Topic: Newbie from Webberville,Michigan

[Ivan The 8th]

Hi, I am new to racing lawn mowers. I used to work on push mowers and riding mowers when I was a kid back in the 80's. I had a dozen riders and two dozen push. I loved mowing grass and did it to earn money when I was young. I would make a mess of the backyard racing my riders around the yard. I like to figure 8 race and demolition derby.
Now I would like to get into lawn mower racing, more fun, less pain. I have a 19.5 B&S opposed flathead twin model 461707 in a Craftsman LT1000. I figure I had better start in the C/P class. It has a Peerless 206-545c trans, I was thinking of swapping this out for an old 3 speed trans. I remember the one I had was on a 1950- 1960 rider, 30" cut single blade, 5 hp motor and the clutch worked the opposite way they work today, pressing the pedal tightened the belt to make it go.
I have a lot of reading to do on this site...I have one question though, does anyone cryogenically treat their parts? Thanks, Ivan

[BIG AL 202]

WELCOME! ARE YOU WEST OF HIGHLAND? IF SO YOU MAY WANT TO GO TO THE POTTERVILLE SODSLINGERS RACE. I THINK IT IS THIS WEEKEND [OR I HAVE MY DATES MIXED UP AND IT WAS THIS PAST WEEKEND] THAT WOULD BE THE CLOSEST AND A GOOD PLACE TO START AND SEE WHAT AND HOW IT WORKS!

[rook]

Hi Ivan, my name is Robbie and I race with the Potterville Sod Slingers, we have our final race of the season this Saturday October 4th gates open @ 12:00 races start @ 3:00. you can visit our web page
www.pottervillesodslingers.com for rules and directions to the track. Hope to see you there.

[Ivan The 8th]

Yeah Big Al, I am about an hour west of Highland. Rob , I will try to make it to the race this weekend. I should see how everything is kinda setup and works at the racetrack before I start racing next season.   I hope I can talk to other racers and get a better idea of what I should do and not do. 

[BIG AL 202]

Thanks Rook !

[rook]

you can ask any of our racers for help and they will gladly help

[Ivan The 8th]

Do races get rained out? I plan on going to the race in Potterville today and it is about an hour drive from me. If it is cancelled or postponed I need to know. Thanks, Ivan

[Ivan The 8th]

 Thanks to Big Al 202 and Rook for letting me know about the race.  My 7 year old son and I went to the last race of the season in Potterville back on October 4th and it was awesome! They said it was the coldest day they had this year, but I didn't mind. It was the first lawn mower race I had ever been to. The whole experience was so awesome! I met a few of the drivers during the race and went in the pits after the race to talk to the drivers and check out the machines to get some ideas. Many thanks to Rook, I even collected a few parts to help me get started on my machine. Everyone I talked to was really nice. I was hooked before I attended that race, I swallowed the hook that raceday. I had already been working on a mower prior to the race. Well that night after the race I tore the mower down to the bare frame. I was bouncing off the walls for a couple weeks  I have been busy reading, studying pictures, taking notes, drawing up 12 pages of plans and talking to people. I have also collected more parts with more to be collected this weekend. I will have a rolling chassis by next weekend, hopefully I will have the steering done too. I have been taking pictures of what I have done so far and going to take more while I build it. When I feel I have enough pics, I will post them in the Project Build section. 

[BIG AL 202]

YOU JUST FOUND YOUR NEW ADDICTION!! [I A GOOD WAY] HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE TRACK!! BY THE WAY THERE IS A INDOOR RACE SERIES THEY SHOULD BE STARTING IN THE NEXT MONTH. http://www.midwestindoorracingseries.com/

[Ivan The 8th]

It has been awhile since my last post, but I have been busy. I had started building a mower, but bought a frame already done. So I added all the parts I had collected to the new frame. I had my first race last Saturday. I took 2nd place. It was so awesome just being there. Here is a tip, buy a frame already done and learn from it.  Then build a new frame if you want. Don't race to win, race to have fun . Winning is just a bonus.

[BIG AL 202]

 

[Darkviper]

Its addiction I just sold all of mine now I want back in lol.