Ready, set, mow! Titans of turf, gladiators of grass and lords of the lawn are mow-tivated for the return of the Charlotte AutoFair, Sept. 9-11, as the event will mark the long-awaited return of sod-slinging lawn mower racing to Charlotte Mow-ter Speedway.
Amid the mass of classics, customs, hot rods and muscle cars that will surround the famed 1.5-mile superspeedway during the world’s largest auto extravaganza, the U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA) will host 10 classes of fescue-frying speed on the speedway’s fifth-mile dirt oval course.
“These are not your daddy’s lawnmowers,” said USLMRA President Kerry Evans. “You’ll see speeds from mild to wild. You’ll see action-packed, wheel-to-wheel racing, just like any other form of motorsports.”
Evans said racers from across the country are expected with participate, with competitors as young as 10 years old powering their customized mowers to speeds up to 60 mph in hopes of claiming victory at the same facility where legendary NASCAR drivers like Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have raced.
“Charlotte is on the bucket list of every lawnmower racer,” Evans said. “Everybody wants to come. It’s exciting for us to have that many spectators. They do a great job on the track. It’s great to experience that atmosphere. It’s really exciting for all the racers. And for the fans, you can watch us on TV – on YouTube – all day long, but until you’re standing there trackside, you can’t fully appreciate it.”
“Mowtor” sport enthusiasts can enjoy this spectacle at the fifth-mile track, which is located behind Turn 3 of the legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway on Saturday, Sept. 11. Practice is scheduled to begin at noon, with heat races and the main events scheduled to go green at 2 p.m.
SCHEDULE AND TICKETS:
Hours for the Sept. 9-11 Charlotte AutoFair are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday through Saturday. Thursday tickets cost $10, while Friday and Saturday admission costs $15. Three-day passes are only $35. Kids 12 and under get in FREE with an adult. For more information or to purchase advance tickets, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
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