Mower Races Kick Up A Good Time

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

An enthusiastic crowd gathered last weekend to enjoy the sunny weather with friends, eat grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and watch the Beaver Dam Lawnmower Races. The event took place on Saturday, Jan 8, on a dirt track just behind the Beaver Dam Bar on Old Highway 91 in Littlefield, Arizona.

Described by Bob Livingston of Desert Skies RV Park as the Beaver Dam NASCAR, the lawnmower races are noisy and dusty and fun. Spectators bring their own chairs and some even brought their own BBQ grills, and maybe even some ear protection.

A decade ago, racing enthuses, Hal Seifert and his wife Nola sponsored a Lawnmower Race in Beaver Dam. “It was just for fun and show,” Hal said.

Now, ten years later, it is a regular week-end occurrence in the cooler months. From October through May, on the second Saturday of each month, the races draw a fun and friendly crowd of participants and spectators; all out for a day of relaxation.

The race is still being sponsored by Seifert. The quarter mile track sits, behind the Beaver Dam Bar. Any money raised from the racing provides food for the Desert Rose Food Bank and sometimes goes to local people who are in need. There is no charge to attend, but donations are welcome.

“We need to thank Mark, Doug and Dennis for providing the food for their hamburgers/hotdogs and pot of Chile for our Road Kill Grill,” said Nola Siefert.

The food is free – served until it is gone. But there is a donation jar on the table. And people are usually generous. Nola said they average about $150 at each monthly event in donations to give to the needy.
Hal owns 30 of the lawnmowers. He recruits drivers to come run in the races each month.

Hal used to ride in the races himself each month. But two years ago, at age of 80, he had an accident causing a broken collar bone. That put an end to his lawnmower racing days.

But he is very much involved and is rarely absent from the track. Last weekend, Seifert donned a grotesque wild-man mask and, with an American flag proudly flying behind his seat, he rides around the track on a lawmower during intermission, doing wheelies.

Hal’s grandson Nate Williams is also passionate about the racing. “I haven’t lost a race yet!” he said.
In his younger days Hal said that he raced on much more than just riding lawnmowers. He also raced speed boats, snowmobiles, sandrails and more.

He works on the motors of his mowers and he has three super-charged, unlimited, mowers that run as fast as 100 miles per hour. They have a special drag race on the street for them.

The race is run in several categories including single cylinder engine, twin cylinder engine, stock, and super stock.

Everyone is welcome. The spectating crowd and the racers have a good time. And it is all for a good cause.