HISTORY OF THE USLMRA

MOWments in USLMRA History

1963

The first running of America’s oldest organized riding lawn mower race founded by the Twelve Mile, Indiana Lions Club, which takes place on July 4th each year.

1973

British Lawn Mower Racing Association founded by Jim Gavin at the Cricketers Arms in Wisborough Green, West Sussex, England.

1992

April Fools Day
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
The Dixie Chopper Jet, The World’s Fastest Lawn Mower, named as Official Pace Mower.

Labor Day Weekend
Inaugural STA-BIL Nationals held near Chicago was covered on CNN Headline News and named one of the “Top Five Special Events” by Inside PR magazine

1993

April Fool’s Day
Inaugural Grass Cutter’s Ball held to honor start of lawn mower racing season.

May
Featured on ABC-TV’s Home Improvement season finale, with Tim Allen racing Bob Vila.

Labor Day Weekend
STA-BIL Nationals featured live on CBS This Morning and in AutoWeek magazine

1994

November
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
Featured on internationally-syndicated TV show Inside Edition

1996

February
Named Top Entertainment/Media Event of 1995 by BrandWeek marketing magazine

September
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
Feature story on the front page of the Wall Street Journal (Marketplace). Stories also appear in New York Newsday and Newsweek.

1998

Website 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
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
Inaugural STA-BIL ‘Rider Cup Challenge’ with British Lawn Mower Racing Association.

2001

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

“Yes, Dear” CBS-TV sitcom features lawn mower racing and NASCAR star Greg Biffle.

Gold Pinnacle Award from International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) for Best Media Relations Campaign.

STA-BIL Nationals televised on ESPN2.

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.

2011

STA-BIL Series Re-Branded to STA-BIL Lawn & Garden Mower Racing Series.

USLMRA supports Sam Rogers U.S. All American Open to honor memory of fallen racer.

2012

20th Anniversary of the USLMRA!

Expansion of U.S. Open into a National Points Series.

Return to Charlotte Motor Speedway for Race Exhibition.

2013

Racing at Food Lion Auto Fair at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Racing Exhibition at Texas Motor Speedway.

Featured on the Front Page of the Wall Street Journal.

2015

STA-BIL 360 Performance Nationals held at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Honored as “A 2015 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism” By Sports Destination Management magazine.