Pacific Raceways facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Pacific Raceways

Layout of Pacific Raceways (2002–present)
Location	Lake Morton-Berrydale, Washington, near Kent, Washington, United States
Time zone	UTC−08:00 (UTC−07:00 DST)
Coordinates	47°19′12.2″N 122°8′42.6″W / 47.320056°N 122.145167°W / 47.320056; -122.145167
Capacity	30,000
Owner	Fiorlito family
Address	31001 144th Ave SE
Broke ground	1959
Opened	1960
Former names	Seattle International Raceways (1969–2001) Pacific Raceways (1960–1968)
Major events	Current: NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series NHRA Northwest Nationals (1975–1980, 1988–2019, 2022–present) Former: NASCAR Northwest Series (2003) MazdaSpeed Miata Cup (2003) NASCAR Winston West Series (1984–1985) AMA Superbike Championship (1981–1983, 1985) Trans-Am Series (1967–1970, 1975, 1977, 1982–1984) SCCA L&M Championship (1969–1971, 1973) USAC IndyCar (1969) United States Road Racing Championship (1963–1968)
Full Circuit (2002–present)
Surface	Asphalt and concrete
Length	2.250 mi (3.621 km)
Turns	10
Original Circuit (1960–2001)
Surface	Asphalt and concrete
Length	2.250 mi (3.621 km)
Turns	9
Race lap record	1:15.310 ( Brian Redman, Lola T330, 1973, F5000)
Drag Strip
Surface	Asphalt and concrete
Length	0.25 mi (0.402 km)

Pacific Raceways is a cool place near Kent, Washington, where different kinds of races happen! It has both a road racing track and a drag racing strip. The track was built in 1959 and opened in 1960. It was first called Kent Pacific Raceways. Then, in 1969, its name changed to Seattle International Raceways. In 2002, the original owners got the track back, and it went back to being called Pacific Raceways.

A Porsche participating in a BMW club track day in June 2005.

An aerial view of Pacific Raceways.

Discover the Road Course

Pacific Raceways has a long road course, about 2.25 miles (3.62 kilometers) long. This track is used for exciting car races by groups like the SCCA and SOVREN. Motorcycle racers from the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association (WMRRA) also use it. The course is special because it goes up and down over 125 feet (38 meters)! It also has a beautiful, wooded section.

The track has hosted some big races in the past. For example, NASCAR races happened here in 1984, 1985, and 2003. Famous drivers like Jim Bown, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Jefferson won these races.

Learn to Drive Like a Pro

Did you know you can learn to drive fast at Pacific Raceways? They have a special driving school! You can take classes to learn how to drive better, practice on the track, or even get a license to become a race car driver.

Experience the Drag Strip

Besides the road course, Pacific Raceways also has a dragstrip. This is a straight track where cars race side-by-side for a short distance, trying to be the fastest. The dragstrip hosts a huge event called the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Northwest Nationals. This event has been happening here since 1988! There's also a dirt motocross track for dirt bike racing.

A Look Back at Racing History

Pacific Raceways was a very important place for sports car racing in the United States during the 1960s. Many big races took place here.

From 1963 to 1968, it hosted the Pacific Northwest Grand Prix. This was part of the United States Road Racing Championship. The track also hosted races for the Trans-Am Series several times, including the final races of the season in 1967 and 1968. Other important races, like the SCCA Continental Championship for Formula 5000 cars, also visited the track.

In 1969, the track even hosted a race for USAC Championship Cars. Racing legends Mario Andretti and Al Unser both won races that day!

Many other famous drivers have won races at Pacific Raceways. These include Mark Donohue, Brian Redman, David Hobbs, Parnelli Jones, and Pedro Rodriguez.

Fastest Lap Records

A lap record is the fastest time a car or motorcycle has completed one full lap of the track during a race. Here are some of the fastest official race lap records at Pacific Raceways (when it was also known as Seattle International Raceways):

Drag Strip Records

On the drag strip, records are set for both how quickly a vehicle finishes the race (called E.T. for Elapsed Time) and how fast it's going at the finish line (Speed). Here are some of the fastest records:

See also

• Jerry Ruth, a world champion drag racer who often raced at Pacific Raceways.