The Greatest Sport on Dirt Is in Gun Barrel City

At 40 miles per hour, the grass doesn’t just look greener—it looks like a blur. Welcome to the world of lawn mower racing, where a humble backyard chore is transformed into a high-octane, dirt-slinging Texas tradition.

Since its formation in 1996, the Lone Star Mower Racing Association (LSMRA) has proven that you don’t need multi-million dollar sponsors to experience the thrill of the checkered flag. All you need is a mower, a little mechanical ingenuity, and the determination to push a machine built for 4 mph to ten times its speed.

The Gun Barrel City Economic Development Corporation (GBC EDC) is proud to sponsor and spotlight the LSMRA as it celebrates 30 years of Texas mower racing.

From Pub Talk to the Paddock

The sport’s roots are as humble as the machines themselves. In 1973, a group of enthusiasts in a British pub bemoaned the rising costs of traditional motorsports. But then, when looking out the window at a groundscrew, they realized something: Everyone owns a mower. In 1992, the sport migrated to the U.S. as an April Fool’s joke, but then quickly took on a more sincere life of its own. Today, the Texas chapter of the United States Lawn Mower Racing Association represents one of the most active and spirited regions in the country with racers driving into Gun Barrel City from all over the South and Southeast.

What Race Day Looks Like

For drivers, race day begins with registration, a tech inspection, and a driver’s meeting before heat races begin. In the buildup to the heat races, 20 to 30 mowers take to Gun Barrel City’s all-dirt oval for five hot laps to fine tune their mowers and racing lines for the track. Running order for the feature races in each class is determined by a series of 10-lap heats.

“In the beginning, it was ‘take your blades off and race around the track.’ But lawn mower racing has evolved,” Neel says. “These people are serious with their engines. The engines in some of these mowers can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000.”

The “GRASSCAR” Community

What truly sets the LSMRA apart isn't the speed but the camaraderie. Walk through the pits at a race in Gun Barrel City, and you won’t find the cutthroat secrecy and cloak-and-dagger tactics that accompany other motorsports. You’ll find racers swapping tools, sharing technical tips on tuning, and laughing over punny mower names such as "Love Mowtion N09" and "Prograsstinator."

“We have 6-year-olds starting in the Mini-Mow classes, and my husband raced until he was 75,” Sammie Neel, racer #9 and former LSMRA secretary and treasurer, says. “We always say from 6 until you don’t feel safe out there anymore.”

“Or your fellow racers don’t feel safe anymore,” Neel adds with a laugh.

There are no cash prizes here – only trophies, bragging rights, and the immense satisfaction of repurposing yard work for recreation. Gun Barrel City’s central location makes it easier for racers and spectators from all over Texas and the greater South and Southeast to take part in the racing weekend.

Gun Barrel City’s oval racetrack was constructed in 2013 on GBC EDC land by the Gun Barrel City Maintenance Department. During the pandemic in 2020, the Gun Barrel City oval became a safe haven and home track where mowers could race once a weekend. The city provides the bleachers, first responders, and necessary preparations for the track to ensure every race weekend runs smoothly.

The LSMRA is looking forward to future upgrades to the track, including water, electricity to better enable night racing, and covered stands for spectators.

Join the 2026 Season

The 2026 racing season is already in full swing, with upcoming events scheduled for September 26th and November 14th in Gun Barrel City. And to commemorate the LSMRA’s 30-year anniversary, you won't want to miss Gun Barrel’s two-day Nationals event this fall on October 24 and 25, where drivers from all over the country are expected to come down and test their mettle on Gun Barrel’s all-dirt oval.

Whether you want to test your mettle on the track or simply bring the family out for an afternoon of unique Texas entertainment, the LSMRA welcomes you. Visit the LSMRA website for more information on track dates, driver standings, and volunteer and sponsorship opportunities.