The 14th Annual Quake-On-The-Lake will take place July 19-21 as Grand Prix drivers from the east and west coasts prepare to go head-to-head for bragging rights, racing supremacy and World Speed Records at One of Oakland County’s Premier Summertime Events.
These inboard hydroplane races will have the feel of a WWF Smack-Down with the best Grand Prix drivers from the northeast and northwest battling it out for their place in the record books.
These are the “Big Boats”–12′ wide, built of carbon fiber and other lightweight composite materials and weigh-in at around 2,900 pounds. The engines are blown V-8’s based on big block Chevy design, which is supercharged and kicks out 1500 horsepower.
“The Grand Prix’s are as exciting as boat racing gets,” said Dale Hampshire, Quake chairman. ” For those who love speed, power and ear shattering noise, this is a must-see event.”
An exciting new feature for Quake this year will be the awarding of the Governor’s Cup, which will be presented to the overall high points winner of the weekend. So there’s a lot of prestige on the line for the racers who will be coming from Michigan and all over the country.
Nearly 100 inboard hydroplane racing teams, which have been the heart and soul of Quake-On-The- Lake since the beginning, will provide their own thrills and chills and they try to conquer what is considered the fastest one mile course in America. Ten different inboard racing classes will be featured this year, throwing off huge plumes of water as they take on Pontiac Lake at speeds ranging from 90 mph to 150 mph. Over the past 13 years, 17 American Power Boat Association(APBA) World Speed Records have been set in five separate racing classes.
The event will also feature 10-year-old Shelby Bowsher, who lives in central Illinois, competing in the stock outboard races. Shelby made her racing debut at an event in Walled Lake and then won a medal in Kent Narrows, Maryland a couple of weeks later. The youngest competitor at Quake will hit the water sometime between noon and 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 20. She got the “racing bug” from her dad, Sean, who races a one liter modified inboard hydroplane.
Competition will be held in six Outboard classes: Junior Hydro, AX Hydro, a Stock Hydro, C Stock Hydro and 302 Super Stock Hydro. The Junior Hydro class, in which Shelby will compete, can reach speeds up to 43 mile-per-hour.
Event times for Quake-On-The-Lake are Friday, July 19 from Noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, July 20 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, July 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about Quake-On-The-Lake, visit QuakeOnTheLake.org
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