Twelve Mile 500
Encyclopedia
The Twelve Mile 500 is a lawn mower race
held in the small town of Twelve Mile, Indiana
, organized by the Twelve Mile Lions Club and occurring annually on Independence Day
. The tradition began in 1963 as a race for factory-built mowers with their mowing decks removed but in 1996 split into a two-race event with one for four-cycle Briggs
lawn mowers and another for modified mowers. The race adopted the "Grand Prix
" style in 1970 and has been held in Plank Hill Park ever since. The race structure has once again changed with the addition of another race. The 2010 race will include a superstock race inadditon to the briggs ad modified races.
The Twelve Mile 500 consists of a 15-mile, 60-lap course run on a quarter-mile track in the park, with a maximum of 33 entrants per race. Each participating team consists of a driver, a two-person pit crew and a lap judge, and must meet a speed of approximately 30 mph to qualify.
Lawn mower racing
Lawnmower racing is a form of motorsport in which competitors race modified lawnmowers, usually of the ride-on or self-propelled variety. The original mower engines are retained, but blades are removed for safety...
held in the small town of Twelve Mile, Indiana
Twelve mile, Indiana
Twelve Mile is an unincorporated community in Adams Township, Cass County, Indiana. Its name is thought to come from its location that is approximately 12 miles from the cities of Logansport, Peru and Rochester, but this is just an old wives' tale. The town was located on the twelve mile marker of...
, organized by the Twelve Mile Lions Club and occurring annually on Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
. The tradition began in 1963 as a race for factory-built mowers with their mowing decks removed but in 1996 split into a two-race event with one for four-cycle Briggs
Briggs & Stratton
Briggs & Stratton is the world's largest manufacturer of air-cooled gasoline engines primarily for outdoor power equipment. Current production averages 11 million engines per year.-History:...
lawn mowers and another for modified mowers. The race adopted the "Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
" style in 1970 and has been held in Plank Hill Park ever since. The race structure has once again changed with the addition of another race. The 2010 race will include a superstock race inadditon to the briggs ad modified races.
The Twelve Mile 500 consists of a 15-mile, 60-lap course run on a quarter-mile track in the park, with a maximum of 33 entrants per race. Each participating team consists of a driver, a two-person pit crew and a lap judge, and must meet a speed of approximately 30 mph to qualify.