The Dewberry Mudbog was started in 1990 after two neighbor friends bet each other $1.00 that the other wouldn't be able to mow a swampy portion of an elderly neighbor's yard faster than the other could. This eventually led to the "pit." The Dewberry Mudboggers are the only lawnmower mud racing team in existance as of yet. We got our name "The Dewberry Mudboggers" because of where this all began -- on Dewberry Road in Columbus, Ohio.

The mudboggers race for bragging rights, and you get to take home the #1 Dewberry Mudbog Flag if you win for the day (and a trophy), and a trophy if you place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd for the mudbog season. The mudboggers' runs are timed through a 40-foot mud pit for the fastest time. The fastest time ever was 2.52 seconds. The lawnmowers are standard lawnmowers except for the removal of blade decks, the addition of wheelie bars, and the rest are TOP SECRET MODIFICATIONS!!!

Stock motors (standard factory lawnmower engines) and a 16-horsepower maximum are mandatory, but changes in belts, pulleys, tires, and gears designed to add speed and traction are allowed.

We use a point system, 20 points for the fastest time for that heat, 19 points for the second fastest time, 18 points for the third fastest, and so on. The trophies are awarded by the point system for the season. We award trophies for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as a last place trophy (it's got a horses "___" on top!!).

The Ohio Mower Racers was formed in 1998 by the Dewberry Mudboggers and other Ohio lawnmower racers for more race action close to home. OMR Members Nate Hendricks, Chuck Miller, and Tim Matheny raced at the first US Lawn Mower Racing Association's National event in 1992. Imagine that -- driving 7 hours from home to Illinois, not expecting to see another lawnmower racer at all, let alone lawnmower racers who live within an hour's drive of your home, and you meet TWO Ohioans!?! Since the Dewberry Mudboggers only had a month's notice before the first USLMRA event, all the Dewberry members pulled their resources together to help with Tim's mower. (Tim actually had 8 of us Dewberry Mudboggers in his pit crew!!) Some of our members have been grass racing their mowers since the 1980's. Some are tractor pullers, and some have go-cart racing experience. In this great melting pot of mower madness, we have the "Ohio Mower Racers."

The Ohio Mower Racers classes are divided by three classes:

CLASS 1 - 8.0 HP and under. Any stock Lawn Tractor or Rear-Engine Rider. Stock-appearing engine only. Must use original type transmission/transaxle in original drive configuration.

CLASS 2 - 16.0 HP and under (single cylinder). Any stock Lawn Tractor - No Rear-Engine Riders. Stock appearing engine only, maximum 28 cubic inches. Must use original type transmission/transaxle in original drive configuration.

CLASS 3 - 16.0 HP and under. Any modified Lawn Tractor or Rear-Engine Rider allowed. Any Class 1 or 2 mowers allowed. Open engine (can be externally modified) up to 28 cubic inches. NO GO-CARTS ALLOWED, NOR MOTORCYCLE ENGINES -- SORRY GUYS!

For more specifics on what is allowed with the Ohio Mower Racers, please send us an email [email protected]

Please note that the Ohio Mower Racers' rules differ from those of the United States Lawnmower Racing Association's (USLMRA) rules, so please make sure you check with the USLMRA if you want to race in one of their sanctioned races for their regulations and vice versa. NOTE: Since the Ohio Local Chapter was formed with the USLMRA in 2002, the majority of the OMR races are USLMRA rules.