Rusk City Council District 3 Councilman Martin Holsome looks over the agenda before the start of the regular city council meeting at the Rusk Civic Center on Thursday Aug. 9, 2018. Holsome won his seat by one vote, beating the incumbent. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

RUSK — The smell of fuel, insect repellent and sunscreen hang in the hot, humid air settling over a makeshift dirt track in Rusk while the sound of motors revving slowly escalate ever louder.

At the first hint of a start, racers hunker over souped-up mechanical marvels, seemingly frozen in gleeful anticipation.

Meanwhile, the crowd of onlookers — fighting humidity, chiggers and mosquitoes behind a safety line of hay bales — hollers in delight.

A green flag lowers to signal the start of the inaugural Grasscar Lawn Mower Races at the Rusk Motor Speedway and contestants barrel forward in a battle for bragging rights, fueling what some believe could become the next big thing in Rusk — lawnmower racing.

About 250 people showed up for the initial event, including first time racer T.J. Hill, 35, of Rusk, who used donated parts to transform his contraption from lawn yawner to a mighty mower, capable of doing 50 mph in the turn.

“I was really nervous at first,” he said afterward. “I guess ultimately it was just a bunch of rednecks out there having fun. And I’ll keep doing it until the day they tell me I can’t do it any more.”

SMALL TOWN USA

This uncommon racing spectacle is the brainstorm of Rusk City Councilman Martin Holsome, 39 — husband, father, entrepreneur and seemingly, accidental politician.

The heavily tattooed logger in well-worn Wranglers captured the District 3 seat earlier this year by one vote, telling constituents he wanted to make a difference in the community and revive local pride.

He pledged to help Rusk return to the kind of town that attracts and retains business and families, creating for new generations what he and so many others had growing up — a wonderful place to call home.

It’s been a whirlwind, often-bumpy learning experience so far.

But Holsome — who describes himself as an imperfect, blue-collar guy who loves Jesus — is slowly settling into his role one idea at a time, starting with a new initiative: Small Town USA.

“Basically, Small Town USA is an initiative to get people out doing something and get them doing something other than texting or playing on their phones,” he said. “Our town has got so much potential and it’s too much of a sweet spot to go to ruin … I remember what it was and I want it to be that way again.”

PUSHING FOR CHANGE

The town Holsome and others so fondly remember is a place with a warm, vibrant downtown and family friendly activities that solidified a sense of community.

“We would cruise the drag … we would congregate, tell lies and talk about girls,” he teased. “We were being kids.”

About 2004, things started changing after city leaders decided to implement an ordinance that prohibited hanging out downtown after hours, he said.

As a result, local youth headed elsewhere to mix and mingle.

Activity in the historic downtown slowed.

And people started drifting elsewhere to shop, dine and have fun, leaving behind a scattering of empty buildings and quiet city streets.

Since taking office, Holsome and his elected peers agreed to repeal the curfew so downtown social activities can resume, and tweak voter-approved alcohol provisions allowing the lawful sale of certain beverages.

After the ruling, a host of social opportunities started popping up downtown — outdoor movies, live music, a street dance and an ice cream social with more to come.

There’s also new energy building outside the downtown area as well.

Entrepreneur Chris Baker is seeking permission from elected leaders to create a racetrack for high-end, radio-controlled cars. As part of his project, he plans to rent out some miniature cars to reach a new audience of participants, who might otherwise find the hobby out of reach financially.

The proposal received an unofficial, but enthusiastic “thumbs up” from the City Council after Baker sent a tiny car whizzing through the audience at the most recent council meeting. Final approval is pending the selection of a suitable location.

But the real crown jewel of the Small Town USA effect, so far, appears to be the reinvented lawnmowers, the next race event tentatively set for Sept. 22.

“Lawnmower races just seemed like a good idea,” Holsome said with a shrug. “It’s something different and people really seemed to like it. Basically, they are getting out and having a little fun.”

Participants seem to agree.

“I want my boys in there getting their hands dirty and learning something,” first-time racer Hill said, describing the enjoyment of working in the garage with his children. “This opens up windows of opportunity so families can do stuff together.”

ROOTED IN RUSK

Growing up in Rusk appears to be both an asset and a pain for Holsome.

He’s perhaps best recalled locally for the days of his youth, when he was a plainspoken, adventure-seeking rebel who routinely challenged the status quo.

“Growing up here, I’m always looked at as being that 17-year-old kid who did what he did,” Holsome said.

Holsome has an arrest record and spent time in jail for his youthful antics, records show.

“There’s nothing I’m going to try and hide,” he said, citing burglary and criminal mischief charges stemming from a late night party in an old warehouse to improperly carrying a weapon in his vehicle.

“I’ve got a whole folder on the things I’ve done,” he said. “I’ll always be known as the party guy … But that’s not who I am anymore.”

The wild days of Holsome’s youth appear long over, replaced it seems by a whole lot of normal: random gray hairs, long workdays, family responsibilities, council obligations and middle-of-the-night brainstorming.

“I love this town,” he said. “This is my hometown, it’s where I grew up, and I’m really attached to the place. I came in as an underdog. Nobody expected me to run and nobody expected me to win. A lot of people are not happy with the outcome of the election, but I’m going to work hard and do my best.”

As with many new endeavors, however, there is a learning curve, especially in public service.

The Rusk City Council is known to split on issues on occasion, most recently squabbling over governing documents, funding and personnel, to name a few.

At least one lawsuit is in the works to compel the town to examine, interpret and adhere to its own rules and it’s unlikely everyone will be happy when the dust settles.

The logger-turned-councilman appears in it for the long haul.

Holsome said in the end, it’s not about what people think about him or his tattoos or his youthful indiscretions or his political positioning — it’s about what benefits Rusk and the people who call it home.

For Tara Tatarski, general manager of the Rusk Chamber of Commerce, the deliberate push to breathe new air into the town seems a dream come true.

“At mower night, I just couldn’t believe it,” she said with a giggle. “When I saw those lawn mowers going by about 60 miles per hour, I said, ‘Wow!’ It was so amazing … I didn’t know a lawnmower could go that fast. Children were just sitting there in awe.”

She’s got a lengthy list of events already in the works: cruise night, public pianos, game night, movie nights, downtown trick-or-treating, parades and “Hogg Fest,” an entire festival themed to late Gov. Jim Hogg that includes hog kissing, calling and roasting.

“I’m so excited,” she said. “I was born and raised here, too, and I have a passion for everyone to be more unified. Our town needs some stuff to do … we’re trying to have more fun.”

‘ACCIDENTAL POLITICAN’

Deep in the shadowy forest outside Pierces Chapel, it’s difficult to catch a breeze or escape the stifling summer humidity.

Air surrounding a remote logging site is punctuated with the sounds of heavy machinery that grinds and growls as work crews collect timber for the mill, amid ticks, mosquitoes and critters that lurk under the leaves.

This is Holsome’s workplace and a snapshot of his life outside the council chambers.

“It’s easy to bog down in the sand … the trucks just sink,” he said from his work site, clothing coated in sawdust and grit. “We’re a couple of miles in the woods … it takes about 25 minutes to get back there because it’s on the side of a mountain.”

Holsome works as an independent logging contractor, routinely rising before the sun and skipping meals to squeeze in a few more minutes of work.

Days are spent transporting fresh cut logs to one of about half a dozen mills in the area.

“Some days are harder than others,” he said, grimacing after an angry hornet invades his work shirt and becomes trapped. “But hey, I like what I do. I like being in the woods. It’s peaceful out here … at least most of the time.”

Some who deal with Holsome in these conditions seem surprised by his new role as councilman.

“I guess accidental politician is probably the best way to describe him,” said logger Brandon Wiley from Buffalo. “Martin will always tell you what’s on his mind, whether you like it or not. He’s honest … if I need help he’s there in no time. Yes, I was shocked at first that he decided to run, but the more I visited with him, the more I realized why he did it. Martin does things out of the goodness of his heart.”

His family agrees.

Wife Rachel Holsome owns a daycare and holds down the fort when her husband is handling other things. The couple enjoys four children between them, ranging in age from college to early elementary.

The responsibilities of public service nibble away at their family time, but everyone is learning to adjust.

Rachel helps with local events and keeps a fresh change of clothes at her daycare so her husband can change on the fly for 6 p.m. council meetings, workshops and functions.

“If it weren’t for God, I couldn’t do it,” she said, leaning for a moment against a brightly decorated wall at her center. “It was surreal when he won, we didn’t know what to think. He had talked to the incumbent and had been given lots of good advice. And now, he’s actually putting footwork and action to his words.”

She said the sacrifices are worth it because the town needs to attract and retain young families to keep it viable.

“With Small Town USA, you think of fun things, family things — that’s what it’s all about,” she said. “It’s what this town needs.”

Daughter Mykaela, 18, is starting Tyler Junior College to study social work — inspired, at least partly, by her father’s efforts to step up and try to make a difference.

“I thought it was a cool idea when he decided to run,” she said. “Sometimes I call him Councilman Holsome just for laughs, but we are proud of him. We support him and appreciate what he’s trying to do.”

TWITTER @ TMT _ Jacque