Sunday, November 18, 2012
THE DALLAS POST
PAGE 3
0 at
Eric Pimm and Bob Finnerty race around their practice track in Sweet Valley.
To them, lawnmowers
become racing machines
By MEGAN SCHNEIDER
mschneider@mydallaspost.com
The word racing usually con-
jures up thoughts of high speeds,
adrenaline and wrecks. Two local
men are thinking about things a
little differently, though.
Bob Finnerty, of Sweet Valley,
and Eric Pimm, of Dallas, are na-
tionally ranked with the Ameri-
can Racing Mower Association.
That's right, lawnmower racing.
“Bob came to me at work one
night and said you'll never guess
t I saw on “YouTube,” Pimm
recalling how Finnerty in-
uced him to lawnmower rac-
ing. “I said, ‘No one around here
does that and if you can find
someone to teach us to build
them, then I'll do it with you.’
Here I am, eating my words four
years later.”
Larry Lanning, of Dallas, got
the men involved and helped
them along until they were ready
to race on their own. He even lent
them one of his racers until they
were able to complete the mod-
ifications to their own.
The duo’s first-ever race was lo-
cally held at the Northeast Fair
Finnerty and Pimm have
their mowers all over the
try, the largest being a race
For more information on ARMA and lawnmower racing, visit creeksid-
eracing.com or check out videos on YouTube under American Racing
Mower Association.
with more than 3,000 spectators.
“You name it, we go to ‘em,”
Finnerty said of the events in
which the pair has participated.
All racers start as a typical rid-
ing lawnmower, but after hours
of work and custom fabricated
and modified parts, they become
racers. The mowers are stripped
down to the chassis. The hoods,
seat and other parts are modified
and custom parts such as the ax-
les are added. And, of course,
tweaks are made to the engine.
“Anything you can do to a car
engine, you can do to a lawnmow-
er engine,” said Pimm.
There are nine different classes
of racers, based on the engine’s
horsepower. According to Pimm
and Finnerty, a basic racer or Su-
per Stock, starts with 14 HP but
after modifications are complete,
the racers have approximately 40
HP. It can take about three
months to prepare a racer for ac-
tion.
Racers start as young as age 10
so there are always children at
events and Pimm said that some
events have even featured a Pow-
er Wheels race during intermis-
sion for little ones.
Three-year old Ashtun Pimm
said, “My favorite part is when he
(his father Eric) wins and then I
get the trophy.”
Ashtun said his mommy, Amy
races also, and that “it’s really
cool.”
“It really is a great family atmo-
sphere,” said Pimm, who admits
he probably would not have stuck
with the sport this long had it not
been so family-oriented. His wife
raced in her first event on Oct. 21.
Ashtun talked about his friends
from the races and Pimm said his
entire family has made friend-
ships that carry far beyond the
track. Finnerty said they know
racers from New York and New
Jersey whom they spend time
with off the track.
“There’s a very competitive
spirit, but very friendly as well,”
he said.
Pimm explained there are usu-
ally several small accidents dur-
ing the course of a race day, but
GRRE Fa Se
Eric Pimm poses with his wrecked Pro X class racer.
himself.
everyone is eager to help out a fel-
low racer in need of hands or
parts whether they are a team-
mate or the competition.
“No one wants to win by hav-
ing no one to race against,” he
said.
Pimm suffered an accident dur-
ing the last race of the season just
a few short weeks ago. He was
racing on a clay track-and was on
the inside of a turn. The track was
slippery, the racer running on the
outside of the turn spun out and
Pimm broadsided him, ran up
and over the other racer and
flipped backwards. The mower
he was riding was totaled, suffer-
ing irreparable damage to the
frame. Luckily, no one was hurt.
Finnerty and Pimm are cur-
rently rebuilding four new racers,
including a super modified twin
mower, for next season. It is the
fastest class mower anyone can
race and is capable of reaching
speeds of up to 100 mph on a
straight-away. The racer is cost-
ing Finnerty almost $3,000 to
modify and more time than mon-
ey.
Both men said lawnmower rac-
ing can be an expensive hobby
but provides an opportunity to
meet people and make connec-
tions that make things cheaper
#2,
Ashtun Pimm practices driving his father's lawnmower racer for when he is big enough to race by
and easier. “Almost everyone is
willing to help you out,” Pimm
said.
The two are planning a Build
Clinic for February or March,
open to anyone who wants to
learn more about the sport or
anyone who wants to learn how
to build their own racer. They are
hoping more people from the ar-
ea get interested in lawnmower
racing so they can host more
events locally.
The closest official track is cur-
rently in Tower City. Pimm and
Finnerty are hoping to increase
the size of the local racing chap-
ter to get a track closer to home.
Martha Baird is in control of the kitchen at the Trucksville Unit-
ed Methodist Church Election Day Café.
A cafe
for the
hungry
he Trucksville Unit-
ed Methodist
Church was the
place to be on Election Day
if you were hungry. An
Election Day Café fed vot-
ers and benefited Mother
esa’s Haven, previous
wh as Vision.
Debbie Shilanski helps at the Trucksville United Methodist
Church where an Election Day Café feeds streams of citizens.
CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
Craig and Karen Williams, of Trucksville, appreciate their lunch order from the Trucksville United
Methodist Church Election Day Cafe.
The following transfers of Back Mountain properties were record-
ed in the Luzerne County Office of Recorder of Deeds for the week of
Nov. 59, 2012:
Wilkes-Barre City Industrial Development Authority to Bank of
America, 2325 Memorial Highway, Dallas; $350,000
Bank of America to First Keystone Community Bank, 2325 Memo-
rial Highway, Dallas Borough; $311,309
Silas Blain (administrator), William H. Blaine (estate) to Steven
Rusell, Ross Township; $11,000
Deepak and Mahima Singh to Matthew S. and Sarah S. Bruno,
Pinetree Estates, Jackson Township; $470,000
Emerino Marchetti (executor), Emerino John Marchetti (estate)
to Susan Norris, Unit 104, Building A, Orchard East, Dallas Town-
ship; $85,000
Jason Morini to Douglas E. and Wendy A. Frantz, Laurel Rest
Building, Harveys Lake Borough; $112,000
Robert W.F. and Carole Tabor to Kara M. Demarco and Bruce M.
Ridilla, 1341 Mountain View Drive, Lehman Township; $275,000
Anna Buonsante to Deepak and Mahima Singh, Bulford Farms,
Jackson Township; $632,500
Thomas Charles Cully (executor), Kathryn G. Cully (estate) to
Kate L. Conmy, Lot 1 Mount V Greenwood Heights, Kingston Town-
ship; $115,000
Richard M. Hoyes (trustee), Robert M. and Gertrude M. Hoyes
Revocable Living Trust to Rich Closs, Lot 34, Perrin Plot, Kingston
Township; $122,000
Matthew A. Shedletsky to Derek Johnson, Kingston Township;
$118,000
Anne G. Robinson to Matthew Thomas Blockus and Nicole Lynn
Sudal, Lot 107, Meadowcrest Subdivision, Kingston Township;
$199,000
Angela B. Bonomo to Mark Callahan and Angela B. Bonomo, 1145
Marchakitus Road, Lehman Township; $1
PennDOT sets contest
Young Pennsylvania students
are invited to learn about aviation
and express their creativity
through the PennDOT Bureau of
Aviation’s annual art contest.
This year’s contest theme, “50
Years of American Space Flight,”
encourages students to learn
more about aviation, from air-
plane development to flights into
space. Entries will be judged in
two divisions: first through third
grades and fourth and fifth
grades. Entries must be post-
marked by Nov. 29.
There will be 22 statewide win-
ners, with one winner from each
division selected from each of
PennDOT’s 11 district offices.
Winners will receive a certificate
See CONTEST, Page 10