Published: July 13, 2009 11:18 am      

Bryant’s 500 draws largest crowd yet

By Adam Sulfridge / Staff Writer

The 6th annual Bryant’s 500 drew the largest crowd yet, with well over 300 in attendance this past Saturday outside WD Bryant’s Williamsburg location on Fifth Street.

True to Lee Bryant’s promise, this year’s event possessed a real “carnival type of feel.” Between lawnmower races, visitors enjoyed a dunking booth, chainsaw wood carving, and an obstacle course whereby drivers could test their skills on a Scag mower.

The feature attraction, though, was a series of lawnmower races. Divided up according to class, several races were held, including one for 12 horsepower mowers or less, one for 14 horsepower mowers and above, and one for modified mowers.

Bobbie Freeman, a Williamsburg Police Detective, entered the 14 horsepower and up race as defending champion. Freeman won this year’s event as well, making him a five-time winner. The secret to his success this year: hot pink wheels. When asked why he decided to paint the two front wheels of his mower that color, he smiled and said, “To throw everybody off; it’s strategy.”

Curtis Surgenor took home first place in the 12 horsepower or less category. Driving a bug-eyed John Deere mower so old that it could only be started by a pull cord (as opposed to today’s key and push-button ignition styles), Surgenor crossed the checkered finish line well ahead of opponents.

“Best I can figure, it’s an early 60s model,” he said, guessing at the mower’s age.

Racers weren’t the only ones to win during the event. The mobile adoption unit of the Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter was on hand along with young volunteers hoping to find new homes for some of the shelter’s needy animals. Within the first two hours, four dogs were adopted, partly due to a unique system whereby donors can sponsor an animal so that others may adopt that animal without having to pay an adoption fee.

One lady, who adopted a one-year-old Huskey pup named Al with the help of a sponsor, praised the shelter, its volunteers, and sponsors. Al’s new home, she said, will be a large, fenced-in backyard, perfect for playing with the family’s six kids.