of our U.S. Open program.
The re-branding of our STA-BIL Series has established a foundation to attract new sponsors and partners from the $22 Billion lawn & garden industry. Using a Best Practices sponsorship model has resulted in partnerships with EZ Lift Rider Ramps and Hand-E Hauler from Blitz USA along with GnomeFrenzy.com. The STA-BIL Lawn & Garden Mower Racing Series will continue to offer excellent ROI via our television, event marketing, media and promotional opportunities.
The addition of many new Local Chapters and Clubs has proven that providing a flexible, adaptable and “Open” concept allows local racing organizations to customize the USLMRA program to suit their own needs.
Some key components of our Affiliated Club Program include:
- No Cost to join USLMRA.
- Racers do not have to pay national USLMRA dues.
- Full Insurance Benefits.
- No minimum number of racers to become a Club.
- Flexible rules.
- Various sanctioning bodies and independent groups welcome.
- No Club fees paid to USLMRA.
- No changes to your existing build rules (as long as safety requirements are met).
- You can customize build rules, “mix and match” if you wish.
- You can create new race classes to suit your local racers’ needs.
- You can run your own classes.
- No Lemans starts required.
- Rolling starts are OK.
- Extensive Tech, Operations, Personnel and Promotional support from USLMRA
Affiliated Clubs are designed for:
- Groups of racers wishing to race locally on a home track, and not travel.
- Racetracks wishing to host sanctioned USLMRA events.
- Venues seeking weekly or monthly races.
- Groups or wanting insurance
- Groups wishing to get into lawn mower racing ON AN AFFORDABLE BASIS
The word of Social Media is changing the very fabric of our society, and of course our lawn mower racing community. In addition to the USLMRA Facebook Page, Cutting Edge Blog, YouTube Channel and Twitter Feed, our Local Chapters and Affiliated Clubs are using Facebook to communicate, market and promote their respective organizations. Under the direction of Andrew Stone and Loud Whisper Media, we have created a solid Social Media presence that provides benefits across the various levels of USLMRA.
The USLMRA National Lawn Mower Racing Hall of Fame & Museum continued to gain Mowmentum in 2010. This showcase for some of our favorite “Legends of the Lawn” serves as a place of honor for our sport, and pays homage to those who have helped make lawnmower racing what it is today.
Our USLMRA Performance Mowersports Expo (PME) also continued to showcase companies, products and services that support our sport. We thank the vendors and suppliers who provide service to our racing community and are happy to in turn help promote their businesses via free participation at the PME.
In 2010 we televised three shows on Fox Sports Net’s “Race Freaks” series that created solid visibility for our sport and delivered string ROI for our sponsors. With excellent production values from Newave Productions, great racing action, professionalism of our racers and an overarching spirit of serious – yet fun – competition, our Fox Sports Net telecasts continue to legitimize our sport. Being on TV with strong production values creates legitimacy and allows lawnmower racing to be the envy of many other types of motorsports and sports properties.
As we mow along in our 19th season, here are some key elements of our 2011 Racing Program:
- Open Classes added at various STA-BIL Series Races.
- Free membership for 1st time STA-BL Series Racers at several STA-BIL Series and Open Events.
- Rolling Starts at several STA-BIL Series and Open Events.
2012 IS THE 2OTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE USLMRA! We’re already looking ahead to this milestone year and:
- 20th Anniversary special events.
- First Annual Sam Rogers U.S. All American Open (Nov. 4-6, 2011)
- Expansion of the U.S. Open Racing Series
I congratulate our 2010 Driver of the Year Richard Webb, who was voted in for the second consecutive year; Most Improved Driver “Wild” Bill Campbell; Adult Rookie of the Year Nathan Masalk; Junior Prepared Rookie of the Year Garrett Bell; Dave Hertel Mowtivaiton Award Winner Chuck “Boogie Woogie” Miller; Charles Powell Mr. Mowjangles Award Winner Pat “Rocket Man” Sullivan; Dubba G Everyman Award Winner Jim Keech; and Mace Mullins Crew Chief Award Winner Jayson Mikula.
My personal thanks also goes to USLMRA Vice President Kerry Evans, who does so much for our Association both at the track and during the week. Kerry, you are The Man! I also wish to thank National Tech Director Manny Torres; U.S. Open Co-Chair Lee Vine; Chrissy Webb for all you do for us at the track; Bud Elmore our main man in the West; the Mikula family; Tommy & Tina Bowles; Ronnie Mattingly; George Dukas; and our National Chief Stewards, Rodney Peeler, Tracy Donihue and Henry MacCarty.
A special thanks and way to mow to all of our Local Chapter and Affiliated Club presidents and officers who work so hard to bring USLMRA lawnmower racing to so many communities around the country.
Of course, thank you from all of us to Gold Eagle Co., makers of STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer, Ethanol Treatment, Diesel and Marine Formula and a host of other great products, for your ongoing guidance, support and MOWtivation.
Let’s all heed the words of 3rd generation lawnmower racer Wyatt Sullivan and his three keys to lawnmower racing: Have fun, have fun, have fun!
Bruce Kaufman
USLMRA Founder & President
May 2, 2011
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