Lawn Mower Hall honors Twelve Mile

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July 4, 2009

Local lawn mower racing group to join Hall of Fame

Anonymous Pharos-Tribune Sat Jul 04, 2009, 12:36 AM EDT

GLENVIEW, Ill. — As Americans celebrate the 4th of July with family, friends and fun, the United States Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA) has announced the inaugural inductees into the USLMRA National Lawn Mower Racing Hall of Fame & Museum of America in advance of Induction Ceremonies to take place during the 17th Annual STA-BIL Nationals Labor Day Weekend Championships (Sept. 4-6) in Delaware, MOWhio.

The Class of 2009 includes:

• The Organizing Committee of the Twelve Mile 500 in Twelve Mile, Ind. The Twelve Mile 500 is the home of America’s oldest organized riding lawn mower race. Founded in 1963 and hosted by the Twelve Mile Lions Club, the annual mow down takes place on July 4th each year. Thirty-three mowers run 60 laps around a quarter-mile track covering a distance of 15 miles, a bit longer than the original distance of 48 laps — twelve miles — due to increased speed in recent years.

• Jim Gavin of Wisborough Green, West Sussex, England, Founder and General Secretary of the British Lawn Mower Racing Association (BLMRA), founded in 1973 at the Cricketers Arms in Wisborough Green, West Sussex. Gavin, an Irishman who had raced and rallied cars across the world, became disillusioned with the increasing costs of motorsport. Whilst downing their pints in the village pub, Gavin and a group of locals looked across the village green to see the green keeper mowing the cricket patch. They realized that everyone had a lawn mower in their garden shed, so a Championship was held in a local farmer’s field. About 80 competitors turned up for what turned out to be a very successful event and the formation of the BLMRA. The BLMRA still sticks to its origins as a non-profit organization (any profits are given to charities or good causes) while providing well organized and inexpensive motor sport with a strong social atmosphere.

• “Racing Ray” Mrocks of Lake Zurich, Ill., the first member of the USLMRA heeded the call to sod slinging glory on April 1, 1992, the birthday of national lawn mower race sanctioning in the United States. “Racing Ray” tore up the turf from 1992-2001, claiming BP Class Points Championships on his mower Sodzilla 1995-1997. “Racing Ray” served as Chief Technical Inspector, race course builder, rule maker and friend to lawn mower racers far and wide. “I like lawn mower racing because it’s fun and affordable,” said Ray in 1997. “Come to think of it, I like anything that is fun and affordable, that’s why I gave up my marriage, but I’m still racing lawn mowers.”

• Chuck Miller, of Marion, Ohio, the only USLMRA member to compete in every STA-BIL Nationals since 1992. The “Boogie Woogie Man” is a multi-year racing champion and is a Charter USLMRA Member. His record of 16 consecutive starts in the annual STA-BIL Nationals is unmatched. Miller won the 1st BP Class Championship at the 1992 STA-BIL Nationals and the Factory Experimental Championship in 1993. In 2008 he took second place in the STA-BIL Challenge of Champions Race. Miller has also been involved as a race coordinator, rules consultant and Local Chapter contact. “I’ve seen the growth of the USLMRA since the first race,” said Miller. “It amazes me to see how this sport has grown so fast and how it has become part of American culture. I’ve stayed competitive over the years, and although I’m getting older, I’ve still got my MOWJo!”

“This is a prestigious and worthy inaugural class of honorees,” said Bruce Kaufman, USLMRA Founder and President, also known as “Mr. Mow It All.” “As our sport continues to grow like uncontrolled fescue, it is only fitting that lawn mower racing royalty be exalted in a place of high honor. It’s also mowtivating to announce these turf titans on the 4th of July, the day of America’s oldest organized lawn mower race.”

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