Reel fast: New track ready for riding lawnmower races
Lloyd Crouse, a Hadlock Days festival volunteer and avid riding lawnmower racer, views the new mower race track he and businessman friend Jim Morgan built. More than 40 lawnmower racers are expected to compete during Hadlock Days next month. -- Photo by Jeff Chew/Peninsula Daily News
By Jeff Chew, Peninsula Daily News
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The new race track on a former concrete plant site near Nesses Corner Road is grass-free and hard-packed gravel for riding lawnmowers racing at speeds of 40 mph or greater.
Nearly 50 serious lawnmower racers, some from as far away as Canada, Iowa and Oregon, will compete during the Hadlock Days 2008 weekend July 11-13.
Hadlock Days Association member and volunteer Lloyd Crouse is pretty revved up about it.
Crouse will be one of those breaking in the track he helped build, along with Port Hadlock businessman Jim Morgan.
"My mower got a ticket going 71 on the street," said Crouse, proudly looking over the 470-foot track on former A.J. Hill property where other Hadlock Days events and vendors will be set up.
The Shine Quarry and Penny Creek Quarry in Quilcene donated the base surface gravel for the track, which has 6 percent banked turns.
The Hadlock track will join the state's lawnmower-racing circuit that includes Sequim, Omak and Chehalis.
"This has become a real popular sport," Crouse said.
Competitors
Crouse said that 24 from Hadlock will compete.
That includes old-timers well into their 70s.
In fact, he said, an old-timers race is scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 12.
There will be no royalty in this year's event because of a lack of interest, said Mickey Nagy, association vice president.
He said the festival dates back nearly 20 years.
Major Hadlock Days sponsors are Hadlock Building Supply, Rotary International, Mountain Propane, Rakers Port Townsend, Bloomers Landing, Hadlock Realty and Driveway Maintenance.
Kids rides will be located at the Kively Center, Oak Bay Road.
Other events during the festival will be a salmon bake, a parade, an antique tractor show and a classic car show.
For more information, phone Viva Davis, Hadlock Days Association president at 360-344-4243, Ext. 116, or Nagy at 360-379-1345, or check www.hadlockdays.com.
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Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: June 17. 2008 9:00PM