British Lawn Mower Racing Association
Governing body for UK lawn mower racing.
The British Lawn Mower Racing Association (BLMRA) governs UK lawn mower racing, an informal sport where competitors pilot modified ride-on mowers without safety blades. Founded in 1973 by Irish rally co-driver Jim Gavin in Wisborough Green, West Sussex, it runs championships, endurance events, and grassroots competitions nationwide. Its flagship event is the annual 12-hour lawn mower endurance race. The BLMRA bans sponsorship, commercialism, cash prizes, and engine modifications, keeping costs low. Motor Sport News called it the UK’s cheapest motorsport. As a non-profit, any profits go to charity.
Quick Facts
- Formation
- 1973
- Abbreviation
- BLMRA
- Founder
- Jim Gavin
- Founding location
- Wisborough Green, West Sussex, England
- Purpose
- Regulation and promotion of lawn mower racing in the UK
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Leader
- Pete Hammerton
Facts from the source article.
History
The BLMRA was formed in 1973 by rally co-driver Jim Gavin. Gavin and a group of fellow sporting enthusiasts, frustrated by the high costs of motorsport, looked across the village green in Wisborough Green, West Sussex, and noticed the groundsman mowing the cricket pitch. Realizing most people owned a lawn mower, they decided to race them. A local venue was found, and 80 mowers attended the first meeting. After the inaugural event the sport grew across the UK, with races taking place in regions including Wales, Norfolk, Yorkshire, and Sussex. Events are typically held from May through October and include the British Championship, the British Grand Prix, the Endurance Championship, and the 12-Hour Endurance Race, the organisation’s flagship event. Sir Stirling Moss has won both the British Grand Prix and the 12-Hour Race while Derek Bell, a five-time Le Mans winner and two-time World Sports Car Champion, won the 12-Hour Race twice, once alongside Moss. Several prominent figures have taken part in, or been associated with, BLMRA events. British actor Oliver Reed lived locally and regularly entered a team. The association also appears in the Guinness Book of Records for achievements including the fastest lawn mower over a set distance and the longest distance covered in 12 hours. Other notable participants include Murray Walker, Alan de Cadenet; John Barnard, the Ferrari F1 designer; as well as British sportsmen Phil Tuffnell and Jason Gillespie, and motorcycle racers Chris Evans, Guy Martin, and Karl Harris. John Hindhaugh, a commentator for Radio Le Mans, has also been present at events.
Events
The BLMRA’s racing season runs from May through October and features several major events. The British Championship is a multi-day affair held annually, with each of the four competition groups running its own title series. Two races are scheduled per day. For Group 2, a race lasts either 15 minutes or 15 laps, whichever takes longer. Groups 3 and 4 race for 20 minutes or 20 laps. Points are given on a sliding scale: 25 for a win, then 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, and 1. The World Championship takes place over a two-day weekend. Each group goes through a series of heats on both days, and every point earned counts toward the overall standings. The driver who collects the most points becomes World Champion. The British Grand Prix changes its format from year to year, but currently it consists of one 30-minute race on each day of the event, with an overall winner decided at the end. The BLMRA’s most famous event is the 12-Hour Endurance Race, held in summer. It starts at 8:00 pm on Saturday and finishes at 8:00 am on Sunday. Teams of three drivers compete. This race is both a standalone event and part of the Endurance Championship. Each team receives a unique race number. The first running was won by Sir Stirling Moss, Derek Bell, and Tony Hazlewood, who designed and built the Westwood Lawnbug. Actor Oliver Reed also took part. Competitors come from other British clubs and from countries including France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Finland, and the United States. In 2018, for the first time, an overseas team won the event, with a squad from Luxembourg taking the top spot. The current distance record for the 12 hours is 354.5 miles. The Cross Country event is not held every year. It takes place across roughly 30 acres of private land, with obstacles like water, jumps, and hedges.
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