Mud-bogging, rip-roaring lawn mower races

Racers who competed in the rain found it difficult to keep four wheels on the ground at the 2014 Logger Days lawn mower races on Saturday.

Participants raced with residential lawn mowers that were taken apart, rebuilt for racing and designed to reach speeds upward of 35 miles per hour. The races were broken down into two classes, modified and super stock, with each class racing two heats of 10 laps and a main event of 15 laps.

Safety was an issue due to massive puddles in several areas of the arena. Security moved hay bales lining the track to re-route drivers, and racers had the opportunity to drive a few test laps.

The races began with the super stock class, which had only two constants: Adam Kirschenmann and Royce Pemberton. The race was cut short when Pemberton drove through a patch of mud and flipped his 16-horsepower mower during the third lap. The modified class started shortly after security helped Pemberton move his mower off the track for repairs.

During the first lap of the modified heat, Kip Nixon flipped his mower after driving through the same mud patch as Pemberton. Security helped Nixon, who was face down in between the hay bales that lined the track.

Nixon’s blue and gold mower appeared to be out for the count as it had broken handle bars from the accident, but after a short trip to Payne Machinery, he was back on the track and ready to race.

“The muddy track seemed alright until I was upside down blowing bubbles in the mud.” Nixon said.

After two accidents occurred on the track, security moved the hay bales to re-route the track once more. Despite the attempts to deter drivers from the mud puddles, another driver flipped his mower when racing resumed.

Only two drivers remained in the first heat of the modified class after the accidents: Andy Scott and LePoidevin. Scott held the lead for nine laps with his 20-horsepower engine until LePoidevin passed him on the final lap for the win.

While waiting for mower repairs, the audience watched eight colorful remote control cars race around the track. The arena was filled with laughter as the cars flipped over each other and went mud-bogging through the deep puddles on the track.

“The races were pretty entertaining this year,” bystander Kari Lindgren said. “The wipeouts were intense and the remote control cars were an awesome addition.”

The super stock race resumed the first heat with a default win for Dakota Basset due to complications with Kirschenmann’s mower during the first lap.

 Nixon was the first competitor on the track for the second heat of the modified mowers, followed by three other competitors. Nixon flipped his 17 horsepower mower once more during the final lap and finished third.

LePoidevin, Bonner’s Ferry resident, was awarded first place for the modified class main event, followed by Scott for second and Nixon for third. 

LePoidevin plans to test his luck in the Bonner’s Ferry Kootenai River Days lawn mower races on July 26.

“It feels awesome to win,” LePoidevin said. “The muddy track was nerve-wracking at first, but it made the competition even more exciting. I almost needed mud goggles during that second heat because I couldn’t see.”

Pemberton took first in the super stock class main event, followed by Kirschenmann for second.

The victors celebrated with several victory laps following the presentation of awards.