Single lever control for vehicle belt drive

An improved vehicle control system for a vehicle having an engine which produces output torque through an output sheave and a transaxle mounted to the vehicle's frame, the transaxle being selectively operational in forward, neutral and reverse modes in response to a mode selection link operatively connected to the transaxle. The transaxle functions as a gear box having a single gear ratio between the input sheave and the drive axles in both the forward and reverse operating modes, a transaxle and a brake. The output sheave of the engine is in communication with the input sheave through a first and second belt drivingly mounted to a plurality of sheaves and a variator such that an increase in tension on a first belt causes the variator to increase the rate of rotation of a second belt. A speed range sheave mounted to an arm is operatively connected to the first belt. A single lever is mounted to the vehicle such that the arm is selectively positionable to effect the rotation rate of the second belt through the variator which determined the speed of the vehicle. The position of the arm is also altered by displacement of a clutch rod in such a manner that when the clutch rod is returned to the engaged position, the vehicle will resume to its previously selected speed.