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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
181 episodes
Episode 179: Sam Cole, Part 3
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 abo...
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Episode 178: Sam Cole, Part 2
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 exclusivit...
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Episode 177: Sam Cole, Part 1
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...
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Episode 176: Kool Kat Motorsports, Part 3
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 b...
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Episode 175: Kool Kat Motorsports, Part 2
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 s...
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, a...
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Episode 173: Fran and Edward Muncey, Part 3
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 his...
Episode 172: Fran and Edward Muncey, Part 2
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 fuses grief, grit, craft,...
Episode 171: Fran and Edward Muncey, Part 1
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 strategy, and the ar...
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Episode 170: Eric Christensen
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!
Episode 169: 1964 APBA Gold Cup Audio Broadcast
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‑second decision that ma...
Episode 168: Tom D'Eath, Part 4
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 driving career. Th...
Episode 167: Tom D'Eath, Part 3
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. Owners with leverage, mar...
Episode 166: Tom D'Eath, Part 2
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 dives into his strategies...
Episode 165: Tom D'Eath, Part 1
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 whose name echoes on the ...
Episode 164: 1983 Indiana Governor's Cup Radio Broadcast
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 to Laurie Marlow
Episode 163: Charlie Grigg, Part 2
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 conversation with Charlie and...
Episode 162: Charlie Grigg, Part 1
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 team member, we explor...
Episode 161: Brandon Kennedy, Part 2
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 podcast called C...
Episode 160: Brandon Kennedy, Part 1
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 conversation, K...
Episode 159: Brad Luce, Part 3
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 love.Througho...
Episode 158: Brad Luce, Part 2
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 H1 Unlimited. Brad has...
Episode 157: Brad Luce, Part 1
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 conversation reveals how dee...
Episode 156: Chris Denslow
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: Chris Denslow, H1 Unlim...
Episode 155: Mark Tate, Part 3
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 stories that showcase ...
