Garfield Lake Ice Racing Club Cleared to Start 2026 Season January 11

The Garfield Lake Ice Racing Club will kick off its 2026 season Sunday, January 11, with scheduled races to be held each Sunday at noon on Garfield Lake in Laporte. Fans may drive onto the lake and watch from their vehicles free of charge, and restrooms will be available onsite for spectators and participants.

The club’s authorization to operate this winter follows the group’s growing role in the community beyond motorsport. In 2025 the club donated tens of thousands of dollars to veterans groups, local schools and individuals in need, positioning the organization as a significant grassroots fundraiser in Beltrami County. Those donations helped fill gaps for local service providers and school programs that depend on nonpublic funding streams.

Organizers also announced governance and operational changes for 2026, including new board members and a reconstituted ice committee, along with revisions to flagging procedures that govern on-ice race management. The club says these adjustments are intended to refine race oversight and safety protocols, an important consideration when vehicles and spectators share a frozen lake surface. Changes to flagging and committee membership will shape how races are run and how officials manage risks on race days.

Local permission to resume racing underscores the interplay between recreational groups and public safety oversight. The arrangement requires coordination with local authorities for lake access, traffic control in Laporte on race days, and emergency response planning. For residents, this means an expected increase in weekend activity along Garfield Lake and downtown Laporte on Sundays when races operate.

For participants and spectators, the club’s announced details establish clear expectations: weekly Sunday races starting at noon, no admission charge, vehicular access to the lake for viewing, and available restroom facilities. Those plans aim to balance accessibility with on-ice safety, while the club’s donations highlight a broader civic contribution that extends benefits to veterans, schools and neighbors in need.

As the season begins, community members and local officials will monitor how the club’s operational changes perform in practice, and how weekend events affect traffic, safety and economic activity in Laporte and the surrounding communities.