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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 made this one of the most dramatic finishes in unlimited hydroplane history. This is all in thanks to Bob Van Den Akker who donated audio footage to the podcast!

Unfortunately, the first set of heats were not recorded, so we drop into Heat 2A with Chuck Thompson’s Tahoe Miss carving through rough water while Notre Dame’s Bill Muncey chases in hot pursuit!  

Episode 169 marks the end of our 7th season. Did you enjoy our latest season? Please subscribe, share the show, and tell us your favorite moment!

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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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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. Then he walks us through the reinvention: launching APBA’s vintage and historic category and behind-the-scenes story of saving Detroit’s Gold Cup when the experts said it was finished. Subscribe, share with a fellow speed fan, and leave a review with the moment that surprised you most.

*Photo from Scott D'Eath Collection

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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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, marketers with favorites, crew chiefs who can translate risk into speed, each choice nudges fate. Tom talks retirement in ’86, but it wasn’t surrender; it was a clear-eyed call to stop making a boat do what it hates. And yet, when the phone rang, he returned on his terms, navigated fear in a capsule he never wanted but pushed through to a rivalry that still gives the sport goosebumps. If this ride grabbed you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more fans can find it.

*Photo from the Scott D'Eath collection

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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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 on outsmarting faster boats and getting his perfect starts. If you love motorsport strategy, boat setup secrets, and the gritty truth behind historic wins, this one’s for you. Listen, subscribe, and leave a review with the moment that surprised you most!

*Photo from the Scott D'Eath collection

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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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 Detroit River. Tom walks us through the early pull of the sport, including family boatyard days, outboard marathons, and the intoxicating feel of 135 hydros that smelled like alcohol and danger. If you love racing history, high-performance mindset, and the decisions that define a career, you’ll find plenty to savor here.

Enjoyed the episode? Follow and subscribe, share this episode with a friend who loves motorsport history, and leave a review to help more listeners discover the show!

*Photo from the Roger Newton Collection

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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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 for sharing this incredible piece of hydroplane history! 

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

Send us a text

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 co-host Mike Hall explores the human side of boat racing that fans rarely glimpse. Charlie shares how simple comforts like providing chairs and shade for the team created what they jokingly called their "palatial estate" at race sites. Through these small gestures and his growing curiosity about the technical aspects of the boats, Charlie transformed from sponsor to integral team member. Charlie's story reminds us that beyond the roostertails and racing, it's the relationships that make this sport truly extraordinary.

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

Send us a text

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 explore how passion and community spirit drove Charlie's decision to bring the thunder back to the Columbia Cup. Join us next week for part two of our interview with Charlie Grigg, where we'll dive deeper into the sponsorship details. 

*Photo from Charlie Grigg Collection

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

Send us a text

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 Chasin' Tails.  

Next week we'll be back with more interviews and surprises... enjoy!

Chasin' Tails Podcast

Miss Madison Racing

*Photo from Brandon Kennedy Collection

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

Send us a text

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, Kennedy takes us through his remarkable journey from those early days watching his father, grandfather, grandmother, and other family members compete to becoming the 25th driver of the iconic Miss Madison Racing team. His transition from dominating the Grand Prix class to qualifying as an H1 Unlimited rookie represents not just personal achievement, but the continuation of a storied family legacy in hydroplane racing. This is just part one of our conversation with Brandon Kennedy – tune in next week for the conclusion where we'll explore his future plans, racing philosophy, and more unexpected stories from his lifetime in the sport!

Chasin' Tails Podcast

Miss Madison Racing

*Photo from Brandon Kennedy Collection

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