Roostertail Talk
A show dedicated for preserving the history, breaking down the racing and looking to the future of the incredible sport of Unlimited Hydroplane racing. My name is David Newton, and I will be bringing you a weekly show in which we will discuss the boats, drivers, owners, crew members, legends, fans and anything that is involved with the sport that I love; hydroplane racing. Fans you can now sign up for a subscription service for the podcast! As you can imagine, running a podcast can be pricey (from hosting fees, website fees, travel, equipment, etc.). You can help the podcast by subscribing to our new service, Roostertail Talk+. The podcast is still free to all on our website and through all major podcast platforms (such as Apple Podcast, Spotify, Castbox, etc) but with Roostertail Talk+ there is more you can enjoy ! With this service you will get early links to new episodes, enjoy access to extra content, raffle prizes and more. This is a new service that we will be adding to as we move along. As always your support to make this show grow is very appreciated! TOMORROW, there will be an announcement for the first prize for subscribing to Roostertail Talk+. You can subscribe with the following link! https://www.buzzsprout.com/434851/supporters/new
Episodes
We roll tape on a vintage radio broadcast of the 1987 Seafair Budweiser Emerald Cup and relive the day Miss Budweiser turned a tight two mile course into a showcase. With the radio broadcast of the race, it includes interviews with the late Jim Kropfeld, Bernie Little and Mel Larson. A big thank you to Laurie Marlow for sharing the audio of the race broadcast with the podcast!
We catch up with Brandon Kennedy as he races both the GP35 in the Grand Prix American Series and the U-6 Royer Presents Miss Madison in H1 Unlimited. He shares what changed over the offseason, what went right and wrong at Madison and Valleyfield, and how he defines success heading into Tri-Cities and Seattle.
Help the podcast by subscribing to our new service, Roostertail Talk+. The podcast is s...
We wrap up our conversation with Bryce Todd as he steps into the GP class with the brand-new Armadillo Breeders Association team and races the clock toward Columbia Cup. We dig into how the deal comes together, what it takes to rebuild a weathered boat the right way, and why GP racing can be the loud, fast fix many fans have been missing.
We sit down with the GP-14 Armadillo Breeder's Association's new driver Bryce Todd and trace the path from Lake Chelan spectator to E350 racer who wins rookie national high points through consistency and grit. We also dig into what it really costs to keep Region 10 hydroplane racing alive and why Bryce now chases speed, setups, and records more than points. Remember, this is part 1 of a 2 part episode. Look fo...
We catch up with 2026 APBA Gold Cup champion Jimmy Shane right after his Madison win to hear how he returned to H1 Unlimited and why this victory feels uniquely special. Jimmy walks us through the mental pressure, the technical unknowns of a new hull and crew, and the moments in the final heat that nearly got away from him.
Help the podcast by subscribing to our new service, Roostert...
We jump into our annual pre-season check-in with Hydro Dan and use spring testing to size up the H1 Unlimited field heading into Madison. We also dig into the new assigned-lane starting procedure, talk Grand Prix America’s momentum, and lay out how to play Deck2Deck like a strategist.
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Roostertail Talk Deck2Deck Group (Join our group!)
Lets travel back in time and revisit the radio broadcast of the 1987 Budweiser Indiana Governor’s Cup in Madison. Follow the weekend broadcast as it swings from qualifying optimism to delays, crashes, and a storm-driven finish.
A BIG thank you to Laurie Marlow for preserving and digitalizing the race broadcast so we can enjoy it today.
You can feel it when someone’s all-in on a racing class, and Ed Thompson is exactly that right now. We sit down coast to coast with the owner of Kool Kat Motorsports and the newly announced president of Grand Prix America Hydroplanes to get clear on what GP hydroplane racing is, how it evolved from the Unlimited Lights era, and what it’s going to take to grow the series into something even more marketabl...
We pick up Part Two with David Williams and Brad Haskin as Brad steps into leadership at the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum and we get honest about what it takes to keep vintage hydroplanes restored, running, and safe. We talk money, time, volunteer labor, and why the museum only works when fans treat it like something we all own and protect.
Don't forget that the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum is bring...
We sit down with retiring museum leader David Williams and incoming director Brad Haskins to talk about what it really takes to preserve unlimited hydroplane racing history. We dig into the long-planned torch pass, the pressure behind the scenes, and why a hands-on museum experience can hit harder than any display case.
Don't forget that the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum is bringing back Hydro Fever! The...
The hardest part of hydroplane racing isn’t always the speed. Sometimes it’s deciding, in real time, what actually happened when eight boats hit the start, rooster tails erase sightlines, and a championship can swing on a single judgment call. In part 2 of the interview we sit down with Jonathan Abbott to get a clear, practical look at H1 Unlimited officiating from the chief referee’s chair and why...
We sit down with Jonathan Abbott to trace his journey from a Valleyfield kid “born in the pits” to becoming Chief Referee of H1 Unlimited. Along the way, we dig into why the 2026 rule changes around starts and lane selection aim to improve safety, clarity, and the on water show. This is part 1 of my interview with Jonathan, make sure to return next week to hear part 2 and the conclusion!
Episode 180 of Roostertail Talk takes you back four decades to the thrilling 1986 Miami hydroplane race, the Budweiser Unlimited Hydroplane Championship. This special episode features a full radio broadcast of the event, with legendary announcer Jim Hendrix bringing every moment to life over the airwaves.
Relive the intensity and drama as some of the sport’s most iconic figures take to the water, including Jim ...
We wrap up our conversation with former H1 Unlimited commissioner Sam Cole as he lays out how the sport survived a shaky era and what it will take to grow again. We dig into sponsorship analytics, the Qatar breakthrough, and the hard truths about race formats, fan time, and why new race sites are so difficult to land.
*Photo by Bill Osborne
We pick up our conversation with Sam Cole as he explains how unlimited hydroplane racing broke onto national television and why that single shift changed sponsorship leverage for decades. We also get candid about the messy reality of exclusivity rules, hard business lessons from the Miller era, and the larger-than-life people who shaped the sport. Make sure you come back next week, as we'll have part three and the c...
A sport can look loud and effortless from the shoreline, but unlimited hydroplane racing only survives because someone is always doing the quiet work: calling cities, lining up sponsors, writing press releases, and convincing communities that a weekend on the water matters. That’s why this conversation with Sam Cole hits so hard. Sam isn’t just a longtime insider. He’s a former H1 Unlimited leader ...
We wrap up our trilogy with Cool Cats Motorsports by getting specific about 2026 goals, how we stay consistent across a full season, and what we want fans to experience at the races. We also go off-track into teaching, Racing To Read, and the behind-the-scenes work it takes to grow hydroplane racing.
Please do me a favor this summer, when you go to the races, make sure you go over and say hello to the t...
In part 2 we talk with Ed Thompson, John Shaw and Brent Hall about how Kool Kat Motorsports becomes a two-boat team for the 2026 season and what it takes to add a second driver without losing focus. We also dig into the fan-first mindset that shapes everything we do, from pit access to offseason content to how we show up on race weekend.
Episode 174: Kool Kat Motorsports, Part 1
We sit down with Ed Thompson, John Shaw, and Brett Hall to hear how Kool Kat Motorsports grows from a fan favorite into a serious two-boat Grand Prix operation. We dig into East Coast vs West Coast racing, the family roots behind the program, and the craft and marketing choices that make their team stand out. This is part 1 of a 3 part interview. Don't miss part 2 airing Tuesday, March 30th. Enjoy!
We wrap up our conversation with Fran and Edward Muncy by tracing how a tight-budget team kept winning, how the crew culture stayed joyful under pressure, and why Chip Hanauer set the tone in the pits and on the water. We also correct a few historical details and leave with a clear picture of what hydroplane racing needs next to grow.
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