Ready, set, mow

By Rhonda Simmons

Published: September 1, 2008

It takes Joe Lenig nearly two hours to set up an obstacle course on his five-acre lawn in the Culpeper Lakes subdivision.

And participants five minutes to complete it.

This year, Chris French won the seventh annual Labor Day Lawn Mower Race on Monday hosted by Hunter and Susan Spencer.

French credits his win to his colorful decorations.

His children adorned his green Craftsman with two inflatable, blue baseball bats, yellow and red balloons, a SpongeBob hood ornament, and streamers.

The six participants — French, Dink Huffman, Frank Voorhies, Gary Fay, Roy Higashi and this reporter — started the race in front of the Spencer’s front door.

The group drove on narrow, bumpy terrain hitting low tree branches as they maneuvered around hairpin turns and miniature, orange flags and cones.

For the Spencers, the annual Lawn Mower Race is all about celebrating the holiday with friends.

“It’s an excuse to have a barbecue and invite people over,” said Hunter, donning one of his signature Hawaiian shirts.

The Spencers brought the annual Labor Day tradition to the Culpeper Lakes subdivision when they moved there in 2001.

After the race, the participants and their family members settled into lawn chairs on the rear deck chatting over some delicious barbecue staples such as hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, cole slaw, totellini salad, homemade beer bread, potato salad, chicken wings, apple and strawberry pies.

Hunter staggered the racers to give the drivers with smaller engines a chance to win against the mowers equipped with larger motors.

Before the competition, Hunter gave me a five-minute lesson on how to operate his green Craftsman lawnmower.

I screamed the entire time as I drove along the curvy course.

The racetrack winds around the Spencers and Lenigs well-manicured lawns.

Huffman, proudly sporting a ‘Lawn Ranger’ T-shirt, casually drove his orange Kubota lawn mower around the track.

The three-time champion said he wanted to give others the opportunity to win the coveted first place honor.

The Spencers also gave out first, second and third place prizes after a guest drew numbers from a hat.

French took home a white teddy bear, Fay won a miniature tractor Christmas tree ornament, Higashi earned a tractor pin and this reporter won $35.

“No way,” I said after Susan announced the winners. “What is my editor going to say?”

The first thing that came to mind was, “I’m going shopping.”

But, ethically reporters can’t accept any cash, food or prizes while working.

So I did the right thing and gave the money to French.

His daughter was extremely happy.

“Thank you,” she said politely as I reluctantly handed her father the wad of cash.

Rhonda Simmons went to cover the seventh annual Lawn Mower Race, but was talked into participating. She wishes she could have gone shopping with her impromptu winnings, but feels good that she gave away the cash. She can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 125 or .