Racing enthusiasts cutting financial corners on ride-on mowers to get on the track
Posted SunSunday 26 MayMay 2019 at 10:50am, updated SunSunday 26 MayMay 2019 at 11:40am
Shane Hamilton can get his ride on lawn mower to up to 100 kilometres per hour.
The Legana man is part of a growing Tasmanian fraternity that meet every six weeks to race their modified mowers on a specifically designed track next door to the Tas Dragway Complex at Powranna.
Key points:
- The Lawnmower Racing Tasmania group is trying to grow the sport, encouraging weekenders to give it a go
- Track designs limit mower speeds to around 50 kph, but many modified mowers can reach 100 kph
- All mowers must have a "kill switch" for safety reasons before they can race
"It's a cheap man's motorsport," said Mr Hamilton, founder of Lawnmower Racing Tasmania.
"You can get into mower racing for a few hundred bucks.
"There's a few that are spending a little more, but you can basically get in and have a bit of fun and it's quite affordable to do it."
The rules of Tasmanian lawn mower racing are simple: the mower's deck needs to be removed, the wheels need to be genuine lawn mower wheels, the machine must have a steering wheel, and you can't cut other racers grass (so to speak).
"Because we have fast guys sometimes racing with slow guys, you've got to be courteous to each other," Mr Hamilton said.
Racing enthusiasts cutting financial corners on ride-on mowers to get on the track - ABC News