Johnny Langeraap wins the Northeast’s SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 Regional Competition!

Johnny Langeraap claims the “Northeast’s Best Bricklayer” title.

 On September 12^th, 2024, at Del R Gilbert & Son Block Co. in Hooksett NH, mason Johnny Langeraap and tender Mike McMarrick with Langeraap Masonry took first place at the SMBL500 Northeast Regional event. Now they will move forward to compete in the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the World of Concrete Tradeshow! 

 Laying 578 bricks in 60 minutes, the duo topped the competition with a 140+ brick margin above the second-place competitors. This team’s skills and speed won them the “Northeast’s Best Bricklayer” award for the second year in a row and secured their tickets to Vegas. Winning $1,600 in cold hard cash. This will be Johnny’s 4^th time going to Vegas to compete.

 The 2024 Regional Series includes 22 events throughout the United States and Canada. To qualify for the SMBL500 event in Las Vegas, teams will compete at one of the 22 individual regionals and battle for first place to secure their spot in the national competition. The teams consist of one mason and one tender; working on a 26-foot-wide wall, they have 60 minutes to lay as much brick as possible with the fewest craftsmanship errors. These teams are only allowed to compete once at one regional event throughout the year, and each duo that wins first place will advance to what is known as the “Superbowl of Masonry.” At the World Championship, they will compete to win part of $125,000 in cash and prizes, including a Chevrolet Silverado 4 x 4 Truck, Kubota RTV-X1130, an Essick Pro12 mixer, and of course, the title, “World’s Best Bricklayer.”

 In Second Place was mason Lonnie Lacaillade and tender Shawn McCuen with Lacaillade Masonry laying a total of 431 bricks winning them $900. Third place and the Top Craftsman award went to Ray Merrill and tender Zach Keene with Connecticut Masons Masonry. With 407 bricks laid in the competition, the team won $800 for third place and $1,600 for the Top Craftsman award, giving them a combined winning total of $2,400!

The Winner of the JR Bricklayer event with 133 bricks laid was Connor Murphy with tender Briana Murphy with AA&D Masonry winning them a prize of $250. The Jr Bricklayer event is for high school students and apprentices pursuing a career in masonry. The JR. SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® competitions give masonry’s up and coming bricklayers a chance to showcase their drive and skills against their peers.

Disclosures:

In 2019, the SPEC MIX organization partnered with other masonry associations to create the JR. SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 Competition. In 2024, of the 22 Regional Series competitions, 20 will also hold a JR. BRICKLAYER 500 contest to allow high schoolers and masonry apprentices to compete for top honors and prizes. The program has proven remarkably successful and highly supported by the Mason Contractors Association of America, school administrators, and numerous masonry supply manufacturers and dealers. To learn more, visit https://www.specmix.com/jr-spec-mix-bricklayer-500/.

2025 World Championship: If you are interested in becoming a fan, the 23rd annual SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship will take place in January 2025, at the World of Concrete tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Las Vegas Convention Center Bronze Lot. At this competition, world-class masons lay it all on the line to claim their portion of the total purse valued at more than $125,000.

2024 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 NORTHEAST REGIONAL RESULTS