Roostertail Talk
David Newton
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 bi-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.
- 46 minutes 16 secondsEpisode 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, and the craft and marketing choices that make their team stand out. This is part 1 of a 3 part interview. Don't miss part 2 airing Tuesday, March 30th. Enjoy!
Koolkat Motorsports Gp135 FacebookHelp 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
24 March 2026, 12:00 pm - 43 minutes 23 secondsEpisode 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 historical details and leave with a clear picture of what hydroplane racing needs next to grow.
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
17 March 2026, 12:00 pm - 34 minutes 30 secondsEpisode 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, and showmanship.
Episode 171: Fran and Edward Muncey, Part 1
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
10 March 2026, 9:00 am - 36 minutes 23 secondsEpisode 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 art of the start reveal how style, planning and music shaped their mission of speed.
This will be a 3 part interview. Look for part 2 to drop next week in Episode 172. Until then, I hope to see YOU at the races!
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
3 March 2026, 1:00 pm - 31 minutes 21 secondsEpisode 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!
Christensen Racing Social Media
*Photo from Christensen Motorsports Social Media Page
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
4 February 2026, 1:00 pm - 1 hour 27 minutesEpisode 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 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!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
11 November 2025, 1:00 pm - 54 minutes 52 secondsEpisode 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. 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
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
4 November 2025, 1:00 pm - 34 minutes 30 secondsEpisode 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, 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
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
28 October 2025, 12:00 pm - 36 minutes 53 secondsEpisode 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 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
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
21 October 2025, 12:00 pm - 32 minutes 17 secondsEpisode 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 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
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
14 October 2025, 12:00 pm - 36 minutes 6 secondsEpisode 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 for sharing this incredible piece of hydroplane history!
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
7 October 2025, 12:00 pm - More Episodes? Get the App