Quake On The Lake: Rumble And Roar Hits Pontiac Lake

WATERFORD (WWJ) - Racing at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour hydroplane speedboats took over Pontiac Lake in Waterford.

The rumble and roar of the annual Quake on the Lake returned this weekend for its 16th season and fans got to watch over 80 racing teams on the water.

The summer nationals were won by Andrew Tate of Canton: "To win the nationals in my backyard is very cool - we have family and friends here and not all of them even know what hydroplanes are or what they do or what a race looks like - to have them come out and watch me do well is very cool."

"Well, this was on my bucket list," said Dennis McCloud of Roger City. "I'm 72 and I've got a good friend Mario Mural who I helped with his first boat in 1959 -- helped him go down to Ohio with it."

He compares the boats today with fighter jets because of how fast these boats travel.

Chairperson Maryann Wilson says Quake on the Lake is helping to raise funds for The Rainbow Connection and the Joe Kocur Foundation.

Pontiac Lake is considered one of the fastest one-mile races in America. In the years the competition has been held in Waterford - 19 world speed records have been set.