DATE: Thursday, September 18, 1997          TAG: 9709180058

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ROY A. BAHLS, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   43 lines

KIDS REV UP LAWN TRACTORS FOR FUN, FIGHTING DRUGS

HAMPTON ROADS has seen hydroplane races, Soapbox Derby races, foot races, car races and even pig races. Now we've got lawn-tractor races.

This weekend, at four area Kmarts and at the Neptune Festival Air Show, youngsters will rev up bladeless riding lawn mowers, refitted to look like race cars. They'll ``roar'' around a 185-foot track featuring hairpin turns, tunnels, speed bumps, bridges and barriers - at a blazing 5 mph.

This is the second year for the Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs national touring campaign, which sets up tracks in Kmart parking lots. Its stated purpose is to educate children against drug abuse, raise funds and provide a fun outing.

Expectations are for 200,000 children ages 7 to 12 to strap on a helmet and get behind the wheel of tractors at 350 Kmart locations in 38 cities across the country before this year's tour concludes in November.

Last year almost 35,000 children participated, and $500,000 was donated to drug-prevention charities. The projected donation this year is $2 million.

``The response from parents and the communities have been exceptional,'' said Kmart spokeswoman

Salem. ``The parents like the fact the money is going back into their community to help in the development of their children.''

Providing fun for the children is also of the highest priority.

``When the kids first get there, most don't really know what's going on,'' Salem said. ``They see this big race track and then start driving. When they hit that finish line they have smiles from ear to ear.''

Kids race against the clock in three age categories (7-8, 9-10 and 11-12). Each racer's time will be recorded down to a hundredth of a second, and each child will receive a T-shirt, hat and certificate listing their race time. They'll also have a chance to become the grand-prize winner for their age group and win a $10,000 college scholarship.

There's no charge to participate. Kmart donates $5 for each participant to the local Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE, agency. KEYWORDS: COLOR KMART PHOTO

KMART LETS YOUNGSTERS GET BEHIND THE WHEEL...

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu