Hadlock Days draw 1,500 revelers to lawn-mower races, more; continues today
Canadian lawn mower racer Gerald Anderson, far right, leans into a turn during the Hadlock Days event. Anderson was the day's big winner. -- Photo by Charlie Bermant/Peninsula Daily News
The Next Big Thing in our own backyard
PORT HADLOCK -- While the national sports media focuses on the World Cup and LeBron James' career moves, a small group of rural hobbyists were actually participating in the Next Big Thing right in our own backyard.
There were no television cameras that came to capture Saturday's lawn mower races.
Instead, there were a few guys with portable camcorders.
There were no big prizes or fancy machines, only polished plastic trophies and Craftsman riding mowers with their blades removed and their engines tuned.
But the participants-- 78 people signed up but only 45 raced because of broken chains and twisted wheels -- were as pumped up and focused as any professional athlete.
And during each race, several hundred people sat transfixed by the action and reacted to every missed opportunity as only true sports fans are inclined to do.
There are rules in lawn mower racing, governing the types of machines allowed and the duration of the race.
The sponsors of the Port Hadlock races attempted to apply this, but weren't able to maintain true consistency.
"This is the first time we've had a race this big," said Lloyd Crouse, the nominal supervisor of the event.
"We have people from all over, and the rules for Oregon are different from the rules for Idaho and are different from here.
"Sooner or later, we'll get it right."
More sooner than later, as Crouse fine-tunes the rules and regulations on the fly.
There are no committees or votes, only Crouse taking a poll and making a judgment call.
On Saturday, a group arrived with an electric mower that runs on a bank of lithium iron phosphate batteries and uses an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine.
The new machine was driven by Nora Mills of Chimacum, automatically entering her in the Powder Puff race.
Crouse polled the other participants, who voted to allow Mills and her new machine.
Today, Jordan Peterson hopes to race the same mower.
"If he wants to race, we'll find a way to let him in," Crouse said.
Peterson and Bob Mills, Nora's husband, who built the machine, followed a path similar to the other racers.
They took a standard mower and added a new engine and other modifications fine-tuned for performance.
Currently, it takes more than three hours to charge up the mower to race for 30 minutes, but Peterson has worked on a way to charge more quickly.
And like the lawn-mower race rules, the electric mower capabilities will change overnight.
Many of the participants are already acquainted through the same circuit.
"This is a real adrenaline rush," said Eugene Pate of Sequim.
"I know people who race cars, but they get more excitement out of this."
Like all the racers, Pate pays his own way and comes to the races under his own steam.
He also is subject to the laws of lawn-mower racing nature, which is that anything can go wrong at the last minute.
On Saturday, Pate broke a chain before he had the chance to race and had to sit the day out.
He hoped to return today, with a spare machine that will at least make it around the track a few times, if not win him a trophy.
Races are 15 laps, with ten qualifying laps preceding the action.
It has to stay fluid, since it is common for mowers to wipe out or collide at any time.
At that point, the flagger stops the race, but the mowers continue to circle the track until he waves the green flag to begin again.
Since racers can lose count, the white flag reminds them when they are entering the final lap.
After that point the flagger hands the checkered flag to the winner who takes the proverbial victory lap.
Saturday's race was flagged by Scott Degenstein of Tacoma, who was forced into retirement as a lawn mower racer after an accident.
"I hurt my hand so I can no longer make the sharp turns," he said. "I really miss it, and it's hard for me to just flag."
The races on the track at the corner of Ness Corner Road and D Street begin again at 9 a.m. today.
By Charlie Bermant/Peninsula Daily News
PORT HADLOCK -- While the national sports media focuses on the World Cup and LeBron James' career moves, a small group of rural hobbyists were actually participating in the Next Big Thing right in our own backyard.
There were no television cameras that came to capture Saturday's lawn mower races.
Instead, there were a few guys with portable camcorders.
There were no big prizes or fancy machines, only polished plastic trophies and Craftsman riding mowers with their blades removed and their engines tuned.
But the participants-- 78 people signed up but only 45 raced because of broken chains and twisted wheels -- were as pumped up and focused as any professional athlete.
And during each race, several hundred people sat transfixed by the action and reacted to every missed opportunity as only true sports fans are inclined to do.
There are rules in lawn mower racing, governing the types of machines allowed and the duration of the race.
The sponsors of the Port Hadlock races attempted to apply this, but weren't able to maintain true consistency.
"This is the first time we've had a race this big," said Lloyd Crouse, the nominal supervisor of the event.
"We have people from all over, and the rules for Oregon are different from the rules for Idaho and are different from here.
"Sooner or later, we'll get it right."
More sooner than later, as Crouse fine-tunes the rules and regulations on the fly.
There are no committees or votes, only Crouse taking a poll and making a judgment call.
On Saturday, a group arrived with an electric mower that runs on a bank of lithium iron phosphate batteries and uses an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine.
The new machine was driven by Nora Mills of Chimacum, automatically entering her in the Powder Puff race.
Crouse polled the other participants, who voted to allow Mills and her new machine.
Today, Jordan Peterson hopes to race the same mower.
"If he wants to race, we'll find a way to let him in," Crouse said.
Peterson and Bob Mills, Nora's husband, who built the machine, followed a path similar to the other racers.
They took a standard mower and added a new engine and other modifications fine-tuned for performance.
Currently, it takes more than three hours to charge up the mower to race for 30 minutes, but Peterson has worked on a way to charge more quickly.
And like the lawn-mower race rules, the electric mower capabilities will change overnight.
Many of the participants are already acquainted through the same circuit.
"This is a real adrenaline rush," said Eugene Pate of Sequim.
"I know people who race cars, but they get more excitement out of this."
Like all the racers, Pate pays his own way and comes to the races under his own steam.
He also is subject to the laws of lawn-mower racing nature, which is that anything can go wrong at the last minute.
On Saturday, Pate broke a chain before he had the chance to race and had to sit the day out.
He hoped to return today, with a spare machine that will at least make it around the track a few times, if not win him a trophy.
Races are 15 laps, with ten qualifying laps preceding the action.
It has to stay fluid, since it is common for mowers to wipe out or collide at any time.
At that point, the flagger stops the race, but the mowers continue to circle the track until he waves the green flag to begin again.
Since racers can lose count, the white flag reminds them when they are entering the final lap.
After that point the flagger hands the checkered flag to the winner who takes the proverbial victory lap.
Saturday's race was flagged by Scott Degenstein of Tacoma, who was forced into retirement as a lawn mower racer after an accident.
"I hurt my hand so I can no longer make the sharp turns," he said. "I really miss it, and it's hard for me to just flag."
The races on the track at the corner of Ness Corner Road and D Street begin again at 9 a.m. today.
By Charlie Bermant/Peninsula Daily News
By Charlie Bermant
Peninsula Daily News
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"This is an excellent indication of how the community at large can work together," said Jefferson County Sheriff Tony Hernandez. "It's an opportunity for people to meet their neighbors, and know that Port Hadlock is a place where people can feel safe."
Herndandez said the event was a good place for area businesses to sell their wares to local residents "so we can keep our money in the community."
About 50 vendors pushing food, services and ideas filled the area and offered a diversity of wares.
For instance, a doughnut maker was situated next door to an acupuncturist with both booths drawing healthy crowds.
Hadlock Days President Lee Ann Dahl estimated that about 1,500 people attended on Saturday, with "everyone coming all at once" during the early afternoon.
She said that some attendees were displeased to learn of the $2 admission fee, which was charged for the first time this year.
"After they settled in, they didn't care," Dahl said.
The age admission policies gave many attendees a reprieve, as anyone younger than 7 or older than 55 got in free.
The high temperature for the day was 73 degrees, according to www.weatherbug.com, although it seemed hotter around the racetrack.
Those who were not selling merchandise or food sought to inform or persuade the crowd.
The Snohomish tribe, which has about 2,000 members throughout the state although it does not have a reservation of its own, was one of these groups.
"We want people to know that our culture is still alive although the government is saying otherwise," said Tribal Vice Chair Mike Schultz.
Shultz said that Hadlock Days "is a good place to get our message across."
Hadlock Days continue today, with lawn mower races starting at 9 a.m. and a classic car/bike show taking place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For information and directions go to www.hadlockdays.com.
_________
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: July 11. 2010 1:17AM
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