The News-Times/Wendy Carlson Rob Stouffer has a handheld GPS unit, a global positioning system, that allows him to plot out the maze as Dean Schultz follows with spray paint at Larson's Farm Market in Brookfield.

BROOKFIELD - Dean Schultz used his love of NASCAR racing to inspire an unusual design for the annual "a-maiz-ing maze" at Larsons Farm Market.

For the past two years, the mazes carved in the cornfield behind the farm market were suggested by a European designer. In 2002 the maze had a jungle theme and last year the cornfield was carved as an undersea adventure.

But earlier this year the 39-year-old Schultz - who owns the farm market and leases the corn field - was watching the Daytona 500 and got an idea that was close to his heart.

This year's maze will cover nine acres in the shape of the tri-oval Daytona race track. In the center will be the famous No. 3 and No. 8 cars of Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The elder Earnhardt died three years ago in a crash at the Daytona race.

Rob Stouffer of Precision Mazes is carving the design now at the farm on Route 133. Stouffer uses a custom corn cutter retrofitted with a computer that shows him where to carve.

The maze won't be open to the public until the weekend of Aug. 28 when the corn is high. When it's ready, the "NASCORN 9-Acre Caper" will have four miles of path.

That's a mile longer than the past two mazes, which took people anywhere from 45 minutes to four hours to complete, said Schultz.

Very few people get through the maze without opening up the sealed envelope they're given at the start that shows the way out, Schultz said. "You're staring at walls of corn" from 6 to 9 feet high. "You could keep walking in circles."

There's more to the maze than finding a way out. It's also a puzzle in the form of a brochure with a narrative story and a crossword puzzle to fill in.

This year's caper involves a race car driver who is nervous but confident as he is about to qualify for a race. Then he finds that someone has sabotaged his car. Ten parts of the car are missing and can be found throughout the maze.

If maze walkers find the parts, they can fill in the blanks on a sheet. By the end, they'll know where the race is being held. Another set of clues will give maze walkers the name of the saboteur.

"It's a nice outing for the family," said Schultz, "especially in the fall when we also have hay rides and a pumpkin Patch."


The 'A-maiz-ing maze" at Larson's Farm Market on Route 133 in Brookfield will open on Aug. 28 and will be oven every Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 7. It will also be open on certain holidays, such as Labor Day, and on Friday nights starting in October. The cost is $9.75 for adults,, $7.50 for children under 13 years of age and senior citizens older than 60, and free for children under 3. For further information, call (203) 740-2790 or go to larsonsfarmmarket.com.


Contact Marietta Homayonpour at mhomayonpour@newstimes.com or at (203) 731-3336.