Rutland's Voelker family is revved about bringing lawnmower racing back to the Salmon Arm Fair.
As Voltage Lawnmower Racing/Sledding & Adventures, the Voelkers ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½“ Bonnie, Chris and sons Garret and Gage ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½“ had an opportunity to get their mowers running at the Salmon Arm fairgrounds grandstand at June's Demo Derby.
Bonnie, who doesn't race but minds a myriad of other things for team Voltage, and the lawnmower racing community, said the mower heats were very well received by derby-goers.
Now the family is gearing up for their "Fall Fair Circuit," which includes two days of races, Aug. 23 and 24, at the Salmon Arm Fair.
"My team, my husband and my two boys, weÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™ve been racing for 14 years, and this year I was asked by the (Salmon Arm) Fair board to bring racing back," said Bonnie, who grew up in Celista. Chris, her spouse, was raised in Turtle Valley.
"I'm the president of the event, and because weÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™ve got this whole Rust Valley thing going on, and people building different things and interested in cars, they thought it would be great to bring it back to Salmon Arm."
Lawmower racing involves the use of modified lawnmowers, ride on or self-propelled, without the cutting blade, zipping around on dirt tracks. As with any motorized sport, there are different race classes, with mowers being divided by type and racer experience, as will be the case at the Salmon Arm Fair.
"Right now we have Rookie Class, that's under 14 HP, we have STOCK A which is up to 14 HPÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¦then thereÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s STOCK B which is up to 19 HPÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¦ and then we have Outlaw class."
Outlaw class mowers tend to be highly modified, and can get up there in speed and cost.
"It can be as cheap as getting a free lawnmower and spending some backyard time modifying it," said Bonnie of lawnmower racing. "Or it could be somebody who is really passionate and really wants to go hog wild with it and invest a lot of money into the Outlaw class. The one that we have is about $5,000."
When not racing lawnmowers, the Voelkers keep busy with other outdoor adventures that include racing dirt bikes and snowmobiling. Lawnmower racing became a part of their adventures after taking part in a try event hosted by the former North Okanagan Lawmower Racing Club.
"It was based in Armstrong, where a group of guys that have retired nowÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¦ they brought lawnmower racing to the community and thatÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s where we started out, with that group of people," said Bonnie, explaining the family's interest in the sport was sparked after taking in the races at Lumby Days.
"This his was 14 years ago, and on the way home we were talking about it, 'how cool is that, I think that would be super fun', and just talking as you do," said Bonnie. "The next weekend, I went to a garage sale with my girlfriend and there was a grandpa there who had a mower for sale with a trailerÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¦He was standing by the lawnmower looking really sad to sell it; there was a track all the way around his yard where he used his mower."
Bonnie bought the mower, called Chris to come pick it up, and soon after the family found the North Okanagan club. After trying a club event, the family was hooked. They now have a "fleet" of racing mowers that they'll haul to communities in B.C. and Alberta to take part in various events.
With there being "zero money in lawnmower racing," one of Bonnie's tasks is organizing sponsors for the racing events, so they can award prizes and trophies, as is the plan for Salmon Arm. For Bonnie, a big reward of lawnmower racing is that it's something her family enjoys doing together, including her sons who are 20 and 22. There's also the racing community ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½“ their growing extended family.
"The reason weÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™ve become super passionate about it, itÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s not been winning, itÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s been the race family that weÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™ve created," said Bonnie. "Some of these people have been in our lives for 14 years, weÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™ve spent Christmases and holidays together, we do race family potlucks, we do camp outs; a lot of these people have become lifelong friends who we never would have met had we not travelled."
Asked if any of the Voelkers' mowers are used for their intended purpose at home, Bonnie responded with a laugh.
"No, no we do not at all," said Bonnie. "If youÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™ve seen our yard, you would be like, are you kidding me! ThereÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s no lawnmowing happening. What they will do ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½“ itÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s called crop circles, where they will do donuts until there is dirt, thatÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s what happens."
When it comes to lawnmower racing, Bonnie stressed safety is number one. Participating mowers are required to follow safety and build guidelines, and racers are required to wear protective gear.
For more information, Bonnie has a set up the 2025 British Columbia Lawnmower Racing Info page on Facebook.
Watch the Observer for more information about the Aug. 22-24 Salmon Arm Fair.