On Sunday afternoon, daredevils picked up their motorhart at the NK lawn mower racing in Westerbeek. At a speed of sometimes one hundred kilometers per hour, the participants tore on a staged lawn mower over the pasture. The race celebrated its thirtieth birthday, but the championship is also coming in increasingly heavier due to rules and endless bureaucracy. “First we had ten games a year, now only five,” says one of the daredevils.
The special motorsport has its origins in the village of Westerbeek. “With a small group we used to race in the pasture with lawn mowers. One day we organized a practice round for people from the village. The entire street was full and the police were involved,” laughs organizer Anton Kocken.
In the meantime, the annual village race has grown into a Dutch championship and daredevils from all over the country have stepped on a staged lawn mower.
“He can tap the two hundred kilometers per hour, but on a short straight piece of bumps during a race you often drive around eighty or ninety kilometers per hour,” says a participant.
“Dying out a bit.”
He often gets surprised reactions when he tells about his special hobby. “You don’t see it anywhere and it is also a bit dying. First we had ten games a year, now only five. That is a shame,” he says.
According to Anton, this is due to strict rules from the municipality, which have been added over the years. “If I used to apply for a permit, I had to deliver four A4 pages. Nowadays I have to make a whole book of 176 pages,” says the organizer.
In addition, according to him, it is increasingly difficult to find volunteers. “But with twenty people we have put our shoulders to the wheel to get it again this year.” And with success, because the spectacle attracts a lot of attention on Sunday afternoon.
The competition among the drivers is not too bad, because it feels like a large family. “We help each other when we are unlucky and we look or can help repair,” says a participant.
“The more you bounce, the more you feel it.”
According to participant Koen Vos from Sprang Capelle, the secret of a good driver is to find the right line with the lawn mower. “You have to look up an ideal line without too many bumps. And you have to let it roll well, so that you don’t lose any speed. The more you bounce, the more you feel that next day,” he laughs.
Mechanic Sjef mainly helps the drivers with repairing the lawn mowers and does not quickly get on the fast vehicles. “Who is going to ride a lawn mower? Then you have to be a bit disturbed,” he laughs. “But it gives that kick and that adrenaline.”
