Seafair Cup

Last updated
HomeStreet Bank Cup
Albert Lee Appliance Cup.jpg
Event information
Type H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race
Race area Lake Washington, Seattle, Washington
DatesJuly 31-August 2
Sponsor HomeStreet Bank
Distance2.5 mi (4 km)
Media coverage KIRO-TV/KKNW (AM)
First race1951
Former namesSeafair Cup
Website www.seafair.com/default.aspx

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.

Contents

History

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. [1] When 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. [1]

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. [2]

Lou Fageol won the very first Seattle race driving Stan Sayres' Slo-mo-shun V. [3] The Emerald City has hosted the Unlimiteds every year from 1951 to 2019. In 2020 [4] and 2021, [5] the event was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next unlimited hydroplane race in Seattle is planned for 2022. [5]

Past Seattle Unlimited Hydroplane Winners

The following boats and drivers won in Seattle: [6]

Seattle Unlimited Hydroplane Race Winners
YearEventBoatDriver
1951APBA Gold CupSlo-mo-shun VLou Fageol
Seafair Trophy [7] Slo-mo-shun V Ted Jones
1952APBA Gold CupSlo-mo-shun IVStanley Dollar
1953APBA Gold CupSlo-mo-shun IVJoe Taggart
1954APBA Gold CupSlo-mo-shun VLou Fageol
1955APBA Gold CupGale VLee Schoenith
1956Seafair TrophyShanty IRuss Schleeh
1957APBA Gold CupMiss ThriftwayBill Muncey
1958APBA Gold CupHawaii Ka’i IIIJack Regas
1959APBA Gold CupMaverickBill Stead
1960Seafair TrophyMiss ThriftwayBill Muncey
1961"World’s Championship Seafair Trophy" [8] Miss BardahlRon Musson
Seattle TrophyMiss MadisonMarion Cooper
Seafair Queen's TrophyFascinationBob Gilliam
1962APBA Gold CupMiss Century 21Bill Muncey
1963Seafair TrophyTahoe MissChuck Thompson
1964Seafair TrophyMiss BardahlRon Musson
1965APBA Gold CupMiss BardahlRon Musson
1966Seafair TrophyMy GypsyJim Ranger
1967Seafair TrophyMiss Chrysler CrewMira Slovak
APBA Gold CupMiss BardahlBilly Schumacher
1968 U.I.M. World's Championship Miss U. S.Bill Muncey
1969Seafair TrophyMiss BudweiserBill Sterett
1970Seafair TrophyMiss BudweiserDean Chenoweth
1971Seafair TrophyPride of Pay ‘n PakBilly Schumacher
1972Seafair TrophyAtlas Van LinesBill Muncey
1973U.I.M. World's ChampionshipPay ‘n PakMickey Remund
1974APBA Gold CupPay ‘n PakGeorge Henley
1975Seafair TrophyPay ‘n PakGeorge Henley
1976Seafair TrophyMiss BudweiserMickey Remund
1977Seafair TrophyAtlas Van LinesBill Muncey
1978Squire Seafair TrophyAtlas Van LinesBill Muncey
1979Squire Seafair TrophyAtlas Van LinesBill Muncey
1980U.I.M. World's Championship Seafair TrophyAtlas Van LinesBill Muncey
1981APBA Gold CupMiss BudweiserDean Chenoweth
1982Emerald CupAtlas Van LinesChip Hanauer
1983Sea Galley Emerald CupMiss BudweiserJim Kropfeld
19847-Eleven Freedom CupMiss BudweiserJim Kropfeld
1985Budweiser APBA Gold CupMiller AmericanChip Hanauer
1986Emerald CupMiller AmericanChip Hanauer
1987Emerald CupMiss BudweiserJim Kropfeld
1988Budweiser CupMiss BudweiserTom D’Eath
1989Rainier CupMiss Circus CircusChip Hanauer
1990Rainier CupMiss Circus CircusChip Hanauer
1991Seafair TrophyMiss BudweiserScott Pierce
1992Rainier CupTideGeorge Woods, Jr.
1993Texaco CupMiss BudweiserChip Hanauer
1994Texaco CupPICO American DreamDave Villwock
1995Texaco CupMiss BudweiserChip Hanauer ...
1996Texaco CupPICO American DreamDave Villwock
1997Seafair Texaco CupPICO American DreamMark Evans
1998Texaco CupMiss BudweiserDave Villwock
1999General Motors CupMiss BudweiserDave Villwock
2000General Motors CupMiss BudweiserDave Villwock
2001General Motors CupMiss E-Lam PlusNate Brown
2002General Motors CupMiss BudweiserDave Villwock
2003General Motors CupMiss BudweiserDave Villwock
2004General Motors CupMiss BudweiserDave Villwock
2005Chevrolet CupLlumar Window FilmJean Theoret
2006Chevrolet CupMiss Beacon PlumbingJean Theoret
2007Chevrolet CupOh Boy! ObertoSteve David
2008Chevrolet CupAmos W. HossDave Villwock
2009Chevrolet CupEllstrom E-Lam PlusDave Villwock
2010Albert Lee CupOh Boy! ObertoSteve David
2011Albert Lee CupOh Boy! ObertoSteve David
2012Albert Lee CupOh Boy!ObertoSteve David
2013Albert Lee CupGraham TruckingJimmy Shane
2014Albert Lee CupGraham TruckingJ. Michael Kelly
2015Albert Lee Appliance CupGraham TruckingJ. Michael Kelly
2016Albert Lee Appliance Seafair CupLes SchwabAndrew Tate
2017Albert Lee Appliance Seafair CupMiss HomeStreetJimmy Shane
2018Albert Lee Seafair CupDelta RealtracAndrew Tate
2019HomeStreet Bank CupGraham TruckingJ. Michael Kelly
2020No event - COVID-19 Pandemic
2021No event - COVID-19 Pandemic
2022HomeStreet Bank CupU-9 Boitano Homes [9] J. Michael Kelly

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydroplane racing</span>

Hydroplane racing is a sport involving racing hydroplanes on lakes and rivers. It is a popular spectator sport in several countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seafair</span> Summer celebration in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Seafair is a summer festival in Seattle, Washington, that encompasses a wide variety of small neighborhood events leading up to several major citywide celebrations. While many small block parties and local parades occur under the auspices of Seafair, most Seattle residents associate Seafair with the Torchlight Parade, Seafair Cup hydroplane races, and the Blue Angels. Seafair has been an annual event in Seattle since 1950 but its roots can be traced to the 1911 Seattle Golden Potlatch Celebrations.

Tudor Owen ("Ted") Jones was a hydroplane designer and builder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Power Boat Association</span>

The American Power Boat Association (APBA) is an American membership-owned corporation. In 1903, New York's Columbia Yacht Club had formulated a constitution for what ultimately became the APBA. It is the United States sanctioning authority for the Union Internationale Motonautique, the world governing body for powerboat racing. Headquartered in Eastpointe Michigan, the APBA has over 3,500 active members and sanctions over 150 races nationwide. The APBA sanctions all types of power boat racing from 205+ mph Unlimited Hydroplanes to smaller Junior Class racing starting at age 9.

<i>Madison</i> (film) 2001 American film

Madison is a 2001 American sports drama film directed by William Bindley, about APBA hydroplane racing in the 1970s that is based on a true story. It stars Jim Caviezel as a driver who comes out of retirement to lead the Madison, Indiana, community-owned racing team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss Madison</span>

Miss Madison is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane team. It is the only community-owned Unlimited hydroplane in the world. It is based out of Madison, Indiana, a small town of 12,000 residents on the Ohio River which annually hosts the Madison Regatta. The story of the boat and city are the subject of the 2001 film Madison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Muncey</span>

William Edward Muncey was an American hydroplane racing legend from Detroit, Michigan. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame and hydroplane historian Dan Cowie described Muncey as "without question, the greatest hydroplane racer in history." Muncey was nicknamed "Mr. Unlimited" and won 62 races, which was the most races in the history of the sport until Dave Villwock broke his record in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thunder on the Ohio</span> Hydroplane boat race

Thunder on the Ohio was a hydroplane boat race in the H1 Unlimited season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">H1 Unlimited</span> Hydroplane racing league

H1 Unlimited is an American Unlimited Hydroplane racing league that is sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association (APBA). Until 2009, the series was known as ABRA Unlimited Hydroplane, in turn renamed from APBA Unlimited Hydroplane in 2004. The H1 Unlimited season typically runs from July through September, consisting of five races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madison Regatta</span>

The Indiana Governor's Cup is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held annually on Independence Day weekend on the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. Madison has hosted the Madison Regatta annually since 1951, although the race was also contested in the 1930s. The race inspired a Hollywood motion picture released in 2005, titled Madison which starred actor Jim Caviezel.The Regatta was part of the APBA Gold Cup in 1979, 1980. 2019, & will be contested in 2021.

The Detroit Hydrofest is a H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held in August on the Detroit River in Detroit, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oryx Cup</span>

The Oryx Cup is a hydroplane boat race in the H1 Unlimited season. The race was held in November in Doha Bay on the Persian Gulf in Doha, Ad Dawhah, Qatar. From 2009-2014, the Oryx Cup was designated as the host for the UIM World Championship.

The 2010 H1 Unlimited season was the fifty-fifth running of the H1 Unlimited series for unlimited hydroplanes, jointly sanctioned by APBA, its governing body in North America and UIM, its international body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Bayfair Cup</span> Hydroplane boat race

The San Diego Bayfair Cup is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held annually in September on Mission Bay in San Diego, California. The race was run as part of the APBA Gold Cup in 1969, 1970, 1987, and 1989. The race is the main attraction of the annual San Diego Bayfair festival in mid September.

The 2012 H1 Unlimited season is the fifty seventh running of the H1 Unlimited series for unlimited hydroplane, jointly sanctioned by APBA, its governing body in North America and UIM, its international body.

The 2015 H1 Unlimited season is the sixtieth running of the H1 Unlimited series for unlimited hydroplanes, sanctioned by the APBA. It will be the first time since 2009 that the series will have no sanctioning from the UIM.

The APBA Gold Cup 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanley Sayres</span>

Stanley St. Claire Sayres was a hydroplane racer who broke the world water speed record with his "Slo-mo-shun IV" boat.

The 2016 H1 Unlimited season is the sixty-first running of the H1 Unlimited series for unlimited hydroplanes, sanctioned by the APBA.

The 2021 H1 Unlimited season is the sixty-fifth running of the H1 Unlimited series for unlimited hydroplanes, sanctioned by the APBA. The 2020 season would have been the sixty-fifth running but that season was cancelled because of COVID-19.

References

  1. 1 2 "Memorable Moments in Hydro History". thunderboats.ning.com. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  2. "Three Traditional Races". thunderboats.ning.com. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  3. MotorBoating. New York, NY: Hearst Magazine Inc. October 1951. p. 77.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. "Unlimited hydroplane races at Seafair canceled because of coronavirus pandemic". The Seattle Times. 2020-05-20. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  5. 1 2 "Pandemic sidelines Seafair unlimited hydroplane racing again as event moves virtual". The Seattle Times. 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  6. 2021 Hydro Record Book and Statistics. Edmonds, WA: Unlimited NewsJournal. 2021. pp. 34–35.
  7. "The Slo-mo-shun Saga". thunderboats.ning.com. Retrieved 2021-07-16. For Seattle's Unlimited debut, two major races--for the Gold Cup and the Seafair Trophy--were scheduled for consecutive weekends during the month of August, 1951. SLO-MO-SHUN V won both of them with Lou Fageol driving in the Gold Cup and Ted Jones in the Seafair Trophy.
  8. "A Brief History of the World Championship Race for Unlimited Hydroplanes". thunderboats.ning.com. Retrieved 2021-07-16. The Seattle Seafair committee offered for competition the "World's Championship Seafair Trophy," which was won by Ron Musson in the MISS BARDAHL. But the Seattle committee never bothered to request a sanction from the Union of International Motorboating. Whether or not the 1961 race should be counted as a legitimate "World Championship" event is a matter for individual interpretation.
  9. "J. Michael Kelly picks up win at Seafair via penalty for the second consecutive Seattle race" . Retrieved 2023-07-29.