While lawn mowers are usually designed primarily for utility and safety, lawn mower racing is a more popular sport than you might expect. Riding mowers share many features with off-road vehicles and ATVs, and lawn mower racing is a good way to get your speed fix without investing in a whole new machine. There is even the USLMRA--the United States Lawn Mower Racing Association--to set rules and host races.

Lawn Mower Races

The rules of the USLMRA are relatively simple. A racing mower must have been sold as a lawn mower, and must still be capable of mowing lawns. However, for safety reasons, blades must be removed before races. Other modifications to lawn mowers are only permitted in certain race classes, and the races are more a test of the models and drivers than of mower accessories.

The fastest mowers will be those with high horsepower engines, by and large, as these can generate the most force to propel the tractor. However, larger mowers tend to be heavier, and there comes a point at which a larger engine becomes a hindrance. Some people will seriously refit their mower to make it a racer, while other leagues race only "stock" mowers--which must race in the same condition as they arrive from the factory. Even if you are just looking to get the grass cut quickly, engine size is the most important factor.

Opinions are divided over which are the fastest mowers, and the question doesn't look to be settled soon. There is no model or make that seems to predictably win mower races, and fields are usually quite varied. In many ways, the fastest mower is the one that gets the job done quickly and safely.