Finding Minnesota: Lawn Mower Racing

ELK RIVER, Minn. (WCCO) -- NASCAR has well-known drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick. In Minnesota, there's a lesser-known racing circuit with drivers known as "Grandpa" and "Miss Behavin."

It's organized lawn mower racing, also known as "GrassCar."

Rich Carlson, vice-president of the Minnesota Lawn Mower Racing Association, said it's a thrilling competition.

"It's butterflies before you start racing," he said, "and once you're out there, you don't have time to think about the butterflies, but it's a rush."

Carlson's daughter, Jessica, has started joining him on the track. She said it's a challenging new experience.

"When I'm mowing the lawn, I don't have people right alongside me," she said, "making sure they don't hit me or anything."

The MLMRA has been around for 10 years. Members are as young as 10 and as old as the guy they call Grandpa, Bruce Bielinski of Bloomington.

"I'll be 73 in September," he said. "I figure in a straightaway I'm hitting somewhere between 30 and 35 miles an hour. It feels fast. It does feel fast."

Some racers are said to reach speeds of 60 or more in the higher classes.

"It's fun when you get out there, you hit the throttle," said Bielinski, "and then you just back off a little bit in the corners and make sure you can get through them."

Cindy Hoglund of Monticello uses the race name Miss Behavin' and rides a pink mower with long eyelashes attached to it.

"Every girl's got to have eyelashes," she said. "This is my baby girl. I got to pick out the color, and I think it's the coolest machine out there."

Many of the machines were saved from the scrap heap, including Bielinski's old Craftsman 1036, which a friend didn't want anymore.

"We have to put a completely different steering underneath them, different transmission," he said. "They're highly modified."

The racing mowers no longer have the cutting blades attached, and they have kill switches in case the driver falls off.

Racers have to wear helmets, gloves, long sleeves and boots. Many of them have started wearing the type of chest protector that many BMX riders wear.

Bielinski said he rolled his mower once during a race, and that was enough for him.

"Like a lot of people in NASCAR, they go to see a wreck," he said. "We're not here to see wrecks. We're here to have a good time."

The winner will drive away with only a small trophy and bragging rights. But they say it's better than being at home, mowing the lawn.

Many of the early summer lawn mower races have been at the ERX Extreme Racing Track in Elk River, which is also known for races with "beater" cars, trucks and minivans during the summer.

There will be several lawn mower races at county fairs around the state this summer.

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