Start Your Engines! Let's Go Lawnmower Drag Racing

"Mower Madness" In Maple Valley Drag Racing Lawn Machines Hit The Track
MAPLE VALLEY - They're the loudest, fastest hot rods that you've ever seen that used to cut grass. This weekend at Maple Valley Days huge crowds will be turning out for the lawnmower drag races. Q13 Fox News got a behind the scenes look at some of these special machines and the men that have the need for speed.

Some of them are monster trucks, others are motorcycles, but, at one time all of them used to cut grass!

For the last 10 years Clint Willaford and the rest of his Maple Valley Redneck Racers have been tearing it up on their supped up converted riding lawn mowers.

"It's just meeting good people, and a lot of help from friends, it's just a lot of good old fun," said Willaford.

Clint says getting these rigs to run real fast takes a lot of hard work and some special parts.

"We've got the hearty sprockets, golf cart front ends, Harley chains we all took a different design building our framework," said Willaford.

According to Clint the lawn mower races have become the must see event at Maple Valley Days.

"Cause in our competition you got side by side drag racing, then we do a sled pull, and then you gotta mud bog. So, you gotta compete in all 3 events then you got a winner," said Willaford.

And, Clint says it keeps the crowd on the edge of their seats.

"They really enjoy that drag racing, simply cause there is that fear factor of someone wrecking and getting hurt, that's just reality TV," said Willaford.

Winning is fun for sure, but it isn't everything. For racer Jeff Granlund fixing up the lawn mowers is also about friendship.

"Actually I enjoy the build more than the race day, just getting together with my friends and having a good time. It's a poor man's drag racer," said Granlund.

And, if your ride isn't fast enough, Dave Hasenwinkle says it's more about appearances then.

"Yeah, I'll look the best," said Hasenwinkle.

You can check out the lawn mower races for yourself on Saturday at Maple Valley Days at 1 PM at Lake Wilderness Park. The races are free for everyone.