Author Topic: Any mower racing in California?  (Read 135713 times)

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Offline mowinmachine

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Any mower racing in California?
« on: December 19, 2006, 12:22:22 pm »
Hey folks,
I'm originally from NC, but I live in California now. I've been interested in getting into mower racing, but there doesn't seem to be any chapters out here ( guess since nobody can afford big yards out here, there just aren't many riding mowers) anyhow, that was question 1, which was if there are any chapters out here.
  Secondly, being new and all, I don't even have a mower yet. I've seen a lot of them for sale here and there in the 150-400 dollar range,which seems allright. Been thinking of using an old rear engine Ariens since they're lite and simple machines with good frames. Looks like in order to make a basic bare-bones racer, you just put a big pulley on the engine and a little one on the tranny. That and put on a better muffler. Any other tips? I'm all ears!
Nip it in the grass!
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California mower racing

Offline mowdak1

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2006, 12:30:23 pm »
Yeah put on BETTER BRAKES! Stopping is mandatory, goin fast is optional! The brakes on there, are not designed for the speeds you intend going.

Read this thread if you haven't already... http://www.heymow.com/index.php/topic,572.0.html

As for groups in California, there are a few guys around here that have expressed interest out there, not sure what parts of California they're in. There are a few groups in Oregon and Washington and I believe they have a few followers in Northern California. Try the G-Sources Page or the sort through the Yahoo Groups... That's about all I can tell you!

http://www.g-team.us/g-sources.htm
http://sports.dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Recreation___Sports/Sports/Auto_Racing/Lawn_Mower_Racing

Offline mowinmachine

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2006, 12:34:09 pm »
Ya, I kind of figured that much. A few guys here and there, but nothing much. Thanks for the tips and stuff. I'd really like to build one of these, but if there aren't any other people involved, then that's sort of useless. We'll see...
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California mower racing

Offline mowdak1

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2006, 12:40:56 pm »
Well one of the guys was talking about trying to get a group together, don't know where he's at with that. Wouldn't hurt to sort through members and see how many are in California, and do a search and see what threads pop up, and follow up on a few of those. They may still be wandering around looking for others as well. 

Offline mowinmachine

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2006, 12:49:39 pm »
I've had this idea for awhile. I live out near an abandoned military base turned over to the city. It is huge and has literally miles of flat concrete landing strips that are in perfect condition. The city uses it for events like showing movies in the summer. There is also a car show. I thought it would be cool to start drag-mower racing. Straight 1/2 mile to one mile races with racers going flat out as fast as possible. Again- there aren't many big yards here and frankly, being in the SF bay area, seems like everyone's too hip to even think of owning a mower. So it's more of an oxymoron. It'd be fun as heck to use that drag strip for something like this. I know the locals would get a kick out of it.
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California mower racing

Offline mowdak1

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2006, 01:18:38 pm »
That being the case you need to look at the National Drag Racing Lawn Mower Association and see what they might have out there in the area.

Offline mowinmachine

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2006, 01:40:30 pm »
Looks like the same deal there- all the chapters in TX, NC, TN, AL, etc etc. One thing that I'll throw in that's sort of cool is that these landing strips I mentioned are very close to the Mythbuster's shop. They are on one of the hundreds of buildings on the base. Ever seen episodes where it looks like they're doing stuff on a landing strip? that's the landing strip near my house. Just imagine if one day they're out there filming or blowin stuff up and see 100 guys drag racing lawn mowers? bet they'd be blown away huh?
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California mower racing

Offline mowdak1

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2006, 01:43:15 pm »
Lawn Mowers doing 100 MPH next Episode!

Offline mowinmachine

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2006, 01:51:26 pm »
exactly! Except if those guys got involved, they'd do something ridiculous, like strap a jet engine to a Murray. 100 people would be wishful thinking. It'd be more like 5 in reality. lame I guess but you have to start somewhere. Maybe I'll start a site and do some advertising and get some folks together out here.
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California mower racing

Offline birdman_express

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2006, 02:04:39 pm »
Just build it, they will come. I have all kinds of people wanting to see my mower run.
I live in a small town, I think the first to have a fully planned USLMRA rules mower in the area.
The others are based on it. But the main thing is that they want to see how it runs when it
is built. I told them if it doesn't go 60 mph, I will fix it. They think I am joking. But that has
them interested. So just get something built, anything built..... safely built. They will come.
The redneck will come out... I got to get me one of those! LOL...
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Offline mowinmachine

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2006, 02:24:51 pm »
Well... I hope there are some closet rednecks out here. I'm sort of the redneck living in the city over here... people want to talk about whale watching, protesting... crap like that.Yuppie stuff. I grew up in a very small town too. not even a town really, and we had a FLEET of riding mowers. I just wanted to get back into it. People here do find stuff like this amusing, but probably not cool like I think it is. They have craploads of money though, so maybe I could make T-shirts and stuff and sell them to raise money to get an event going. There's lots of rockabillies out here who tend to glorify redneckism ( even though they don't really understand it) Maybe I could hang some flyers up in the bars that they tend to congregate at.
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California mower racing

Offline birdman_express

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #11 on: December 19, 2006, 02:40:44 pm »
All proceeds go to the whales, just a thought... lol
Marc Baker

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Offline mowdak1

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #12 on: December 19, 2006, 04:06:28 pm »
Maybe I could hang some flyers up in the bars that they tend to congregate at.

Excellent Idea!! Likewise the website is a good idea as it gives you someplace to send them for more information. There you can direct them to other sites of similar interest, see the G-Sources page linked above for ideas. And, to MowBetter for more information on building them.

If you have any electronic classfieds in the area, pop an ad up on those as well. That will gain exposure for you very quickly also. Get the site set up first however, so you can direct them to the site.

If you run across any car shows locally, get the mower entered and man the booth. Works better if you have a couple of you there so you can sneak away to eat and take care of nature calls. Have business cards and flyers made up to hand out to every one.

Make the local parades!!

Find the nearest club, join and tell them you would appreciate some help getting things off the ground. If you can line up racers, get permission to use the runaway and hold an event. Advertise as much as you can afford. Flyers in bars, grocery stores, any place you can find a bulletin board that will let you hang a flyer!!

It's all about exposure, you have to be seen to get the message out. It's a tough row to hoe, when you're the only too, it makes it about impossible to be seen when you're all alone, but if you make a enough noise and make a big enough presence it will happen.   

Offline sr71mopar

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #13 on: December 19, 2006, 04:55:20 pm »
I know there is a group in Potter Valley. Contact Chini here on the board.
I'm in Santa Rosa, but I'm starting to feel like I have the only hot rod mower for miles around.
Potter Valley Lawn Mower Racing
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Offline mowinmachine

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Re: Any mower racing in California?
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2006, 05:02:29 pm »
The good thing about stuff around here is that people really react to new things. I think it would be fairly easy to do some street advertising and get people to come. The fact is that it would be really different and strange compared to everything else. We have a local paper that will put anything you want to mention as an event in it for free- and people generally read that section too. I have to get the mower first!
Nip it in the grass!
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California mower racing

 

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