Monday, November 23, 2015

Fastest lawnmower: Norwegian team breaks Guinness World Records record (VIDEO)

SANDEFJORD, Norway -- The Norwegian Speed Factory team started with a Viking T6 lawnmower and rebuilt it into "The World's Fastest Viking" for the speed run at Torp Sandefjord Airport; they brought their souped-up lawn mower to speeds of nearly 135 mph, setting the new world record for the Fastest lawnmower, according to the World Record Academy .

  Photo: This modified Viking lawn mower reached 133.5 mph to break a Guinness World Records world record. Photo courtesy of Viking ( enlarge photo )

The Guinness World Records' record for the fastest lawnmower is 187.61 km/h (116.575 mph) and was constructed and raced by Honda (UK) and Team Dynamics (UK), at The IDIADA Proving Ground, in Tarragona, Spain, on 8 March 2014.

  Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the longest journey on a lawnmower; it is 23,487.5 km (14,594.5 miles) in 260 consecutive days by Gary Hatter (USA). Hatter started his drive in Portland, Maine, on 31 May 2000 and passed through all 48 contiguous US states as well as Canada and Mexico before arriving in Daytona Beach, Florida, on 14 February 2001. He rode a $11,500 (£8,000 at 2001 rates) stock Kubota BX2200-60 mower at a top speed of 14.5 km/h (9 mph), wearing out four sets of front and three sets of rear tyres whilst clocking up 14 miles per gallon on average.

   The Norwegians behind the green machine have been working on it for several months, in collaboration with VIKING gardening company. Led by driver Pekka Lundefaret, the team shredded their goal, bringing the mower up to 133.5 miles per hour and slicing up last year's record of 117 miles per hour.

   The team said the rebuilt mower features 408 horsepower with a V8 engine and has the wheels of a Formula 3 car. The reservoir for collecting grass clippings was converted into a fuel tank and cooling system.

   Paul Virik Nilsen, marketing manager for Viking, applauded the accomplishment.

   "Today we are proud to have the world's fastest lawnmower. It was an exciting day because of the weather, but Pekka and the rest of the gang did a great job. This is going to get attention worldwide," he said.