The city of Sheboygan, WI, has received the 2023 American Power Boat Association Best Race Site Award for hosting the inaugural Mercury Racing Midwest Challenge in August last year. Designed to acknowledge excellence and improve relationships with race sites, the award recognizes and salutes the best venues and organizations supporting APBA-sanctioned races.
“There were three finalists in the professionally produced event division and, after reviewing all submissions, comparing statistics and weighing up the results, it became clear that one event excelled: Sheboygan," said Sherron Winer, Co-Chair of the APBA Club Support Committee. "The race event checked all the key criteria boxes—including excellence in overall production and officiating, participation and support from teams, local/regional event marketing and publicity, inclusion of the APBA in venue marketing and promotion, creative use of social media and event attendance—and, notably, Sheboygan is the first new, first-time event to be honored."
Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan about 50 miles north of Milwaukee, Sheboygan was chosen by international marine motorsports promoter Powerboat P1 and Mercury Racing to celebrate the high-performance marine engine and accessories company’s 5anniversary in its home state. The event brought together two powerboat race series—P1 Offshore and Formula One tunnel-boat racing—for a three-day festival that attracted thousands of spectators to the area and generated more than $4.5 million in visitor spending.
“We are truly honored to receive this prestigious award for hosting the 2023 event here in Sheboygan,” said Mayor Ryan Sorenson. “We were thrilled to have had the opportunity to showcase the beauty and hospitality of our city, and this recognition is a testament to the collaborative efforts of our community. We are looking forward to continuing to be a premier destination for the exhilarating P1 Offshore race series and to welcoming back the teams to our shores this August.”
Powerboat P1 CEO Azam Rangoonwala commented: “When we joined with Mercury Racing in visiting cities to host the event, Sheboygan stood out because of its beautiful water, lodging options, outdoor recreation space and a local government group that was eager to learn more about powerboat racing and host a high-profile event to show off the city’s pristine shoreline and number one natural resource, Lake Michigan. The event demonstrated the power of partnerships and we are now building on this success to progress plans with the City and Visit Sheboygan for staging this year’s Sheboygan Powerboat Grand Prix in August.”