With a nickname like ‘Racing Granny’, you’d think Becky Kuhfeldt would be easy-going.
And she is – off the track, at least.
“I’ll take it easy on you for the first few laps,” she joked.
On the track, she shows no mercy. The grandmother of four started mowing lawns to make extra money for her first car four decades ago. Now, she mows down the competition on her souped-up lawn mower.
“They come out and see it and it’s like, ‘Oh my God’”, says her husband and fellow racer, Doc. “You tell them 100 horsepower, over 100 mph and they’re like ‘Yeah right.'"
The Sarasota duo picked up the hobby again after a few years away from the sport. Doc drag raced in his younger days. Becky saw lawn mower racing on TV one day and decided to give it a try.
“A lot of people offer me to cut their grass,” she said with a smile. “I’m into dirt and clay now.”
The two will be among the participants in this weekend’s Winter National Championship Lawn Mower Races at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Sanctioned by the United State Lawn Mower Association, there are 11 racing classes from wild to mild. The action will take place the Equestrian Center covered arena and is free with the price of admission.
Racing begins at noon on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
“We’re racing for plastic trophies,” said Doc. “There is no money here. Just bragging rights.”
