All images courtesy of the Belt Sander Championships and Bertie's Inn
Bertie’s Inn Website | Event Page
Yes, there are races for remote-controlled belt sanders. This is not one of them. This is the original event where individuals ride to glory down a wooden track, steering an electric belt sander that can reach speeds upwards of 50 mph.
The race, which in 2026 enters its 34th year, is staged each July by Bertie’s Inn in Exeter, Pennsylvania, and benefits local charities. Videos of the race have also gone viral on social media, racking up millions of views.
Sports Destination Management had to know more and set out to talk with Patricia and John Miravich, co-owners of Berties Inn and organizers of the event.
SDM: How did you get involved with this?
Patricia Miravich: We lived down the street from the bar, and I actually did participate in the race back in the 1990s. I bought the bar eventually and took over organizing the race.
SDM: The question has to come up all the time, though: How did anyone decide to have a belt sander race?
John Miravich: Our understanding is that local businesses in the area were at one time using quirky ideas to compete with one another in order to raise money for charity. One business was a cabinet company and had several people at a trade show. At that show, there were displays of belt sanders, and they got the idea from that. They came home, built a wooden track and started racing them and people really loved it.
SDM: And nobody else is doing this?
John Miravich: To our knowledge, this is the only riding belt sander race in the world. Last year, we had people come from as far away as New Mexico.
SDM: Do you have multiple people racing belt sanders against one another?
Patricia Miravich: You race two at a time, drag strip-style. If two people tie, you have a tiebreaker.
SDM: How does one ride a sander?
Patricia Miravich: It takes two hands; you have to keep one hand in the back on the trigger and one on the handle in the front to help steer it and to balance yourself.
SDM: So it’s not like riding a bull where one hand has to be in the air?
Patricia Miravich: Oh, no, not at all. You need to hang on. We had a local cameraman one year who wanted to try to ride while holding onto his camera; he wound up flat on his back.
SDM: Is there a technique?
Patricia Miravich: There is a technique to it; it’s funny to watch people ride for the first time because belt sanders are very powerful. You sit on it and pray a little bit. It becomes an addiction too. You start saying, “I’m going to come back next year and win this.”
SDM: Do men and women race against one another? Who wins more often?
Patricia Miravich: Yes, anyone can race anyone. We have a double elimination format so people get to try more than once. I would say that we’ve had more women than men who have won but you don’t have to be a small person or anything like that to be better at this.
SDM: Is this a team sport or is it an individual sport?
Patricia Miravich: It’s a team sport; a team is made up of a group of people who work together to raise money. Out of that team, one person rides the sander. We cap this at about 40 teams so that we can do it all in one day. People do a lot of great stuff to raise money; one team brought in their swear jar.
We also have volunteers who are the cord wranglers whose job it is to run behind the racers throughout the day, and of course, there’s someone who has to be in charge of the kill switch at the generator.
John Miravich: It’s also an event that supports local businesses. We choose a local charity and all the proceeds go there. Last year, we raised $24,000. There is live music as well because we have a lot of local bands that play for free; one band comes and sets up all their equipment and everyone plays all day. There are craft beer vendors as well.
Patricia Miravich: We have a local T-shirt company that has designed shirts and over the years, those have become collector’s items because the design is different every single year. We also raise money through sponsorships; you can sponsor a team for $100, an individual for $75 or there is a $250 sponsorship to be listed on the shirt.
SDM: Do people dress up to do this?
Patricia Miravich: Not everyone does, but you do see people dressed as stock car racers, chickens, just about anything. One guy dressed as a sumo wrestler one year.
SDM: Do you have to wear protective gear?
John Miravich: No, but you do have to be 18 or older and you do need to sign a waiver.
SDM: One last question. Do you have standard sanders that people can ride, or are they allowed to bring their own sanders that they might have souped up?
Patricia Miravich: No, they have to ride our sanders. You can’t bring your own!
To learn more about the Belt Sander Championship, text 484-578-9991.
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