Roostertail Talk
Sports
About
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
Episodes
- Episode 180: 1986 Miami Budweiser Unlimited Hydroplane Championship Radio Broadcast
Send us Fan Mail 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, w…
- Episode 179: Sam Cole, Part 3
Send us Fan Mail 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, a…
- Episode 178: Sam Cole, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail 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…
- Episode 177: Sam Cole, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail 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 convinc…
- Episode 176: Kool Kat Motorsports, Part 3
Send us Fan Mail 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, Rac…
- Episode 175: Kool Kat Motorsports, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail 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 fa…
- Episode 174: Kool Kat Motorsports, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail 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…
- Episode 173: Fran and Edward Muncey, Part 3
Send us Fan Mail 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…
- Episode 172: Fran and Edward Muncey, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail We pick up part two with Fran and Edward Muncey as we talk about carrying on Bill’s vision from driver to owner and into a new era. From the cabover shift to turbines, Chip’s rise, and the Atlas Blue revival, the story fus…
- Episode 171: Fran and Edward Muncey, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail We kick off season eight with an interview with Fran and Edward Muncey. In San Diego Fran traces a chance meeting, a swift marriage, and the making of a racing showman whose heartbeat was jazz. Family stories, sponsor stra…
- Episode 170: Eric Christensen
Send us Fan Mail We talk with Eric Christensen on the night before he picks up the classic H1 hull “Tubby,” laying out a plan to get on the water. Eric talks about the work ahead of him and his goals for the 2026 H1 racing season! Nautiday…
- Episode 169: 1964 APBA Gold Cup Audio Broadcast
Send us Fan Mail Spray hangs in the air, engines hammer the river, and a championship teeters on a half‑boat‑length margin. We crack open a restored broadcast from the 1964 APBA Gold Cup in Detroit and ride every surge, swerve, and split‑s…
- Episode 168: Tom D'Eath, Part 4
Send us Fan Mail The conversation widens beyond speed for Episode 168. We start part 4 by comparing the different hulls that Tom raced for Bernie Little and Budweiser Racing. Tom then relives the stock car crash that fractured ended his dr…
- Episode 167: Tom D'Eath, Part 3
Send us Fan Mail From the Squire Shop highs and a path toward a championship to the uneasy birth of a Miller-backed program, the story tracks the shift from piston power to turbines. What ties everything together is the human calculus. Own…
- Episode 166: Tom D'Eath, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail A river can be an opponent. Detroit’s course demanded patience, precision, and nerve—and Tom takes us inside the cockpit where strategy beat horsepower and a single weekend helped rewrite how champions are crowned. Tom div…
- Episode 165: Tom D'Eath, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail A phone connection to Detroit’s past opens into a story of risk, grit, and craft. I sit down with legendary hydroplane driver Tom D’Eath to trace the path from a kid on a bike chasing the sound of engines to a champion who…
- Episode 164: 1983 Indiana Governor's Cup Radio Broadcast
Send us Fan Mail Step back in time to the thrilling 1983 Indiana Governor’s Cup! Experience this unforgettable race through rare, preserved original race audio that captures all the drama, speed, and excitement of the era. A huge thank-you…
- Episode 163: Charlie Grigg, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Charlie Grigg takes us behind the scenes of hydroplane racing sponsorship, revealing how what began as financial support for the U3 team evolved into profound friendships and becoming part of the racing family. The convers…
- Episode 162: Charlie Grigg, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail Charlie Grigg shares his journey from being a riverside kid watching unlimited hydroplanes in the 1960s to becoming a key sponsor for Ed Cooper's piston-powered racing team. Along with co-host Mike Hall, a longtime Cooper…
- Episode 161: Brandon Kennedy, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Brandon Kennedy returns for part 2 of his interview with Roostertail Talk. He will share news on the future of the Madison Racing Program as well as other fun stories along the way. He also talks more about his own weekly…
- Episode 160: Brandon Kennedy, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail Brandon Kennedy's life has been intertwined with hydroplane racing from birth. Kennedy embodies the rare fourth-generation racer whose path to the highest levels of the sport seemed almost predetermined. In this revealing…
- Episode 159: Brad Luce, Part 3
Send us Fan Mail In this revealing conclusion to our three-part interview with Brad Luce, the voice of H1 Unlimited pulls back the curtain on race officiating, broadcasting challenges, and the passionate people working to grow the sport we…
- Episode 158: Brad Luce, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail The voice behind the rooster tails opens up about life in the broadcast booth. In this candid conversation, veteran hydroplane racing broadcaster Brad Luce reveals many things that keep him going to announce the races for…
- Episode 157: Brad Luce, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail The roar of engines and spectacular roostertails captivated Brad Luce at just two years old, igniting a passion that would transform him from wide-eyed fan to the voice of H1 Unlimited hydroplane racing. This candid conver…
- Episode 156: Chris Denslow
Send us Fan Mail The unsung heroes of hydroplane racing deserve more recognition - the people behind the scenes who make this thrilling sport possible through their passion and dedication. This week, I sit down with one such unsung hero: C…
- Episode 155: Mark Tate, Part 3
Send us Fan Mail Legendary hydroplane racer Mark Tate takes us behind the scenes of one of racing's most thrilling eras in this final installment of our three-part interview series. With candid reflections and genuine emotion, Mark shares…
- Episode 154: Mark Tate, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Mark Tate's path to hydroplane racing greatness wasn't just about raw talent—it required technical mastery, strategic thinking, and adapting to different race courses. In this revealing conversation, Tate takes listeners i…
- Episode 153: Mark Tate, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail David Newton sits down with hydroplane racing legend Mark Tate to discuss his remarkable career from outboard racing to becoming a Gold Cup champion in the Unlimited class. Mark shares stories about his family's racing leg…
- Episode 152: Steve Montgomery, Part 3
Send us Fan Mail The voice that defined an era of hydroplane racing returns for the captivating conclusion of our three-part interview with legendary broadcaster Steve Montgomery. Take a nostalgic journey through the golden age of unlimite…
- Episode 151: Steve Montgomery, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Radio waves meet rooster tails in this captivating continuation of our conversation with broadcasting legend Steve Montgomery. From creating iconic KISW "Miss Rock" advertisements to becoming the voice of unlimited hydropl…
- Episode 150: Steve Montgomery, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail The legendary voice of hydroplane racing, Steve Montgomery, takes us on a nostalgic journey through his extraordinary career and lifelong passion for the sport in this captivating conversation. Steve shares the path that l…
- Episode 149: Mike Denslow
Send us Fan Mail The tides are turning for hydroplane racing. In this revealing conversation with H1 Unlimited Chairman Mike Denslow, we explore how a passionate group of business leaders and lifelong fans is systematically rebuilding one…
- Episode 148: H1 2025 Season Preview with Hydro Dan
Send us Fan Mail Time to dive into hydroplane racing's 2025 season following the H1 pre-season test session in Tri-Cities, where boats hit impressive speeds and fans got their first glimpse of this season's contenders. HydroDan (one of the…
- Episode 147: Ted Porter, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Ted Porter shares the highs, lows, and unforgettable moments from his decade-plus career as a hydroplane racing team owner. His journey from rookie team to dominating the sport includes winning the national high points cha…
- Episode 146: Ted Porter, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail Ted Porter shares his journey from Formula Boats family business to becoming an H1 Unlimited hydroplane racing team owner who claimed 18 victories and multiple championships. His decade-plus career in the sport represents…
- Episode 145: Don Mock
Send us Fan Mail We take time to remember and celebrate Don Mock, a great friend of the hydroplane racing community who recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. His extraordinary contributions as a talented craftsman, museum b…
- Episode 144: David Newton, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail David Newton steps back from his host duties as Don Mock from the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum turns the microphone around for part two of an in-depth conversation about David's lifetime in RC hydroplane racing. This fasci…
- Episode 143: David Newton, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail What happens when the interviewer becomes the interviewee? In this special episode, the microphone flips as Don Mock of the Hydroplane Race Boat Museum sits down with host David Newton to uncover the story behind the voice…
- Episode 142: John Walters, Part 3
Send us Fan Mail John Walters pulls back the curtain on his extraordinary journey through the world of unlimited hydroplane racing in this captivating conclusion to our three-part interview. After surviving a catastrophic crash in 1982, Wa…
- Episode 141: John Walters, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail The evolution of hydroplane racing sits at the heart of this captivating conversation with John Walters as he picks up where our previous episode left off, diving deep into his pivotal years working alongside the sport's m…
- Episode 140: John Walters, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail Few have shaped the world of hydroplane racing like John Walters. In part 1 of this captivating conversation, we dive deep into the remarkable journey of a legend whose impact spans more than five decades of boat racing ev…
- Episode 139: Mike Hall, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Join me as I conclude my interview with Mike Hall, a true veteran of the sport, who takes us behind the scenes of this charismatic community. The episode is filled with Mike's colorful anecdotes. His vivid storytelling pai…
- Episode 138: Mike Hall, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail Join us for an exhilarating ride into the world of unlimited hydroplane racing as we sit down with Mike Hall, a passionate crew member hailing from Indiana. With stories that date back to building RC models in his uncle's…
- Episode 137: Eric Christensen
Send us Fan Mail Roostertail Talk is back with season 7. The first episode for the new season features a conversation with Eric Christensen revealing his journey from enthusiastic fan to team owner and driver. Eric discusses the challenges…
- Episode 136: Mark and Mitch Evans, Part 4
Send us Fan Mail Join us for an exhilarating ride as we wrap up our journey with hydroplane racing legends, Mark and Mitch Evans. These two icons share vivid recollections from their illustrious careers, filled with thrilling adventures an…
- Episode 135: Mark and Mitch Evans, Part 3
Send us Fan Mail Join part 3 of my chat with Mark and Mitch Evans as they share thrilling stories from their racing careers during the transformative 90s in hydroplane racing. This episode highlights their experiences with race day triumph…
- Episode 134: Mark and Mitch Evans, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Mark and Mitch Evans, legendary figures in the world of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing, join us for part 2 of their 4 part interview. We revisit their riveting exploration of their high-octane careers in the late 80s. From Ma…
- Episode 133: Mark and Mitch Evans, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail Imagine growing up with the roar of hydroplane engines as your lullaby. Join me as I sit down with Mitch and Mark Evans, legendary figures in hydroplane racing, who share their exhilarating journey from childhood escapades…
- Episode 132: Chris Martin and Jason Colean, Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Chris Martin and Jason Colean continue their interview in Episode 132. Listen in as they continue to share their experience on the U-27 Wiggins Racing team. They go into more detail about the 2024 racing season for Apollo…
- Episode 131: Chris Martin and Jason Colean, Part 1
Send us Fan Mail After a 2 month hiatus we are back and streaming with part 1 of my interview with Chris Martin and Jason Colean. Chris and Jason are crew members for the U-27 Apollo Mechanical racing team. Listen to their story as they we…