COOK- It’s always one of the most popular events at Cook’s Annual Timber Days, and this year’s lawnmower races didn’t disappoint.
The crowd found something a little different this year – volunteer race organizer Marty Yourczek and his crew lined the curbs with hay bales this time, an extra safety effort to keep people from sitting on the curbs to watch the races. Volunteers kept sharp eyes on the crowd to keep people from using the bales, intended as barriers, as benches.
The race typically draws contestants from a wide area, and this year one even came from Wisconsin to compete. And for the first time anyone could recall, the stock division even included a racer with a push mower.
Zero-turn mowers held sway in the stock division, with Bob Hanson taking the trophy and $100 first prize. Cook’s Evan Kajala placed second and won $50. Salena Dancker topped the modified class, also winning $100, while Mike Strom collected the $50 runner-up check. By applause and cheers in a post-race parade of racers, Strom was also chosen as the people’s choice winner.