By MELANIE RUBERTI
mruberti@civitasmedia.com
Even before the trophies were handed out, and the money at the vending booths had been tallied, many folks at Pyne Road Park considered the first ever LaGrange Power Boat Grand Prix a success.
“It’s beautiful and awesome,” said powerboat racer, Danny Walls. “The people have been great. The crowd’s been one of the best we’ve had in a long time.”
Walls, and his son Jared, both competed in the Grand National Hydro (GNH) powerboat category. Danny Walls, whose been racing boats for 27 years, won his class. Jared, whose been competing for six years, unexpectedly had to drop out because of an oil leak. Both live in Louisville, Kentucky and said when they heard about the LaGrange race, they couldn’t pass it up.
”It sounded like a good time,” said Jared.
Husband and wife racing team, Don “Eli” Whitney and Cadi Reiss, drove down with boat in tow, all the way from Detriot, Michigan. They’ve placed either second or third in the National GNH class; and placed third in the first heat of the LaGrange Powerboat Grand Prix. They said the positive press from the American Powerboat Association (APBA) about LaGrange and West Point Lake piqued their interest. Both said they weren’t disappointed.
