Mercury Racing event brings more than $4.5M in tourist spending, thousands of visitors to Sheboygan

Alex Garner, Sheboygan Press
·2 min read

SHEBOYGAN – The Mercury Racing Midwest Challenge made a splash during its debut in Sheboygan.

The event brought two powerboat race series together, millions in visitor spending and thousands of spectators.

Here’s what to know about the race event’s economic impact and future plans.

What is the Mercury Racing Midwest Challenge?

The three-day powerboat racing event was hosted by Mercury Racing, a Fond du Lac-based marine and automotive parts and propulsion systems manufacturer, Powerboat P1 and F1 Powerboat.

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More than 40 teams from around the world gathered in Sheboygan, including sponsored teams like CoCo’s Monkey from Florida and XInsurance from Utah.

Sheboygan celebrated with a block party, brat fries and a meet-and-greet with race winners.

What was the event’s economic impact?

People wait for the start of a race on south pier at the Mercury Midwest Challenge, Sunday, August 13, 2023, in Sheboygan, Wis.
People wait for the start of a race on south pier at the Mercury Midwest Challenge, Sunday, August 13, 2023, in Sheboygan, Wis.

The Midwest Challenge brought in about $4.7 million in visitor spending to the area, according to an economic impact study's early estimates shared by Mayor Ryan Sorenson at an Aug. 21 Common Council meeting.

There were also about 43,000 visitors during the long weekend, peaking at 15,000 that Saturday.

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Is the Midwest Challenge coming back to Sheboygan?

Mike Makus (85) rounds a buoy by the lighthouse during the Mercury Midwest Challenge, Saturday, August 12, 2023, in Sheboygan, Wis.
Mike Makus (85) rounds a buoy by the lighthouse during the Mercury Midwest Challenge, Saturday, August 12, 2023, in Sheboygan, Wis.

There are no set plans for the racing event to return to Sheboygan, according to Sorenson.

“There's a lot of conversation going around that we’ve signed a three-year contract. That is not true,” Sorenson said. “Nothing has been signed, nothing has been confirmed for future events.”

He added the event organizers were “very impressed with hospitality and welcoming from our community and are very interested in hosting something like this again in the future.”

Sorenson said the city is “ready, willing and able to be a partner in pulling off another successful event” if the Midwest Challenge were to return to Sheboygan.

Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or agarner@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @alexx_garner. 

This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Mercury Racing Midwest Challenge in Sheboygan had big economic impact