The citizens of La Porte kicked off the summer with some fireworks on Saturday. But these fireworks were not the ones you light up; no, they were high-speed boats slashing through the tides of Stone Lake.
The Maple City Grand Prix, an annual La Porte tradition, took place on Saturday. Racers came from numerous states and provinces all around North America for the event. Jason Miller, General Manager of the North American Speedboat Federation, beamed at the Northwest Indiana hospitality.
“La Porte has always been an amazing site,” he said. “The racers love it, as you can tell by the great fields every year. The guys are really excited to start the season out this way.
Local hotels had been booked since early April. Brett Binversie, a co-director of the Grand Prix, lauded the community for coming together and making it work.
“It takes a team and a community to make an event like this work,” Binversie said. “The city of La Porte has played a big role in making sure everything goes wonderfully.”
Terry Rinker, a racer out of Tampa, Florida, echoed Binversie’s sentiments.
“The people of La Porte just treat us like kings,” Rinker said. “Racing here has never gotten old because the water always changes. It is well-sheltered, so if it gets windy, it is still not too bad to race on.”
Dillon Kendall, a 14-year-old attendee, said he enjoyed his first Grand Prix. Kendall said he felt it was a nice diversion on a Saturday afternoon.
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“My parents told me and my younger brother about it,” he said. “We were happy and excited about that, because we didn’t want to stay inside the house all day.”
The community came together for a Grand Prix that kicked off the summer with a spark, crackle and pop.