The Acadiana 500 just seems to be getting bigger and better as the revived Optimist Club fundraiser kicked off at New Iberia City Park Saturday. 

After 40 years of being on hiatus, a new generation of organizers and leaders revived the Acadiana 500 in 2023 to bring back the relay race, which gained national recognition for its popularity in the past. 

An assortment of teams took to City Park to participate in the race Saturday to partake in the event throughout the day. Teams included the Fast Pedal Engineers from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Amped Up from Aggreko, Heavy Metal Sharks, Baby Sharks, The Lone Rangers, Gym Class Heroes, They See Me Rollin’, Pecan Peddlers, Bates Motel and the Pedal Pushers. 

“We’re thankful to everyone, all the community leaders that brought back this amazing event,” organizer Hannah Pellerin said. “We have good weather and good company.”

The race makes use of modified tricycles for adults to ride. During each heat, racers took off at the starting line and peddled as fast as they could to the next relay space, where the rider had to get off the tricycle and pass it on to the next member of their team as fast as they could. 

City Park was closed off to the public while the races took place throughout the day.

In the space between the heats, food, music and more was available for event-goers. City Park was closed off to the public while the event took place, and golf carts were constantly whizzing through the race track to ensure that nothing intruded while racers did their best to win their heat. 

At the end of the day, Fast Pedal Engineers took first place, with Baby Shark coming in second and Heavy Metal Sharks finishing third. 

Other events like raffles and an auction were also held during Saturday’s festivities, organizer Ben Lilley said at the event. 

“We have a bunch of good items that help us with the auction,” Lilley said. 

The funds raised by the Acadiana 500 goes to the New Iberia chapter of the Optimist Club, who work to put on programs and scholarships throughout the year that specifically target helping the youth of Iberia Parish.