TARGET 120215

Lawn Mower Racing
A gentleman's sport, to be sure.

One day at lunch, back in 1973, an Irishman named Jim Gavin was having a few pints with some of his friends at The Cricketers Arms in Wisborough Green, West Sussex England. Jim was heavily involved in racing and liked all kinds of motorsports. But at that time, commercial sponsorship was creeping in to the sport, and racing was becoming limited to those with either lots of money or big backing. Jim didn’t really like this and wanted to create a form of motorsport that didn’t involve lots of money and was readily accessible to everyone. As the pints flowed they looked out across the village green and there was the groundsman mowing the cricket pitch. It was then they realised that just about everyone had a lawn mower in their garden shed, so they said “let’s race them!” And they did! They announced there would be a race in Murphy's field the next weekend, and about 80 men with mowers turned up!

The main objectives were and still are, no sponsorship, no commercialism, no cash prizes and no modifying of engines. (However, the mower blades are removed for safety.) The idea being, it would keep costs down and resulted in lawnmower racing being described by Motor Sport News as "the cheapest form of motorsport in the U.K." The BLMRA (British Lawn Mower Racing Association) still sticks to its origins as a non-profit making organization, any profits are given to charities or good causes. Of course, another objective is that if you don't want to embarrass yourself in the race, you have to keep your maintenance up on your lawn mower.

Lawn Mower Racing takes place all over the country from Wales to Norfolk and Yorkshire to Sussex, appearing at Country Shows, Fayres and Steam Rallies.

They generally start racing in May through to October, incorporating The British Championship. They also have The World Championships, The British Grand Prix, The Endurance Championship and the most famous of all, The 12 Hour Endurance Race.

Over the years lawn mower racing has attracted motor racing legends and celebrities. Sir Stirling Moss has won both the British Grand Prix and the annual 12-Hour Race. Derek Bell, five times Le Mans winner and twice World Sports Car Champion, has won the 12 Hour twice and one of those was with Stirling. The actor Oliver Reed, who lived locally, regularly entered a team. Lawn motor racing is also featured in the Guinness Book of Records with the fastest mower over a set distance and the longest distance travelled in 12 hours. Other famous names who have been seen in the paddock are Murray Walker, Alan deCadenet, John Barnard (Ferrari F1 designer), Phil Tuffnell, Jason Gillespie, Chris Evans, Guy Martin and Karl Harris (British Super Bike riders), and John Hindhaugh (Radio Le Mans commentator).

If you got perceptions which were not satisfactorily covered by this feedback, please see the following websites:

British Lawn Mower Racing Association
Videos Pictures Lawn mower racing
How to make a racing lawn mower (Updated!)
Lawn Mower Racing Secrets

Many thanks to Ray McClure for providing and programming this target.