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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.

www.deck2deck.us

Roostertail Talk Deck2Deck Group (Join our group!)

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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.

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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!   https://www.buzzsprout.com/434851/supporters/new 

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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 marketable and fan-friendly.

Grand Prix America Hydroplane Facebook

Contact the Grand Prix America Hydroplane Series:
[email protected]

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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!   https://www.buzzsprout.com/434851/supporters/new 

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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 bringing back Hydro Fever!  The event will be held Saturday, June 20th from 10am to 2pm at the Museum in Kent.  If you want to reserve a table for yourself to sell your own goods, you can contact Brad Haskins at the Hydroplane and Race Boat Museum. For more information on the museum or to reserve a table you can visit the museum's website at www.thunderboats.org or call and ask for Brad at 206-764-9453. 

Episode 83: David Williams and Brad Haskin, Part 1

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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!   https://www.buzzsprout.com/434851/supporters/new 

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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 event will be held Saturday, June 20th from 10am to 2pm at the Museum in Kent.  If you want to reserve a table for yourself to sell your own goods, you can contact Brad Haskins at the Hydroplane and Race Boat Museum. For more information on the museum or to reserve a table you can visit the museum's website at www.thunderboats.org or call and ask for Brad at 206-764-9453. 

Support the show

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!   https://www.buzzsprout.com/434851/supporters/new 

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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 “just call it on the water” is rarely as simple as it sounds.
If you care about H1 Unlimited hydroplane racing, boat racing rules, and how modern officiating balances fairness with speed, this conversation delivers. Subscribe, share this with a racing friend, and leave a review.

Episode 181: Jonathan Abbott, Part 1

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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!   https://www.buzzsprout.com/434851/supporters/new 

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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! 

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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!   https://www.buzzsprout.com/434851/supporters/new 

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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 Kropfeld, Bernie Little, Scott Pierce, Todd Yarling, and many more. From roaring engines to razor-thin finishes, this race captures the spirit of an unforgettable era in unlimited hydroplane racing.

A big thank you to Laurie Marlow for her generous donation of this historic race audio, helping preserve and share a remarkable piece of hydroplane history.

Tune in and experience the excitement of Miami 1986 like never before.

*Photo by Bob Greenhow

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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!   https://www.buzzsprout.com/434851/supporters/new 

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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

Support the show

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!   https://www.buzzsprout.com/434851/supporters/new 

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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 conclusion of my interview with Sam Cole.

*Photo by Bill Osborne

Support the show

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!   https://www.buzzsprout.com/434851/supporters/new