Ready to relive the action of the Gold Cup race in Seattle? We've got you covered! Join us as we dissect the water-churning drama that led to J. Michael Kelly claiming his second Gold Cup and his first-ever national championship. We unpack the stunning upset of odds-on favorite Corey Peabody, which proved that in hydroplane racing, anything can happen!
Our retrospective on the 2023 H1 Unlimited season delves into the teams, the drivers, and yes, the unexpected triumphs that left us all wanting more. We also explore how drone technology has forever changed hydroplane racing, making it even more thrilling and accessible to fans worldwide. We also discuss what improvements should be discussed this offseason. So tune in, strap in, and let's dive into the high-octane world of hydroplane racing on Roostertail Talk!
Photo by Digital Roostertails
Ready to relive the action of the Gold Cup race in Seattle? We've got you covered! Join us as we dissect the water-churning drama that led to J. Michael Kelly claiming his second Gold Cup and his first-ever national championship. We unpack the stunning upset of odds-on favorite Corey Peabody, which proved that in hydroplane racing, anything can happen!
Our retrospective on the 2023 H1 Unlimited season delves into the teams, the drivers, and yes, the unexpected triumphs that left us all wanting more. We also explore how drone technology has forever changed hydroplane racing, making it even more thrilling and accessible to fans worldwide. We also discuss what improvements should be discussed this offseason. So tune in, strap in, and let's dive into the high-octane world of hydroplane racing on Roostertail Talk!
Photo by Digital Roostertails
Roochattel Talk, a podcast dedicated to everything related to the sport we all love. Hi, jephine Racing, I'm your host, david Newton, and it's time once again to sit back, relax and welcome to Roochattel Talk. It is August 8th 2023, and this is Episode 109. Well, racepans in Seattle, it feels like summer's over. It's a gray, drizzly day outside in the mid-60s and seafar is over. Yesterday, seafar and Gold Cup races in the books, and, growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I always felt that when seafar ended, so did my summer, because just a few days away we're going to be going back to school. I guess it's the same for me now, as I'm a teacher and I'm dreading my summer break ending. But not only does it mark the near end for summer, seafar marked the end of each one season, as it was a short season only four races in the whole series this year and I think the fans finally got the race that they've been longing for, that they have waited and longed for, as almost every heat.
Speaker 1:Last weekend was deck to deck drilling races on the water, and I want to talk a little bit more about that. I think the fans probably just enjoyed it even more after the first two races not having a final heat due to weather and timing. And then in Tri-Cities, unfortunately, three of the boats jumped the gun. There were penalties on the water which was actually, to be honest, really confusing for all the fans. I think all the fans I was near on the Pasco side had absolutely no idea what was going on in the water, but it was a fun race for the fans in Seattle.
Speaker 1:I just have to say, going into that final heat, I did not expect Jim Ackele to have the boat to win that race. Saw early on he was lane two in good position, but I really felt that Tate was in a better position in lane three. Tate had the perfect start, the perfect first lap, but, as he showed on the weekend, that boat was loose. He was handling it. He did a great job of flying it and keeping under control, as I predicted, running to each one last week, that equalizer in Seattle, the rough water, it prevailed. I think if the water was calmer Tate would have won that thing. But with that rough water Jim Ackele came in clutch, as he always does. When it's time final heat time he finds a way to win and he did again yesterday, winning his second gold cup, winning his first national championship as a driver winning Strong's first national championship just a great race for that strong team.
Speaker 1:It was a thrilling final heat and I know some of us out there online. I saw afterwards and in watching the race there were some questionable no calls on the water, but I think the each one probably decided early on it's the gold cup, it's the last race of the year. Drivers are taking their gloves off and they're throwing their punches and we got a classic on the water. Now, whether, whether which side of the fence you are on that, are you glad they didn't call? Make the calls and let them race on the water? I know some fans were. Some fans were a little more disturbed that they let things go. I know two, four boats actually touched one another, so there were some damaged boats on the water. One boat got washed down. I think it was the beginning of lap two, home Street Hadling one and J Michael Kelly actually came over in front of them and washed them down there. So I don't know, was it better to let them run on the water and determine the winner that way, or should some penalties have been called? I don't know.
Speaker 1:We did get a great show, but I have mentioned the driver's name that I think everyone talked about all weekend Corey Peabody. I think everyone going into that final heat thought he was going to be the Gold Cup champion. He was going to be national high point champion and for whatever reason it just didn't happen for him in that final heat. He was out lane four at the start and he was uncharacteristically behind the field. He didn't have a good start. He was well back behind Tate who had the perfect start, I thought, on the line and didn't put himself in a good position. He had the boat. He proved it most of the weekend that he could win from most any lane and he proved himself in tri-cities. He won, I think, in several different lanes on the outside had a great boat setup. But as the announcers were calling all weekend, who's going to solve the Peabody puzzle? And Jay Mocco-Kelly solved it in that final heat.
Speaker 1:But going into that final heat, corey Peabody had the points advantage for the high points race and was odds on favorite to win the Gold Cup. Always fun to see an underdog win. I'm glad to see that happen in style in Seattle. But if we take a look at the points for the end of the year after four races. Of course Jay Mocco-Kelly won. He had a narrow margin of victory over his teammate. He ended the year with 5,284 points. Second place was Corey Peabody in the beacon plumbing boat with 5,200 points overall. So only 84 points separated first and second place. Hard to recall Final heat end of the year where the points race was decided in such a small margin. Always it's fun to see that happen Again with that parody in the sport. Just good for the sport overall to see it come to the end, because there's been so many years in the past where we've seen that, where we've seen the national championship be decided a race early in the year or be decided very early in the race, the last race of the year, and it not be as exciting and thrilling as it was this past weekend.
Speaker 1:Definitely one team that kind of snuck in there. The Flavor Pack actually snuck into third place overall. They finished the year with 4,181 points. Fourth place going to U11. Jamie Nielsen driving the Legend Yacht Transport, 4,146 points. And then fifth place with 4,014 points was the U91 Goodman Real Estate. And another close battle between third and fifth place with only gosh less than 100 points, about 150 points separating third and fifth place. So not very much at all. So that was interesting that that came down to such a close margin from third to fifth place there.
Speaker 1:In sixth place unusual for Miss Home Street they had a down year this year Finished in sixth overall in high points with 3,684 points and then from there the points kind of drop off dramatically as there were some boats that only show up to a handful of races out of the four. Graham Trucking they finished in seventh place with 1,252 points. Next was the Beast Unleashed, miss Thriftway only running in Seafarer, the Gold Cup. There it was 762 points for that rookie, gunner O'Farrell. Next was the U3 Go3 Racing with 670 points and then the 440-point Tonneau Homes ended with some points. For the year they got 60 points total for qualifying in Gunnersville and Seattle.
Speaker 1:Unfortunately Brent Hall didn't get his 15 laps in. He only needed it. He was one short, failed short of qualifying as a driver in each one and limited in qualifying for the first time as an African-American in the sport Only one lap left to go. It's a bummer he couldn't hop in and seat another another boat get that lap in there. But fortunately next year his 14 laps that he completed this year will carry forward to next year. So he only needs one lap next year which he could possibly get in spring training and become a qualified driver. So I'm looking forward to seeing that happen in 2024.
Speaker 1:It was a fun season, a lot of great racing on the water. I'm sad it's over. Not sure if you saw Chip Hanner's interview with Paul Sylvie on King 5 TV, but in a word he kind of said it's kind of sad right. Unfortunately San Diego was canceled. Don't have that fifth race of the year. It's early August. I think the last time the H1 season ended in Seattle in Seafarer was back in 1972. And since then we've had races go past Seafarer and go past August, into September and even into October.
Speaker 1:Unfortunately this was a short year, but let's think about some positives here. What are some takeaways from the season? Probably the biggest positive of the year has to be the live footage that each one has going for it right now. They've really dedicated their time and efforts into putting a good show online live for the fans and it's really shown itself as a great tool for the sport and I'm hoping this is going to be something that can save the sport because they're getting such awesome shots from the drones. I've talked about that almost every episode I think this year and into last year as well, but that team has such great shots with those drones footage They've been throwing in some old races for the downtime so to keep the fans alive and to be motivated to watch the race go on, and I loved that.
Speaker 1:This last race they brought on. John Walters, a legend in the sport, won the first race as a running a turbine hydroplane in just a wealth of knowledge because he's set up boats, he's worked on boats, he's driven boats, he knows the insides and outs of those holes of hydroplane racing in general and he was able to give such a great insight to what the drivers were going through but also what the boats were going through, and that's something that we haven't had as much in the narrating side of the sport lately and it was great to hear some of those technical aspects of how the motors are performing, what the crews are going to be doing to the props and setups. It was really refreshing to hear that in the announcing side and I'm just hopeful that he can come back next year and do some more announcing or find some other drivers, crew members that can give those insights with announcing for the races. But all the fans I've talked to just really love what they've done with that live stream, the footage, the drone shots and it's been a really, I think, a great tool for marketing for the sport. Hopefully that will show next year, hopefully get some more interest in insight in the sport and just help see it grow back to what it should be right.
Speaker 1:The second takeaway I got from the season is the parody in the sport. A lot of the heats on the water you couldn't tell who was going to win or if you thought you knew who was going to win, they didn't win right. There was a heat where I thought on Saturday the flavor pack was, had it down, had the rest of the field covered and Jamie Nielsen in the legend yacht transport got a perfect start and won the heat. So that's just an example of you don't always know who's going to win in the sport. Going into that final heat, I think everyone threw out the beacon electric and in Jamie Kokeli, because we had we thought it was a two-ball race Tate versus Peabody and Jamie Kokeli found a way to win. So parodies on the sport. Out of the 10 teams that entered races this year I think we had six different drivers win heats, so a lot of parry in the sport, which is something that hasn't always been there, but lately we've seen it happen again and again. So a great positive for the sport.
Speaker 1:And then my third takeaway, I see, is just the quality of the drivers. The drivers, weekend and week out, have really proven that they earned their seat time going through the list. Jamie Nielsen just really impressed me over in Tri-Cities in Seattle, making great starts, putting the boat into a position where he could possibly win or take advantage of any other drivers mishaps, which he did in Tri-Cities in Seattle. A great driver there, and if he had just a little bit more speed we'd see him on the podium and in the winter circle a bit more, of course. Corey Peabody we talked about him having a perfect weekend over in Tri-Cities, having, I think, three heat wins in Seattle, putting the boat where it needs to be to win. And Jamie McAkelly coming in clutch in that final heat, coming away with a victory with a boat that we didn't think would be in the winter circle on Sunday.
Speaker 1:Andrew Tate I can't count how many times we saw the underside of that boat in seattle. He was flying, that he was in control but it didn't look like it because it was on the edge almost every heat, almost every lap. But he is another great driver that can get the most out of the boat. He actually was top qualifier getting his second qualifying run in on saturday morning when over 154 on the two mile race course. Uh, and Really surprised some people that he was able to get the goodman, that older boat out of the madison team, to be top qualifier once again. Dustin eckles, he can qualify Really fast and he can. He can air it out as well like tate he. I don't know how many times I saw the underside of that boat, but he was able to keep it down Uh and keep it safe for the weekend and, which I'm really glad that team can walk away without Uh. Major damage to their hull got a little bit dinged in the final when when p body slid out into them, but Overall I'm glad that they came away with the, the hull intact.
Speaker 1:Uh, and then another person actually, so a couple rookies turned into some heads dylan runny and bobby king. Uh, dylan runny, he, he was able to get lane one multiple times and try cities and seafar Uh, surprised, surprised me that he was able to get in there and steal lane, the lane one, away from drivers like tate and p body, neilson and j mackle, kelly. So, uh, and then bobby king only coming through two races under his belt in the unlimited ranks. He snuck up there and p body I think that was the second or third heat. He had the inside lane and on lap two he was able to make a perfect corner and come even with p body and the beacon plumbing um out of out of nowhere. So, um, some great driving skills there. And Unfortunately, with the short season, only four races, uh, bobby king only getting the two of those four.
Speaker 1:If you think back to the late 90s when there was eight or nine races on the circuit that gave the drivers so much more seat time on the water. And unfortunately for rickies coming to the sport with four races, it's really hard for them to get enough laps to be 100 comfortable with the whole, to learn the new race courses, uh, to learn the different nuances from tri cities to seafar in seattle, from madison and gunnersville. It's hard for them to to really learn on the fly and um, you know, match wits on the water with those veterans. Uh, not saying that those rookies are are bad drivers at all. They're phenomenal drivers. But to get more time on the water, have a longer season, have more time for them to get comfortable and to really um, you know, put the put their equipment out there it's hard to expect that from a rookie with such a short season, but Dylan runny and bobby king really showed Um some great skill and I'm excited to see them Uh expand on that in years to come and where they can go in the sport All right.
Speaker 1:So where do we go from here? Off seasons here it's early august, so it's going to be a long off season and we have a long wait until we see h1 unlimited back on the water. I'm excited for the next season, what it could bring. But with this long off season Is in any sport, in anything in life really, we always want to improve upon ourselves and I'm hoping that this can be some time for h1 to improve upon themselves, because there's so many positives in the sport, as we talked about With the live stream, the parody, the great driving Um, the racing on the water. It's a great product on the water right now. But how can we improve on that? Because, as in anything in life.
Speaker 1:Like I said, we want to get better, we want to make it better it. What can be better for the fans and have a better experience for next season? And I don't have any answers. I just have questions and I'm curious, as other fans what would you want to see for next year? I know we don't have much power, but maybe get our voices heard and there's always so many different corners and avenues that need to be worked on. But what could h1 prioritize for the next year? I see three big things here as race sites, uh, the 80 mile an hour per roll and Engagement for fans on the beach.
Speaker 1:So, with race sites, as I said, it was a four race season and I know each one has been working on this and trying to get more races on the circuit. They've been having a push to get down to Vancouver, washington, on the other side of the Columbia River, down from Tri-Cities right, they had their Exhibition there last year, so they're trying to get back and more races on the circuit. And I've heard rumors about other possible race sites, which are Rumors, and I said again in this show I don't want to exploit rumors and give false hope or Even gossip about what could be with that. But Hopefully they we can get some more races next year. Well, loves to see us get back Even into some old circuits like Evansville, as there's a lot of fans there that would love to see the race come back in Detroit. Thinking about with races Right now we have a three-day race product on the field or on the water. Maybe to get more races on the circuit, maybe they need to narrow it down to a two-day event or even a one-day event just to get more Possible race sites out there. So I'm hoping that next year we could see a Return to San Diego to be at five races and then bump it up to six or seven, maybe get back to Detroit, hopefully find another race to add to the circuit.
Speaker 1:I Mentioned the 80 mile an hour rule as because it seems to be a topic every year. Right, they've been improving upon it. They have the strobe lights, they're they're getting, they have the technology now that when the boats come back they know precisely when they were below 80 mile an hour or not. But it does cause some controversy and confusion If after the race or if the boat drops below 80 miles an hour and then appellancy has assessed after the race. I love seeing the fight for lanes, but I think in tri-cities when three boats jumped the gun were too way too early, couldn't drop below 80 miles an hour and fans are confused and don't understand what's going on.
Speaker 1:Maybe do we talk, maybe should there be talk about changing that, or are we happy with what the product is in place? It would be awesome to see the 80 mile an hour rule still be in effect but have the technology to be instantaneous so you know right away. But that's got to be a huge cost To get that equipment and get that in place. So at least for now we know the truth, that each one's been very open and honest about the calls. They've been very clear and transparent with that. They show all the data and all the proof online. But all other fans and other sports and other race boats shifted and gone to and shifted and gone to a sign lanes based on qualifying. They keep the starting clock, but they have the boats assigned to lanes so it kind of throws out that 80 mile an hour rule. So you got a product with all the boats coming up to start and then it's clear if the boats over behind the line and the penalties made within the first lap Doesn't need to change or stay the same. I don't know, but I'm sure they're gonna be talking about that this season.
Speaker 1:And the last thing I've just thought about since being in Tri-Cities and Seafar this year, I did spend some time on the beach watching some of the races and Some of the some of the areas I've gone to have had a PA system. Some of them have not and actually in fact most of the areas I've gone to to watch races did not have a PA system. I've been fortunate. This past year or past couple years. I purchased a radio scanner and On Facebook they've posted the each one officials Radio and they've posted other Race teams frequencies so you can hear and listen into the chatter of what's going on in the race course, which is awesome as a fan because you can hear what penalties are called right away and you know the order. You know exactly what's happening on the water. But very few fans have radio scanners and In Tri-Cities on Sunday I watched on the Pasco side.
Speaker 1:There was no PA system over there but the most part the fans kind of saw who won. You could see them out in the front at the end, but especially in that final heat, fans had no idea what was going on. People were confused and Just kind of left in the in the days as they didn't understand who won. And it makes me think about that casual fan that doesn't really know the rules and the nuances of the sport. They see the boats going fast, they love the excitement and the thrill of the boats Dancing across the water and that close deck-to-deck racing.
Speaker 1:But how do we teach and explain the sport to casual fans so they can understand what's going on? It makes it hard when there's, you know, different rules that we don't see on the beach. Right, you see that have the M2 violation, the fuel flow, 80 mile an hour rule, gun jumpers what were the penalties being called? How do you make that more? How do you connect the fans to understand what's happening on the water? Again, there's a lot of areas in Seattle I had no PA system as well and the areas I went to with that, the, the fans were very more laid back and just kind of watched the boats run around the water and didn't really know what's happening. So they definitely have it set on the live stream. It's easy to tell what's happening when you watch the live stream, but for those fans that go to the race and watch it in person, I don't know how you would connect them to make it more Engaging but also just to get a better understanding for them who was who's doing what on the water. But how do you, how do you connect the fans to the sport more that are in person? I don't know. I'm sure there are ways out there and the things that we can talk about this. But Again, long off season ahead of us, hopefully a lot of time to spend in growing the sport to be coming back to what it was in the glory days and to be Just a better overall product for us. Race fans. All right, fans.
Speaker 1:What did you think of the year? Did you enjoy it? What aspects did you like? What was positive for you? What do you want to share with me? I would love to see your comments on Facebook, instagram, love to see your posts and and share with me your thoughts. You can find us on Facebook, at Rochetel talk and on Instagram as well. At Rochetel talk, we'll love if you could follow and subscribe on Facebook and Instagram. And don't forget to check our website out at wwwRochetelTalkcom, and I'll post updates as we go along this off season. I'm gonna continue my broadcast Furlurence the off season this year. I won't have an episode next week, but Be sure you stay tuned as I'll be returning to the airwaves on the 22nd of August. We'll take one week off. We'll come back. We'll have our next episode. I've got a few interviews lined up. I'm excited to see what I can get on the podcast coming up here for you. But until next time I hope to see you at the reason.