Our Daily Show Interview! Shelby Love- Road to Alton Midwest Nationals
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ALTON - As the community prepares for the Alton Midwest Nationals F1 Powerboat Championship from July 18–20, 2025, racer Shelby Love can’t wait to get back on the Mississippi River.
Love will compete in the Formula Lite division. She is coming off two major wins and took home second place at last year’s Alton Midwest Nationals, and she has high hopes for this weekend.
“I feel like I have a good chance,” Love said. “But with so many things that could happen, it still makes you nervous. It’s all about staying calm and racing your race, trying not to push it in a heat and then mess yourself up for the final. There’s a lot going through my mind, but I’m just trying to stay calm and do what I’ve got to do.”
Love started racing at age 13 with her father, who will be competing in the F1 Powerboat division this weekend. She shared that powerboat racing has always been a family sport for them. She loves sharing the experience with her dad, though she joked that they tend to give each other space during race weekends to minimize the bickering.
“It’s all about family for us, and it’s super important for us to do it together,” she explained. “When we get here, it’s a little different because we all have to focus on our individual classes and races. We all spend time together at the end of the day, but during the day, you try to give each other space so that we can all be in the right mindset to go out and race in our own classes.”
Love noted that racing can be nerve-wracking. Not only does the boat feel “claustrophobic,” but there’s a lot that can go wrong. She experienced a wreck early on in her racing career, and she pointed out that the boats can malfunction at times.
“Even if it’s something you wouldn’t expect to happen on the water, it can happen on your boat,” she said. “There’s so many different things that can happen. There are a couple of races where you’re like, this is nice, but I feel like no matter what, it’s always so hot, there’s always things to look out for. You’re just focused on making sure whatever could happen doesn’t.”
But Love wouldn’t trade racing for the world. She loves the thrill, and she is looking forward to another fun weekend on the river.
She noted that last year’s championship was a learning experience as she adjusted to the Mississippi River and the course. But she greatly enjoyed the race itself and is eager to return to Alton.
“There’s definitely a lot more current, and that’s why I spun out last time. You’re going down the stretch and all of a sudden you go to turn and it just whips you sometimes,” she said. “You have to account for that, but once you get used to it, it’s not that bad. And the course here is a little different because you’re on a narrower space. But it’s super fun. I like this race a lot.”
Looking ahead, Love hopes everyone enjoys the heats and the finals. Love and her father will be available at the meet-and-greet at Mac’s Downtown on Friday night, and they are excited to connect with Riverbend residents and put on a great show this weekend.
“I hope it’s a fun race and a good race and a hard race for someone to win,” she added.
For more information about the Alton Midwest Nationals F1 Powerboat Championship, including how to purchase tickets, visit the official webpage at the Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau website.
