Lawnmowers will roar around an oblong track on Saturday, delighting crowds and raising dust.
The first Lions Lawnmower Race was held in July 2011 at the old raceway on Arkansas 72. The fifth annual event, sponsored by the Pea Ridge Lions Club, starts at 6 p.m. on the Bill Patterson farm on Lee Town Road near Pea Ridge.
The unusual event features modified, geared-up and hopped-up riding lawnmowers, capable of speeds between 45 and 60 miles per hour, racing on a 500-foot oval track. Many of the racers will come from the Yocum Creek Raceway near Green Forest, but entrants have shown up in the past from as far away as Kansas and Nebraska, according to Jerry Nichols, Lions Club communications director.
Local lawnmower tinkerers have been encouraged to take on building and racing machines of their own. Lawnmower racing is fun recreation and a challenging hobby, and the enthusiasm is catching, Nichols says.
The Race-for-Sight Lawnmower Race is the Pea Ridge Lions Club's main fundraising event to benefit the club's sight conservation activities. The club offers financial assistance to anyone needing eye exams and eyeglasses and sometimes helps with more serious eye therapies. The local club currently is seeking to raise funds for the purchase of a camera for screening the eyesight of young children.
On race day, the gates will open at 4:30 p.m., and the races will begin at 6 p.m. Food and refreshments will be available at the race site. For children, bouncy houses will be open, and some special race competitions are planned for the kids. Race-for-Sight T-shirts will be for sale
The Lions Club is inviting other local nonprofit organizations to set up information booths at this year's Lawnmower Races. Booth space will be available without charge. To arrange for booth space, email [email protected].
"We're hoping for a good turnout. Bring the family out for some good, clean fun," says Melissa Tjarks, Lions Club president.
-- Annette Beard
NAN What's Up on 07/24/2015