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As Americans celebrate the 4th of July with family, friends and fun, the United States Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA) has announced the inaugural inductees into the USLMRA National Lawn Mower Racing Hall of Fame & Museum of America in advance of Induction Ceremonies to take place during the 17th Annual STA-BIL Nationals Labor Day Weekend Championships (Sept. 4-6) in Delaware, MOWhio.

The Class of 2009 includes:

• The Organizing Committee of the Twelve Mile 500 in Twelve Mile, Indiana. The Twelve Mile 500 is the home of America’s oldest organized riding lawn mower race. Founded in 1963 and hosted by the Twelve Mile Lions Club, the annual mow down takes place on July 4th each year. 33 mowers run 60 laps around a 1/4 mile track covering a distance of 15 miles

Briggs Race 2009
placed name
1 Todd Martin
2 Pascal Moon
3 Cole Allen
4 Mark Graf
5 Quinn Cox
6 Brock Hinderlider
7 Blake Moon
8 Andy Pickens
9 Seth White
10 Kellen Homburg
11 Greg Martin
12 Jeremy Walsh
13 Dennis Bodary
14 Brad Wilson
15 Alexander Zartman
16 Tim Cowell
17 Eric Wulf
18 Scott Summers
19 Mark Babb
20 Kevin Graf
21 Mark Marshall
22 Michael Hotz
23 Shawn Powell
24 Neil Schroder
25 Jerome Emery
26 Jim Hoover
27 Anthony Graber
28 Mark Rudicel
29 Tyler Graf
30 John Troyer
31 Grant White
32 Chris Offutt
33 Tom Price

Modified Race 2009
placed name
1 Randy Troyer
2 Chris Ulerick
3 Joey Troyer
4 Greg Zimpleman
5 Daniel Hopper
6 John Troyer
7 Jeff Vinson
8 Cullen Ulerick
9 Shane Biscella
10 Tyler Bennett
11 Tyler Frazier
12 Andy Curtis
13 Corey Liming
14 Darrell Ulerick
15 Michael Righter
16 Jason Harrison
17 Joel Thomas
18 Chuck Warpenberg
19 Joel Lowe
20 Jacob Harrison
21 Gary Troyer
22 Zack Troyer

Watch CBS Videos Online

Watch CBS Videos Online

Mowing ‘Em Down
Lawnmower Racing in 12 Mile, Indiana
By Cynthia Bowers

(CBS) Every Fourth of July the population of Twelve Mile, Indiana swells from 200 to 2500 – all to see the fiercest and fastest on riding lawnmowers as CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers reports.

“This is a big deal. This is the big deal for the year,” said Mark Lowe, Lions Club race organizer.

The sport, which began here back in 1963, requires racers start with a lawn mower, but they soup ‘em up with motorcycle engines – and trick ‘em out in all kind of ways.

The formula one style race course can be tricky with 33 mowers on the narrow course.

Some reach speeds of 50 even 60 miles an hour. Rocks and dirt fly as racers negotiate hay bales and hair pin turns.

But no mention of this sport is complete without telling you about the Troyers. Like the Andrettis and Pettys of auto racing fame, this is the first family when it comes to lawnmower racing!

There are worthy competitors, such as the Hines Family, the White brothers, and the intimidating Ulericks. But the Troyers, with 12 first place titles among them, are the winning-est family in Twelve Mile history.

The Troyers credit success to solid mowers, years of know-how, and their pit crews!

On race day, drivers do 60 laps in roughly 45 minutes.

There are no windshields on the lawnmowers.

“You eat the bugs. You eat it all,” said John Troyer.

Randy keeps a trophy room, complete with his Hawaiian shirts – retired after race day wins.

Even though he’s still hungry, the next generation is bearing down.

Joey Troyer said he’ll be doing this “until I can’t climb off the seat when I’m done.”

Until then, they’re determined to keep on mowin ‘em down.

Hoosier family to be on Evening News

* Lindsay DeWitte

WELVE MILE, Ind. (WANE) – A Hoosier family with an unusual pastime will be featured on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.

Correspondent Cynthia Bowers went to Twelve Mile, Indiana, which is near Logansport. There she met with the Troyer family, the undisputed first family of lawn mower racing.

The popular, Twelve Mile 500 (a take on the Indy 500) is this July 4th weekend.

The producers for the Evening News are keeping us updated on when it will air. This story will be updated with the newest information.

You can also learn more about the Evening News with Katie Couric here . Also see the video attached to this page.

2009 Qualified Racer letter

The Twelve Mile LIONS Club would like to thank you for entering the 47th annual Twelve Mile 500 Riding lawnmower race. Please see the back of this letter for your number for the 2009 race. Mark it well on both number plates.

We will be running a 20-lap race for Briggs Mowers not yet qualified to fill the 33rd Briggs position. If you are not assigned a number, you will need to be ready to run a 20-lap race prior to the regular Briggs on race day to see who will fill the 33rd spot. You will need your lap judge for this, we will require one pit stop, and we will enforce the normal speed limit. We will draw numbers to determine where you start in this race. Have supplies to mark this number on your mower.

Briggs Mowers: Please do not set up in the pits until we have completed this race.

Your shirts will be available at the lap counting table on the morning of the 4th. Please pick those up as early as possible. You are required to supply a lap judge and will not race if you do not have one.

We will hold a brief driver’s meeting prior to each race to make any necessary announcements and answer any questions you might have. Let’s have a safe race and we will be watching the speeds closely again this year. Everyone, including LIONS members and racers will pay admission at the gate. Please call Mark Lowe at 765-469-0888 or Mark Kistler at 574-664-4741 with any questions.

Thanks Again
Twelve Mile LIONS Club

Friday July 3rd
5:00 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament in park
Dusk Fireworks at Plank Hill Park

Saturday July 4th
10:30 Shirts Available for Qualified Mowers
11:30 Parade begins uptown
12:30 Deadline for additional entries to be registered
12:45 Fill the Field for 33rd position (Briggs Race)
1:00 National Anthem and raising of Flag in Park
1:00 WELCOME to all visitors and fans
1:15 Briggs mowers line up in pits
1:20 Briggs driver/pit crew meeting
1:25 Briggs mowers line up on track
1:30 Briggs Race begins with pace lap
2:40 Little Firecracker Run
3:10 Modified mowers line up in pits
3:20 Modified driver/pit crew meeting
3:25 Modified mowers line up on track
3:30 Modified Race begins with pace lap
5:00 Presentation of prizes to winners of both races
All Times Subject to Change

Sponsored by the Twelve Mile LIONS Club
Admission Adults $5.00, Kids 6-12-$1.00 Kids under 6– Free!
www.twelvemile500.com

Modified Lineup
Number Racer Name MPH time
1 Greg Zimpleman 30.23 29.77174992
2 Gary Troyer 29.99 30.01000333
3 John Troyer 29.98 30.02001334
4 Zack Troyer 29.73 30.27245207
5 Darrell Ulerick 29.66 30.34389751
6 Randy Troyer 29.55 30.45685279
7 Daniel Hopper 29.52 30.48780488
8 Shane Biscella 28.64 31.42458101
9 Joel Thomas 28.53 31.54574132
10 Chuck Warpenberg 27.84 32.32758621
11 Joey Troyer 27.55 32.66787659
12 Chris Ulerick 27.49 32.73917788
13 Cullen Ulerick 26.77 33.61972357
14 Andy Curtis 26.43 34.05221339
15 Jeff Vinson 26.08 34.50920245
16 Joel Lowe 25.26 35.62945368
17 Corey Liming 24.84 36.23188406
18 Michael Righter 24.5 36.73469388
19 Tyler Bennett 24.24 37.12871287
20 Jacob Harrison DNQ

Briggs Lineup
Number Racer Name MPH time
1 Mark Rudicel 28.71 31.34796238
2 Cole Allen 28.47 31.61222339
3 Neil Schroder 28.46 31.62333099
4 Kellen Homburg 28.34 31.75723359
5 Brock Hinderlider 28.13 31.99431212
6 Jeremy Walsh 27.66 32.53796095
7 John Troyer 27.46 32.77494538
8 Tim Cowell 27.3 32.96703297
9 Jerome Emery 27.18 33.11258278
10 Grant White 26.99 33.34568359
11 Pascal Moon 26.74 33.65744203
12 Kevin Graf 26.58 33.86004515
13 Quinn Cox 26.44 34.03933434
14 Andy Pickens 26.17 34.3905235
15 Eric Wulf 26.03 34.57548982
16 Seth White 25.88 34.77588872
17 Brad Wilson 25.65 35.0877193
18 Michael Hotz 25.62 35.12880562
19 Blake Moon 25.42 35.40519276
20 Mark Graf 25.24 35.65768621
21 Tom Price 25.22 35.68596352
22 Alexander Zartman 25.07 35.89948145
23 Anthony Graber 24.69 36.45200486
24 Scott Summers 24.61 36.5704998
25 Chris Offutt 24.36 36.94581281
26 Jim Hoover 24.34 36.97617091
27 Todd Martin 24.1 37.34439834
28 Tyler Graf 24.08 37.37541528
29 Mark Babb 23.87 37.70423125
30 Greg Martin 23.73 37.92667509
31 Shawn Powell 23.7 37.97468354
32 Dennis Bodary 23.43 38.41229193
33

Kevin Hines 22.73 39.59524857
Tony Buffin 22.19 40.55881027
Les Whitesel 19.29 46.6562986
Andy Curtis 18.91 47.59386568
Mark Marshall 18.04 49.88913525
Drew Boehme 17.13 52.53940455
Kelly Stillings 14.97 60.12024048
Sam Packard DNQ