Boat racing comes to Genesee County this weekend

Aug 25, 2023

By ohtadmin | on August 10, 2023

FLINT — War of the Wake, the first ever Mott Lake Regatta will be held Aug. 12-13 from 12-5 p.m. bringing the speed of inboard hydroplane boat racing to Genesee County.

Spectators will be able to view the races from Bluebell Beach, where there will be food trucks and a Beer Garden.

Come to Mott Lake to see the

Tickets are available onsite the day of the race. $20 per day per vehicle or $30 for both days per vehicle.

Racers range in age from teens to 70s and represent at least seven classes of racing from 1.0 Liter class to the thundering supercharged big block powered Grand Prix hydros, as well as the Unlimited Hydroplanes that race for the APBA Gold Cup on the Detroit River each summer.

There is also the Vintage class running exhibition laps with race boats of years gone by.

C.S. Mott Lake, is a 596-acre lake off of the Flint River known for its fishing and beautiful scenery.

Mott Lake is, and has always been, a ‘no wake’ body of water, but the county Parks and Recreation commission has already approved using Mott Lake for the event.

The Genese County Board of Commissioners recently approved spending $25,000 in hotel taxes to help pay for the Regatta, Commission Shaun Shumaker (R-Fenton Twp.) being the sole dissenting vote.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has also agreed to lift no-wake restrictions on the lake during that weekend, according to reports.

The boats are capable of speeds of more than 150 mph on what is described as “a cushion of air with not much more than a propeller, rudder, and some kind of stabilizing ‘skid fin’ touching the water.”

Details: Visit geneseecountyparks.org/calendar/#/events/pwCTDpfg6G/instances/TEnCi2anXC/.