NASCAR Driver Mows His Own Way
June 2, 2014Ricky Stenhouse Jr. enjoys mowing his own grass with Dixie Chopper lawn mower
COATESVILLE, INDIANA (JUNE 1, 2014) – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is no stranger to being in the driver’s seat. The second-year NASCAR Sprint Cup driver won back-to-back Nationwide Series Championships in 2011 and 2012 and won the coveted NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 2013.
Although his on-track success catapulted Stenhouse to the top of the motorsports world, the humble 26-year-old Mississippi native hasn’t strayed too far from his hard-working roots. When it comes to mowing the grass at his home in Cornelius, North Carolina, Stenhouse insists on doing the work himself.
Stenhouse’s weapon of choice is a Dixie Chopper XCaliber Twin, a massive twin-engine zero-turn lawn mower that is powered by two Generac® engines that provide a combined 54 horsepower. The XCaliber Twin delivers industry-leading power that slices through even the thickest grass with ease.
“When the mower first arrived, I jumped right on and cut until dark,” said Stenhouse. “I try and get out here once a week and mow as much as I can.”
“At first I was going to get a tractor with a rotary attachment and they asked me, ‘what size, five foot, six foot?’,” said Stenhouse. “I said I might as well get an XCaliber, it’s more than six feet across and it mows way faster than a tractor.”
Stenhouse hasn’t slowed down on the track during his second year on the Sprint Cup circuit, posting three top ten finishes in 2014, including second place at Bristol Motor Speedway’s Food City 500 in March. His new mower allows him to stay at top speed off the track as well.
“I love the fact that I don’t have to slow the mower down at all,” said Stenhouse. “And the unit’s maneuverability allows me to easily mow between fence posts, which really cuts down on the weed eating.”
With so many NASCAR drivers living in the area, it didn’t take long for some of his track mates to hear about his new ride.
“On pit road at Darlington, a couple of the drivers came down and asked me about the mower, just amazed at how much horsepower it has,” said Stenhouse. “But I’m probably the only driver mowing his own lawn. I love it so much I’m going to get a light kit for the machine so I can mow at night.”
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About Dixie Chopper
Founded in 1980, Dixie Chopper revolutionized the entire lawn and garden industry by providing the first zero-turn lawn mowers built specifically for commercial mowing contractors. Today Dixie Chopper continues to lead the industry in innovation and quality. Known as “the World’s Fastest Lawn Mower,” Dixie Chopper mowers are about much more than being fast. The company prides itself on providing quality and reliability in addition to speed. To learn more about Dixie Chopper and view the complete lineup of zero-turn lawn mowers, visit the company’s website at www.dixiechopper.com. Dixie Chopper is owned by Jacobsen, a Textron (NYSE: TXT) Company.