Jeff Gordon and you NASCAR guys move over, here they come Americas next generation of racing heroes. These guys and gals are at the grass roots of a fairly new type of speed competition. The original manufactures of their machines had no idea nor were ever intended to be used in the manner of this story. When we first heard of lawnmower racing we chuckled. OK we thought lets check it out.

Just south of Winston, Oregon is Dillard Farm Market. The market and farm has a long family history dating back to 1903 when G.B. Laurance, his wife Ellen, and family of seven children moved to Oregon to raise strawberries. The land was leased from Samuel Miller. The farm passed ownership through several families with the most recent transfer from Fred and David Burkes to Jill (Laurance) MacGregor. The farm is the home of the Dillard International Speedway. Home track to some of the most interesting racing machines you'll ever see. The track is about a one tenth mile dirt oval, no banking, tilled to a fluff and lined with hay bails down the front stretch. The racing machines, truly are lawnmowers, or at least began life as a mower.

Putting all jests aside these people are serious racers. Their rules permit several classifications of modifications you may do to the original mower, and always keeping safety in mind.

To transform a mower into a racer all machines have the blades and deck removed. The next step is to change the pulley ratio and drive belt. From there they can go from mild to wild! All in all these folks are in it for the fun. We learned that a typical racing mower will set you back less than $500.00 that is if you can pick up an old mower for free. "Yep, we get a lot of people that just give use their old lawn machines. We take ‘em apart, use the good pieces and make something to have fun with," said one guy.

Out on the track there's a big difference from the stock appearing class to the modified classes. The stock appearing rigs are cool and most are ridden buy younger, less experienced racers. The modified units are WAY-COOL! With their beefed up power plants, lowered chassis, more race like wheels and tires, the riders scream down the stretches, pitch them sideways into the corners, sprint car style, setting up for the next stretch leaving a roost of dirt behind. "Yep if we blow a motor or two we just go out behind the barn and pick out another. Throw a big carb and cam in ‘er and were ready to go again next week," said the same gentleman. "We just keep it fun!"

OK Jeff G. your NASCAR career isn't really threatened much nor should we dare to say yet? After all isn't go-kart racing your grass roots? Karts, Quarter midgets, Lawnmowers, great racers get their start somewhere. Why not from Dillard, Oregon?