MAN `LAWN-CHING' 4900-MILE LAWN MOWER TRIP

MAN `LAWN-CHING' 4900-MILE LAWN MOWER TRIP

CHICAGO (Wireless Flash) -- Is the grass really greener on the other side? A man in Chicago will soon find out with a 4,900-mile trip aboard a riding lawn mower. Tomorrow (April 7) at 12 noon Eastern time, 34-year-old Brad Hauter will leave Atlanta on a power lawn mower and steer it toward Los Angeles where he hopes to arrive on June 12, possibly setting a Guinness World Record. Hauter -- a college soccer coach -- expects he'll be riding the mower at least 56 hours a week and says he's been training for the event by sitting on his butt for 8 hours a day. The riding mower is a Yardman RT-99 which can reach speeds of up to 22 m.p.h. -- but Hauter says he will probably keep it down to 10 m.p.h. Besides the chance of setting a Guinness record, Hauter also hopes to raise $100,000 in charity donations for the Great American Cleanup.

CONTACT: Brad Hauter, ****; Arrange through Carolyn Dettman; Chicago, IL; (312) 240-2741 or 312-530-8351 (pager)