ARMA stands for the American Racing Mower Association. It was founded in 2005 by members of Paul Shafer Motorsports and a group of racers from the Mid-Atlantic region. ARMA was created to bring groups of racers from various independent groups together and provide them with a national level racing series. Many of the members of these independent groups have not been able to race with other national level organizations due to differences in build rules and racing philosophies. ARMA is striving to bring about changes on both of these fronts. A rulebook was created that attempted to include build ideas from organizations across the United States. Input from racers was sought through a group site in refining and developing the rules. Programs were developed to acknowledge the efforts of the racers through small incentives and tokens of appreciation. The motto of ARMA is “Mower Racing for More People” and we strive to live by this credo.
Racing Classes:
ARMA offers seven classes of racing. The classes are divided based upon amount of modification and engine size. The most minimally modified is the Super Stock class. While some changes are permitted, mowers must maintain an 8 to 1 gear ratio. Mowers built in a similar manner are raced by pre-teen through 15 year olds in the Junior Prepared class. The Mini-Sportsman class mowers were built from original 8.5 horsepower and under engine blocks. The Sportsman class mowers use valve in block motors originally built at 8.5 horsepower and over. Our newest class is the Mod-X class, built from either a single overhead valve or twin opposed valve in block motor that started as 20 horsepower and under. Super Sportsman mowers started with 25 horsepower and under motors. And, the Pro-X class uses a variety of single cylinder four stroke lawn mower engines with unlimited horsepower ratings. The ARMA rulebook provides more details concerning mower builds and specifications. We were also the FIRST national group to have a JP class for kids at a national level. We believe in the family and want to include everyone at the races.
ARMA Organization:
ARMA currently has just over 400 members throughout the United States. These members are organized into 14 local chapters. These chapters cover either an individual state or a geographic region. Local chapters can be found up and down the east coast, in the south-central United States, mid-west and as far west as California. ARMA is the fastest growing national racing organization in the United States right now.
Media Exposure:
ARMA has appeared in print media articles in the Press Enterprise, Mechanicsville Local, Virginia Times, York Daily Record, Roanoke Times, Diamond City, Delmarva Daily Times, The Frederick News, and a variety of other fair newspapers, fliers and posters. A recent feature article was included in the Richmond Magazine.
Radio interviews have been heard on local Baltimore-Washington and Delmarva Broadcasting network stations.
Television interviews and features have been broadcast on local Fox and ABC affiliates on both the east coast and in the Midwest.
Specialty media presentations include a feature filmed by Comcast Television for use on their network as an initial show and later rebroadcast over several months. Currently, ARMA is the focus of a documentary being shot by an independent filmmaker for 2008 release.
Other Promotional Exposure
ARMA maintains its own website (www.golawnmowerracing.com) for use by the general public and its racers. In a 13 month period of time the website has received 434,000 hits. Through the use of its own funding, ARMA was able to secure spots in trade and specialty shows throughout the United States. These appearances included Pennsylvania Fairs and Festivals Convention, Virginia Association of Fairs Convention, West Virginia Fair Convention, North/South Carolina Festival Convention, and Motorama. ARMA most recently participated in the Area Auto Racing News Show in Atlantic City, New Jersey. ARMA was part of a display featuring Amsoil dealers and the Cadaver monster truck.
Prior to National Points Series races ARMA racers frequently set up displays at local businesses in the area. This allows them to showcase their mowers and our sponsors.
Racing Exposure:
ARMA produced 130 local chapter and National Points Series races in 2007. These races were held in California, Montana, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Races will again be held in these states during the 2008 racing season. With the inclusion of local chapters in Arkansas, Wisconsin, and other Midwest locations currently under review, it would be expected that additional local and National Points series races would be held in these spots as well.
In addition to racing at dedicated racing facilities, ARMA races were held at major fairs and festivals in various states. At these races local Amsoil dealers were invited to attend and set up displays to promote their products in conjunction with the racing action. Average public attendance at these events for 2007 was 3,000 per fair.
Charity Work:
ARMA has worked with a variety of charities to raise money for their organizations through race events. These include local fire companies, Moose lodges, and youth community centers. In addition, we recently began working as a partner with the Victory Junction Gang.
Growth Trend:
ARMA’s membership and race dates increased between 2006 and 2007. Membership was up 390%. Race dates were up 550%. Expectations are for this trend to continue in 2008. Early membership applications and requests for race contracts verify this prediction.
Chapter Information
Our current local chapter package is pretty simple. Potential local chapters complete an application listing organizational information for the group, location, etc. Chapters should but are not required to contain 15 members. The board reviews the applications and grants local chapter charters. We tried to set it up this way so that one person wasn't able to grant or refuse anyone the right to establish a local chapter. For a $100 fee local chapters receive two cases of Amsoil product to give to their members and sponsor banners to display at races. So, even though there is an up-front "investment" chapters receive more than that back in goodies.
Insurance is a bit different than some are familiar with. Local chapters do not pay a per person fee for insurance. Right now we have a program worked out where the national organization will pay for a year's worth of insurance that will cover all local chapters. This gives each local chapter two million dollars worth of liability coverage for their races at no cost to them plus medical for drivers which includes ambulance fees and death and dismemberment. All first year LC’s are provided this insurance free. After your first year there is a one time small fee for insurance at the beginning of the year and that’s it.
Local chapters are free to run Kid's Stock classes as they wish. The mowers are prepared using the build standards for the adult classes in the rulebook. The rulebook addresses the classes that are run for national points, so those would be for the 16 and older crowd. The board for approval reviews requests for additional classes.
Local chapters are asked to provide race schedules, track information, copies of waivers and race results to the ARMA head office.
ARMA Memebership
ARMA membership runs from Jan 1st to Dec 31. Yearly membership fees are 25.00 per member. It is with great pleasure that I am able to release to the lawnmower racing public the contents of the ARMA membership program. First of all, let me state that most of our package has been provided for the racers by our great national sponsor AMSOIL. Without support from sponsors like them, we could not offer such a program to the racers.
For each $25.00 new membership fee, the member will receive
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retail value |
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1- flame red AMSOIL baseball cap |
$24.00 |
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1- long sleeve AMSOIL racing jersey |
$42.00 |
|
2- qts. AMSOIL synthetic motor oil |
$12.00 |
|
1- neck lanyard for membership card |
$3.00 |
|
1- ARMA membership card |
priceless |
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1- AMSOIL product catalog |
free |
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1- preferred racer discount on Amsoil 25% off purchases |
|
|
4- AMSOIL stickers |
$6.00 |
|
1- copy of ARMA rulebook |
free |
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Total value |
$87.00 |
As you can see there is quite a value in becoming an ARMA member
and this is just the beginning. I would like to thank all the new
members that have already joined and invite those that have not to
come check out the our website www.golawnmowerracing.com check frequently to keep up on news race dates or to talk with tech and other staff.
Aaron Crowl
ARMA National Race Director
Also when you the racer attends a National ARMA points race, you will not pay a race fee. You will however be paid 30.00 per mower you race that day. We do not blow our horns claiming to be the best or the premier group. What we do do is promise you will have a great time and be apart of the fastest growing motorsport in the USA. Its all about the racer. So come on out and Join usfor some great racing, great fellowship, meet new friends, and experiance racing in a different kind of way!!!.
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