Stan Sayres Memorial Park

Click to skip down to:

HOURS

24 Hours

ABOUT THE PARK

Stan S. Sayres Memorial Park (also known as "Sayres Pits" because of its association with Seattle's annual Seafair Hydroplane Races) is located a mile south of the Interstate 90 Bridge on Lake Washington.

Stan Sayres is also the home of the Mount Baker Rowing and Sailing Center.

A north facing point, Stan Sayres offers four wide launching lanes which are usually protected from rough water. Additionally, if the weather is clear, Mount Rainier, Glacier Peak and Mount Baker can be viewed from the Stan Sayres peninsula.

HISTORY

Stan Sayres Park is located on a fairly "new" peninsula created when Lake Washington was lowered in 1917 by the creation of the Ship Canal. Throughout most of the year Stan Sayres was above water, however, it could easily get swamped and surrounded by water as the lake rose during the rainy season. Therefore, additional fill material had to be added when the peninsula was developed as a hydroplane race site. Stan Sayers park was named in 1957 after hydroplane driver Stanley S. Sayres (1896-1956). Sayres is known as the person who brought hydroplane racing to Seattle after he won the Gold Cup in Detroit in 1950. Previously there had not been a hydroplane race west of Detroit. In his unlimited class powerboat named Slo-Mo-Shun IV, Stan Sayres won five Gold Cups and set a speed record of 178.48 mph.