Michigan City 2018, 10th Annual Super Boat Great Lakes Grand Prix

[Serious News]

Schedule
Thursday, August 2, 2018
5:30 pm Ribbon Cutting – Sunset Grille At North Point Pavilion, Washington Park
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm VIP Party – Sunset Grille At North Point Pavilion, Washington Park

Friday, August 3, 2018
9:00 am - 10:00 pm Dry Pit/Race Village open to public – Washington Pk – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
9:00 am - 5:00 pm* Registration: Washington Pk – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
9:00 am - 5:00 pm* Inspection: Washington Pk – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
11:00 am - 10:00 pm Vendors & Beer Garden Open: Washington Pk Beach – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm Free parking at Blue Chip Casino with Round trip shuttle service to Washington Park & Taste of Michigan City Downtown
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm VIP Party at Washington Park on the Boardwalk
8:00 pm - 11:00 pm Entertainment at Washington Park – Point’n fingers Band

Saturday, August 4, 2018
8:00 am - 5:00 pm Fueling – Official Fuel Southern Racing Fuels – Michigan City Port Authority
8:30 am Mandatory Drivers Meeting: Washington Pk – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
9:00 am - 5:00 pm Dry Pits open to Public: Washington Pk – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
9:00 am - 10:00 pm Vendors & Beer Garden Open: Washington Pk Beach – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
9:00 am - 5:00 pm Great Lakes Pro Am – Beach Volleyball Tournament
10:00 am - 5:00 pm* Registration: Washington Park – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
10:00 am - 5:00 pm* Inspection: Washington Park – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
10:00 am - 4:00 pm Vintage Car Show by Four A’s Car Club
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm Testing: As per the SBIP Rulebook
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm Launching: Washington Park – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
12:00 pm - 11:00 pm Taste of Michigan City, Downtown
1:00 pm - 11:00 pm Free parking at Blue Chip Casino with Round trip shuttle service to Washington Park & Taste of Michigan City Downtown
6:00 pm Boat Parade and Block Party Downtown Michigan City
8:00 pm - 11pm Entertainment at Washington Park – Pablo’s Great Revenge Band

Sunday, August 5, 2018 – Race Day
7:30 am - 8:30 am Physicals: Washington Park – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
8:00 am - 12:00 pm Fueling – Official Fuel Southern Racing Fuels – Michigan City Port Authority
8:00 am - 4:00 pm Launching: Washington Park – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
8:30 am Mandatory Drivers Meeting: Washington Park – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
9:00 am Dry Pits / Race Village Open to Public: Washington Park – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
9:00 am - 4:00pm Vendors & Beer Garden Open: Washington Park – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
9:00 am - 5:00pm Free parking at Blue Chip Casino with Round trip shuttle service to Washington Park
10:50 am Opening Ceremony - Boardwalk
11:00 am - 12:30 pm VIP Tented Brunch: Washington Park Beach Catered by Top dog / Great Lakes Catering
10:45 am Boats to Mill area for 1st Race
11:00 am Start of 1st Race: Washington Park – 200 Heisman Harbor Dr
12:45 pm Boats to Mill area for 2nd Race
1:00 pm Start of 2nd Race: Washington Park
5:00 pm Awards Banquet: Blue Chip Casino, Hotel and Spa.

85651

[Serious News]

From 2017
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[Serious News]

Power Boat race teams from across the country will gather in Michigan City, Indiana for the double-points race, SBI’s second race of 2018

The 10th Annual Super Boat Great Lakes Grand Prix welcomes power boat racers from around the world.


We’re working with some great sponsors this year including the wonderful Blue Chip Casino Hotel Spa where we will host our awards ceremony. We are looking forward to some nice weather and a great event that everyone will enjoy!

Super Boat International, the world’s premier national and international sanctioning body of offshore powerboat racing, will welcome powerboat racing fans and teams from around the world to the 10th Annual Super Boat Great Lakes Grand Prix taking place August 3-5 with a series of events leading up to the race on Sunday, August 5th. This will be a double points race for competitors. Just as in the previous race which took place in Cocoa Beach, Super Boat will make the complete race available for free viewing on the Super Boat Live Stream channel.

Over twenty racing teams from around the country and abroad will be lining up along the Great Lakes to compete in the grand prix. Super Boat’s fiercely dedicated fans will gather in Michigan City to cheer on their favorite power boat teams leading up to the Key West World Championships taking place in November.

“It’s always nice to make it back up to the Midwest where many of our most loyal fans are based,” says John Carbonell, former powerboat racer and president of Super Boat International. “We’re working with some great sponsors this year including the wonderful Blue Chip Casino Hotel Spa where we will host our awards ceremony. We are looking forward to some nice weather and a great event that everyone will enjoy!”

The Great Lakes Grand Prix will begin the evening of August 2nd at the ribbon cutting taking place at Sunset Grille at North Point Pavillion and followed by the first VIP party. The following Friday, registration will begin while boat crews are gathering at the dry pit. That night will be the second VIP party at Washington Park on the Boardwalk. Saturday will include a host of all day local events including the Great Lakes Pro Am Beach Volleyball Tournament, Vintage Car Show by Four A’s Car Club and the annual Taste of Michigan City in Downtown. Sunday the 5th is race day, and teams will line up for the first race at 11 am. The second race will begin at 1pm and the awards banquet will be at the Blue Chip Casino, Hotel and Spa at 5pm.

To give those fans who can’t make it to Michigan this year a chance to revel in the excitement of the race, Super Boat will make their live stream available at no cost on their Live Stream channel, https://livestream.com/sbi/michigancity2018. Viewers can also link to the live stream from the Super Boat website.

For a complete schedule of SBI Michigan City 10th Annual Super Boat Great Lakes Grand Prix, visit SuperBoat.com. For further information, call 305-296-6166, or email superboatracing(at)gmail(dot)com. For the complete list of racers, visit the Super Boat International Facebook page, @SuperBoatInternationalOffical.

http://virtual-strategy.com/2018/07/31/power-boat-race-teams-head-to-michigan-city-for-the-super-boat/

[Serious News]

This upcoming weekend, when many visitors will be in town for the Great Lakes Grand Prix speedboat races, the Taste of Michigan City will bring dozens of local food vendors and a beer garden to the Uptown Arts District in downtown Michigan City.

Visitors can sample everything from Jamaican fare and soul food to sushi, barbecue and pizza.

The Michigan City Mainstreet Association is bringing back the 9th annual Taste of Michigan City from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday. The Taste of Chicago-like food festival started in 2010 as a way to bring the lakefront city's restaurants to one place and get visitors to see the Uptown Arts District, which is filled with galleries, boutiques and eateries.

“Since its humble beginning in a small gravel lot, MCMA has pushed year after year to improve and grow this event," Michigan City Mainstreet Association President Ryan Laughlin said. "I have continually been inspired by the many tireless, passionate citizen volunteers that selflessly give their free time and diverse talents to provide this wonderful, exciting community amenity for the people of Michigan City. Over the years, it has truly been my joy to help create it and to watch it evolve into the vibrant celebration of people, community, and culture it is today. If this event is any indication of the spirit of Michigan City - and I believe that it is - then this city has a very bright future indeed.”

The event will feature craft beer and wine from local breweries and wineries. Fifteen different bands will perform over the course of the weekend, including Fort Wayne rapper P-Lotus, the Michigan City Soul Steppers, singer-songwriter Deneza Jadol and The All Good Things Band.

Newcomers at The Taste of Michigan City this year include Chickpea Fresh Mediterranean and Barker Pub. Returning vendors include Momma Sue’s Catering and Cafeteria, Cool Runnings Restaurant and Bar, Smokey G’s BBQ, Up-N-Smoke Rib Shack, Texas Most Wanted BBQ, Miller Pizza, South Shore Ovenworks, Albano’s Pizza, The Rolling Stonebaker, Hokkaido, Rios Mexican Grill, Scartozzi’s Trattoria, Bubbles Ice Cream Parlor and South Bend Chocolate Cafe.

Visitors can also get a sneak peek at the boats that will roar around Lake Michigan at 6 p.m. Saturday when the boat parade proceeds down Franklin Street.
For more information, visit https://facebook.com/MichiganCityMainstreetAssociation.

[Ratickle]

A toast on Lake Michigan coast
City welcomes racers and visitors to kick off Grand Prix weekend

Photo by Kelley SmithWIMS radio personality Ric Federighi hypes up the crowd at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Great Lakes Grand Prix outside Sunset Grille on Thursday. Taking part in the festivities, from left, were Jack Arnett, executive director of the La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau; Scott Clausing, general manager at BIG Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram; and Michigan City Mayor Ron Meer.

MICHIGAN CITY – What was scheduled to be a ribbon-cutting ceremony turned into a giant toast celebrated by the mayor, racers, local dignitaries, businesspeople, residents and visitors to kick off the 10th annual Great Lakes Grand Prix.

Mayor Ron Meer said that as a result of having four or five more boats entered than in past years, attendance is up for the race, which typically brings in more than 100,000 visitors and millions of dollars.

“This is a time for us to showcase the City of Michigan City every year,” Meer said after the toast outside the Sunset Grille in Washington Park on Thursday evening.

“We spend a lot of time getting prepared for this with city departments. People come from all over the Midwest, all over the United States. We just talked to a team from Trinidad and there’s another one out here from Europe, as I understand. So now, we’re not just getting recognition in the Midwest but worldwide.”

Rocky Maharaj came to Michigan City with the crew from Trinidad and Tobago for this weekend’s race with their boat, the Sheriff Lobo.

“We have been up here for SBI’s start of the yearly race in Key West,” Maharaj said. “From there, we came to the first regatta in May in Cocoa Beach. And now we’re here for the second regatta here in Michigan City. … We took third in Cocoa Beach – had some high, rough water and didn’t want to mess up the boat. But we’re looking forward to winning this race and coming in first.”

Two boat races are scheduled for Sunday, the first to begin at 11 a.m.

“We’ve got a big VIP event tonight and four days’ worth of fun up until the boat race on Sunday," Linda Simmons of the La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau said. "It’s just great for our area and draws a lot of people. So, we’re here getting the excitement and the buzz in the air. Even with a little wind tonight, we’re going to have a ball.

“The racers are just excited about everything that’s going on – the Taste of Michigan City, the boat parade, and then the two races on Sunday. So, we’re proud this is our race. We’re happy to bring Super Boat International to MC and we’re hoping everyone will come out and have a great time with us for the weekend.”

More VIP events are scheduled for Friday night and Saturday (but here's a tip: the general public can purchase VIP credentials from the Visitors Bureau).

Other events slated for the weekend include:
• Live entertainment on the boardwalk in Washington Park from 8-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

https://www.heraldargus.com/news/a-toast-on-lake-michigan-coast/article_5a30290d-e79e-5bf6-a2d7-79064b6a6ae6.html

[Ratickle]

A first time for everything
Tampa-based team in Grand Prix enjoying new experience

MICHIGAN CITY — When The Dollhouse Offshore Race Team owner Clyde Petty was asked about where his love for boats began, his answer was unorthodox, humorous and garnered a chuckle and a retort from the gallery.

“Honestly, watching Miami Vice all the time as a child is where it all started for me,” Petty said. “I used to watch it all the time and I knew way back then that I wanted to be in a boat or working on one.”

“Oh, please,” Petty’s wife Elizabeth said with a quick laugh. “We still watch Miami Vice all the time.”

Petty’s family and team made the two-day, 20-hour journey this week from the Tampa, Fla. area to compete in the Great Lakes Super Boat Grand Prix on Sunday in the Lake Michigan waters of Michigan City. They arrived just a few hours prior to Thursday’s “Meet The Racers Party” at Sunset Grille.

“I was up Tuesday morning at 8 to Wednesday night at 8,” Petty said. “I didn’t sleep the whole way and drove all the way up here. I’m not doing it for the money. It’s a bucket list thing. It’s exciting.

“We’re looking forward to wandering around the city and seeing what it has to offer. We’re looking forward to checking out this famous lighthouse you guys have here and waiting for Sunday to give everybody a good show.”

Although Petty is a Peoria, Ill. native, he’s riding on Lake Michigan for the first time and his navigator, Will Dehayes, on Sunday is seeing the Midwest for the first time, period.

“We’ve been to New York to do some races and in Florida where we’re from, but this is a pretty big venture for us coming all the way up here to race,” Petty said. “It’s definitely different. Racing in a lake is much different than racing in an ocean. It’s a different atmosphere here, too.”

Dehayes, a 22-year-old political science student at the University of South Florida, noted that the only time he’s ever seen snow was on vacations growing up. Other than that, this weekend at Washington Park is his first real experience of the northern part of the United States.

“I’ve lived in South Florida my whole life, but this is a pretty cool experience to come all the way up here and race somewhere that I’ve never been before,” Dehayes said. “We’re really looking for to it.”

Dehayes, Petty and The Dollhouse team will be in the water for the first heats at 11 a.m. Sunday in the Manufacturer No. 3 (P3) race.

The race should bring plenty of excitement for spectactors at the beach, and as for those that maybe consider taking a leap into offshore boat racing, Petty had two key bullet points on that topic.

“First thing about offshore boat racing is that you have to love it,” Petty said. “You have to truly have a passion for it because it’s not easy and it’s gotta be something you really love. In the class that our team’s in, just to compete and participate, you’re probably looking at $250,000 when you factor in everything along the way.”

Dehayes compared it to the typical lifestyle of other motorsports.

You have those long nights and weeks of working on whatever it is you’re working on, a car, a boat, a bike ...,” he said. “It’s a lot of work for an hour-long race like this one [on Sunday].”

What: Great Lakes Grand Prix
Where: Washington Park
When: Today-Sunday (Races Sunday)
Time: First race starts at 11 a.m., second race starts at 1 p.m.

https://www.thenewsdispatch.com/sports/article_7565fd24-5cca-50fe-ae4a-8dd4b679c5f1.html

[Serious News]

It was sunny and hot today at the event for practice. Even though they told the drivers to stay in close for practice, they could not. There were jet-skis, boats, swimmers, and no patrols on the course. Also, there was no course buoys up. So, most of the practice runs were way out in the lake a mile offshore or so.

I believe there is a total of 22 boats in attendance.

[Serious News]

What the shore looked like.

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[Serious News]

Some practicing boats.

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Some of the spectator fleet.

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And interesting other items.

The lighthouse:

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Playtime

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Flyover

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The crane

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Sightseers

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[Ratickle]

Cleveland flipped in the first corner. Both climbed out on their own. Both appear to be okay.

[Ratickle]

CRC flipped on lap 3. Again both climbed out. But the divers went in. Both sides of the boat are blown out.

[john acosta]

I watched it on the live streaming .

What a wonderfull job !!!
congrats to all who helped put that together

[Ratickle]

Rough day. Performance spun, broke the skegs off both drives, went up on their side and skidded along but did not go over. Lucky. Oh, and hydro locked one motor

[Ratickle]

Pro Floors had a hose break and had to shut one down

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Grand prix makes big splash
10th annual boat races set attendance, earnings records

MICHIGAN CITY – The 10th anniversary version of the Great Lakes Grand Prix powerboat races was the biggest and best yet – and tourism officials have the numbers to prove it.

The event last month set several milestones, the most important being that visitors pumped more than $12.4 million into La Porte County’s economy, the highest amount recorded for the event, and $2 million more than last year’s tally, according to figures released Tuesday by Visit Michigan City La Porte.

The event, sponsored by Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, also set an all-time high in attendance, with more than 190,000 people visiting Washington Park during the three-day event Aug. 2-5.

“We couldn’t be happier with the outcome,” Jack Arnett, executive director of Visit Michigan City/La Porte, said. “This event has become our signature event – something our community can be proud of.”

The Grand Prix benefits the community in many ways, according to the report, compiled by Certec Inc., a Kentucky-based marketing analysis group which specializes in economic impact studies on events relating to tourism.

The report shows visitors from out of town spent more than $8 million on direct expenditures such as food and beverages, shopping and transportation, accounting for about 75 percent of the total $12.4 million.

Jobs directly related to the Grand Prix provided nearly $2.8 million in wages to La Porte County workers, and non-local visitor spending alone generated $3.2 million in taxes, with $642,600 going into local government coffers, according to the report.

The Grand Prix is part of the popular summer race circuit staged by Super Boat International, North America’s top organization for the sport. The race on Lake Michigan features some of the world’s fastest and most powerful boats, reaching speeds near 200 mph.

The Grand Prix was “staged for the first time 10 years ago to showcase Michigan City and its lakefront,” Arnett said. “After much research of potential events, the La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau decided that hosting a stop on the Super Boat International circuit would be the best fit. This year, the races alone, held as the grand finale on Sunday, drew some 80,000 spectators.”

Events leading up to the races were also part of the draw. Taste of Michigan City drew 15,000 people on Friday night and 45,000 on Saturday, the report showed.

Other weekend attractions drawing from 5,000 to 45,000, depending on the day, included vendors and musical performances in Washington Park, a parade of the giant boats, and a huge block party on Saturday.

There may also be some extracurricular benefits.

At Wednesday morning’s La Porte County Board of Commissioners meeting, Jane Daley of Visit Michigan City La Porte said the event provided a fiscal boost to Michigan City’s Emergency Management volunteers.

“They are invaluable when it comes to keeping everyone and everything safe, and running smoothly at the Grand Prix Boat Race and the Taste of Michigan City,” she said.

“We were happy to present the volunteer group last night with a check in the amount of $2,463,” money raised through an annual silent auction at the Grand Prix.

“We are always amazed at what the volunteers do for the race, the parade and the entire community,” Daley said.

Even the animals at Washington Park Zoo will benefit. Billy Mauff, owner of WHM motorsports, one of the race teams that competes annually, “is a big animal lover and huge animal activist,” Rick Wright, Grand Prix director, told the commissioners.

Mauff attends Washington Park Zoo during the race weekend, and has donated in the past.

“During one of his conversations that race weekend with one of the Washington Park Zoo employees, he learned about the renovation of the lion and tiger den that is going to happen,” Wright said.

And at the awards banquet, he announced he was going to donate $10,000 toward that project.

“Just a great example of how money can come in from that race, not even affecting economic impact,” Wright said.

Arnett said there are “many more such stories like that you don’t always hear about.”

And word is spreading, according to the report. Two out of five out-of-town visitors were attending the Grand Prix for the first time, illustrating the event’s growing visibility.

Arnett said “more and more people are becoming aware of the event. I would attribute the increase in the economic impact to the fact that the race has become one of the lead events of the summer throughout the region.”

It was also named “Best Festival in Indiana” last year by Midwest Living magazine and the Indiana Tourism Association, and that “certainly didn’t hurt our visibility,” Arnett said.

Local residents also appear enamored with the Grand Prix, with the report showing they contributed an additional $476,700 in expenditures, a figure not included in the $12.4 million total.

The report also concluded that the Grand Prix, which drew visitors from 10 states, gives “visibility to other tourism venues in Michigan City.”

In addition to the race and the events directly connected, visitors dined, went to the beach, swam, and visited the Blue Chip Casino, Spa and Resort; and the zoo during their stay, it said.

“Tourism is a key component of the La Porte County economy,” the report summarized. “The county’s festivals and events are an important part of the local tourism industry.”

Next year’s event will be held Aug. 1-4.

“This was our best race ever,” Arnett said. “This is our signature event, it’s a regional event, and we’re very proud of it.”

https://www.heraldargus.com/news/grand-prix-makes-big-splash/article_83a411d1-b684-5bad-85bd-601627477391.html

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