| First run | 4 July 1963 |
|---|---|
| Characteristics | |
| Team members | 33 competitors |
| Mixed-sex | yes |
| Type | Outdoor track |
| Equipment | Riding lawn mower |
| Venue | Plank-Hill Park |
The Twelve Mile 500 is a lawn mower race held in the small town of Twelve Mile, Indiana, organized by the Twelve Mile Lions Club and occurring annually on Independence Day.
The tradition began in 1963, as a race for factory-built mowers, with their mowing decks removed. The first race took place at the former site of the Twelve Mile High School, with a traditional oval track. In 1969, the race was moved to its present location of Plank-Hill Park, and adopted a new "Grand Prix" style track. In 1996, the event was split into a two races, with one for four-cycle Briggs lawn mowers, and another for modified mowers. The race structure was changed again in 2010, with the addition of a super stock race, in addition to the Briggs and modified races. [1] [2]
The Twelve Mile 500 is 15 mi (24 km) race, with 60 laps run on a one-quarter mile (0.40 km) track in the park, with a maximum of 33 entrants per race. Each participating team consists of a driver, a two-person pit crew, and a lap judge, and must meet a speed of approximately 30 mph (48 km/h) to qualify. [3]