The Seafair Cup (branded as the HomeStreet Bank Cup for sponsorship reasons, and formerly the Albert Lee Appliance Cup ), is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held annually in late July and early August on Lake Washington in Seattle, Washington . The race is the main attraction of the annual Seafair festival. Seattle has hosted the Seafair Cup consecutively since 1951. The event was part of the APBA Gold Cup for the following years: 1951 to 1955, 1957 to 1959, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1974, 1981, and 1985.
6-614: Seattle's history of unlimited hydroplane racing dates back to July 1950, when it was announced that the APBA Gold Cup was leaving Detroit in favor of Seattle. Slo-mo-shun IV, owned by Stanley Sayres , won the Gold Cup race in Detroit that year. At that time, the Gold Cup was run at the home of the winner, so for 1951, the Gold Cup was coming to Seattle. The race was added to the Seafair festival. When
12-589: The Gold Cup , a speedboat race) is an American hydroplane boat race, named for the American Power Boat Association . It is now run as part of the H1 Unlimited season. First run in 1904, it is the oldest trophy in motorsports. Starting in 1904, the Gold Cup consist of three heats, and starting in 1918 the heat distance was 30 statute miles. In 1963 the number of heats was increased to four, but
18-601: The Gold Cup left Seattle for Detroit in 1955, local officials decided to hold a race of their own, and the Seafair Cup was born. The 1951 Seattle race was co-sponsored through 1960 by the Seattle Yacht Club. Greater Seattle, Inc. (later renamed Seafair, Inc.) became the sole sponsor of the race, starting in 1961. The Seafair Boat Club, which administers the Seattle race on Seafair's behalf, was organized in 1975. Lou Fageol won
24-677: The most Gold Cup victories is Chip Hanauer , with 11 victories. Dave Villwock is second, with 10, and Bill Muncey is third, with eight. Source: Notes: 1960: Heat 1A completed. Second half of first heat was abandoned when Gale V crashed in Heat 1B. By rule, two heats were required to be completed for an official meeting for series championship purposes. Round abandoned and cancelled by APBA because of high winds. 2008: Heats 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B completed. Round abandoned after crash in Heat 3A and high winds, declared No Contest by APBA. American Boat Racing Association (now H1 Unlimited) declared
30-556: The total distance was reduced to 60 statute miles. In 1976, the Unlimited Racing Commission adopted a winner-take-all format for all its races including the APBA Gold Cup. In 1981 the total number of heats was reduced to three with the total distance being reduced to 45 statute miles. Since 1983 the Gold Cup has been competed at various total distances ranging from 36 statute miles to 52.5 statute miles. The driver with
36-591: The very first Seattle race driving Stan Sayres' Slo-mo-shun V. The Emerald City has hosted the Unlimiteds every year from 1951 to 2019. In 2020 and 2021, the event was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic . The next unlimited hydroplane race in Seattle is planned for 2022. The following boats and drivers won in Seattle: APBA Gold Cup The APBA Gold Cup (originally known simply as
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