Everything you need to know about the Stan Sayres Memorial

Lake Sacajawea Park, Longview, Washington
Closest address (for GPS) 1701 Nichols Blvd., Longview, WA

The eighth race of the 2021 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Stan Sayres Memorial, set for Saturday, August 28 at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview.

Contest Director
Nelson Holmberg

Context of the Stan Sayres Memorial
At 47 years, the Stan Sayres Memorial is the “world’s oldest and greatest RC Scale Unlimited Race”. Started in 1974 by Roger Newton and Monte Steere, the race has been contested in Seattle Model Yacht Club and in RC Unlimiteds before finding itself a home in ERCU.

The only year the race was not run was 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic caused half of the ERCU racing season to be canceled.

This year’s race will be a renewal to ERCU as the event will be run at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview.

Stanley “Stan” St. Claire Sayres (1896-1956) was a hydroplane racer who broke the world water speed record with his “Slo-mo-shun IV”.
 
Sayres was born in Dayton, Wash. in 1896, and studied at Whitman College in Wall Walla before entering the U.S. Army in 1917. After World War I, he ran his own car dealerships in Walla Walla and a second one in Pendleton, Ore. By 1931, when he moved to Seattle, he owned five car dealerships. Together with Harry Jensen he founded the successful company Jen-Cel-Lite, which made sleeping bags using cellulose for insulation. Harry’s brother Tony owned Jensen Motor Boat Company, and this sparked the interest in motor boat racing Sayres would have for the rest of his life.

What to Expect

• We will use the scaffolding again as a drivers stand. This will not be required. If you choose to drive from the ground or the drivers stand, please make sure you and your spotter both are at the same level
• Awards will be presented immediately following the conclusion of the final heat of racing
• There will be a 30-minute lunch break
• A best of show award will be presented to the club member who has the best overall appearance (pit area, displays, uniforms, boat’s scale appearance, sportsmanship, etc.)

Pre-Registration
Pre-Registration for the Stan Sayres Memorial is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/stan-sayres-memorial.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just underneath the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page.

You can also find pre-registration by going to www.ercu-hydros.com then selecting “Schedule” from the main menu, and “Stan Sayres Memorial” from the schedule itself.

Schedule
It is our intent to have the course open by 7:30 a.m., so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. With the possibility that there may be new boats that need to be inspected or rookie drivers who may need to take a driving test, please plan to arrive early on Saturday morning. The water will be open for testing until 9 a.m. A mandatory driver’s meeting will start at 9:05 a.m. Drivers that do not attend the meeting will not be allowed to participate in the first round of heats. 1/10-scale modern heat 1A will begin at 9:30 a.m.

Starting Clock
A 1-minute 30-second clock will start as soon as all drivers are in the driving area and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety. Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats and be ready when the chase boat comes back. When all drivers are at the driving area and boats launched/ready to launch drivers the 1:30 clock will be started.

Drivers Meeting
The Drivers Meeting is mandatory for ALL divisions and all classes and will begin immediately upon the closing of testing at 9 a.m. Drivers who are late to the drivers meeting, or do not attend, will NOT be drawn into the first heat – regardless of whether they are pre-registered and pre-paid. First heat will begin at 9:30 a.m.

A Drivers Rep and Pit Boss should also be named at the Drivers Meeting. If a Drivers Rep is not named at the Drivers Meeting, the Contest Director(s) shall be the Drivers Rep.

Rookie/Guest Drivers
ERCU always welcomes new members to the club and visiting racers from other clubs. If a rookie driver needs to be qualified, we will close the course during the test session for the rookie driving test as often is as necessary. The full procedure for rookie qualifications, and for visiting drivers, is in the rulebook by clicking here).

Stan Sayres Memorial Defending Champions
Modern: JimmeJames Cusworth, 2011 Valken
Vintage: JimmeJames Cusworth, 1969 Miss Schweppes

Race Format

• LOVE PLAN: Three flights of preliminary heats, five laps each.
• First and second connies for each class (depending on total boat count and attrition).
• First connie winner advances to the final as front line starter. Second place boat in first connie advances to the final as trailer boat.
• Second connie winner advances to the first connie as a front line starter.
• Final heat with top five boats in each class plus the connie winner on the front line.
• Modern Triple Crown Series Event #3.
• Flight Schedule

            o    1/10-scale modern, classic, vintage heats
            o    1/7-scale modern, vintage heats
            o    1/8-scale heats (1/8 scale will not be scored; and there are no entry fees or registration necessary for 1/8 scale)

• Final heat of the day will feature a 1/7-scale class

Post Race Cleanup and Awards Presentation
Following the conclusion of the final heat of the day, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the podium (first, second and third place) finishers. After the awards are presented, please remember to stick around to help cleanup and re-pack the club trailer.

Weather Forecast
As of this writing, the weather is expected to be 79 degrees and sunny in Longview.

Covid Notice
Effective June 30, 2021, all counties in the State of Washington have been allowed to re-open with some masking and physical distancing required for those who are not fully vaccinated. ERCU has adopted a policy that those who are fully vaccinated may participate without face coverings and physical distancing.

Especially given the recent dramatic rise in cases, those who are not fully vaccinated are asked to continue use of facial coverings, in accordance with state and local requirements.

Restrooms
The public restrooms in Lake Sacajawea Park are expected to be open, however, ERCU has made arrangements for a portable toilet to be available on site. We are working to get this sponsored for the Stan Sayres Memorial. However, there may be a $5 per attendee subsidy requested to help offset the cost of the Sanican.

Electricity
There is no access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source to charge your batteries if you need to charge during the day.