Roostertail Talk

Episode 185: Ed Thompson, Grand Prix America President

• David Newton • Season 8 • Episode 13

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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.

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grandprixamerica@gmail.com

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Welcome And Big Announcement

SPEAKER_01

Rooster Tell Talk is a podcast dedicated to everything about the sport that we all love. I do play race. I am your host, David Newton. And it's time once again to sit back, relax, and welcome Rooster Tell Talk. Hello, race fans, and welcome back to another episode of Rooster Tale Talk. This is episode 185, and today we're talking with Ed Thompson. Now, Ed Thompson, many of you know he's the owner of the Cool Katz Motorsports Racing Team. He's got two holes out this year: the GP 135 driven by John Shaw and the GP235 driven by Brent Hall. But it was just announced over the weekend that he's stepping up and becoming the president of the Grand Prix America Hydroplanes series. So he is the guy for GP racing right now. And fortunately enough, I got to talk to him recently about the series and during like this episode because we're going to clarify some things for the fan that might not know as much about GP racing as they do about H1 or other types of racing as well. In this episode, we're going to explain a little bit more about the series, what to expect for starting procedures this year because it is different than other racing series that you see on the water. It clarifies some of that up for the fans. So we know what to expect this summer and talk about some of the challenges that they've faced for the past years with this series, talk more about the history and what can we expect and they look forward to as fans for Grand Prix America racing this year. Lots to go in, lots to talk about, but I'm excited to hear about Ed's new position with this series. He takes over from Brian Richards, which was doing a great job there, but it sounds like things at his work were getting a little bit too much. So he's he's stepping down, but he's not stepping away. Brian is still a presence in the sport. He's still on the board. He still has his racing team as well. But with the announcement of Ed's new position as president of GPA, it goes on to explain that Ed brings a wealth of experience, passion, and dedication to the role, making him the ideal candidate for to lead GPA into the new chapter. Ed has been an integral part of the GPA, showcasing his strong leadership skills, his commitment to his organizational vision, with deep understanding of motorsports industry. He's well equipped to navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead. He's quoted as saying he's honored to take on this role and excited about the future of Grand Prix America. He looks forward to working with our dedicated team and racing community to further our mission of promoting Grand Prix Hydroplanes and delivering exceptional experiences to our fans. Love the announcement. Ed has done such a great job of promoting the sport and doing what he can for the fans on social media at the race sites. So I expect some great things to happen from this move. But with that said, let's jump in and hear I talk with the Grand Prix America president Ed Thompson as he talks more about the racing series and explains a little bit more to the fans.

Meeting Ed Thompson Coast To Coast

SPEAKER_01

Welcome, race fans. I'm sitting down here, sitting almost coast to coast again, talking with Ed Thompson. Uh Ed Thompson wearing many hats, owner of not one, but two boats now this racing season for Cool Caps Motorsports. He's also on the board of Grand Prix Hydroplanes of America. Ed, how are you doing today?

SPEAKER_00

Pretty good, Dave. How about yourself?

SPEAKER_01

Doing all right. My back's feeling a lot better. I really was sad and bummed out. I had to miss last weekend. I I don't know what I did. I'm just I guess I'm aging and just moved wrong and pulled the muscle. Yeah, yeah. So that's that's I'm that's where I am now. But I'm better, I'm better now, so I'm I'm glad to be talking with you.

SPEAKER_00

Good, good.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Well, just wanted to let you know that we are excited to welcome you to the uh GPA family as our official podcast with Enrichsterdale Talk for uh 2026. And uh hope that we uh can do a lot together and uh keep growing Grand Prix.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I I'm really excited to partner with you guys as well. I mean, you guys are putting out a great product and building upon it, I think, and it's a lot of excitement there. So I'm really excited to partner with you guys as well. And seeing seeing what we can do together.

SPEAKER_00

Yep.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Well, excellent. Well, I I know we're gonna talk a lot about Grand Prix here real quick, but can we give a quick update about Cool Cat Motorsports before we talk about that?

Cool Cat Testing Highs And Breaks

SPEAKER_01

Because I know you've got you got a lot of stuff going on right now.

SPEAKER_00

Uh yeah, Cool Cat Motorsports went out and uh had some testing two weeks ago in Hartford County, and uh everything went well, good speed. John was very happy with his new ride. Uh he got out there, the boat handled excellent, everything went well. Uh, we did trash one motor due to a uh oil filter failure, not uh nothing of an engine builder, just uh we we missed we can't it's kind of our fault. We kind of missed uh a Titaned part check on a checklist, and uh so we trashed one motor and then we had a uh rocker stud pull out of the other motor.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

On this on this uh second day of testing. So but I mean, speed-wise, yeah, John John was turning very well, uh super excited with the way it ran. Uh Brent Hall in the 235, excellent weekend. Uh fans are going to be excited to see him drive. Yes, he surprised me this weekend, and he surprised a lot of naysayers here on the east coast, which was fun.

SPEAKER_02

Good.

SPEAKER_00

You know, like I said, I'm I'm a west coaster by heart. You know, I mean I live here on the east, but uh yeah, we we we take the beat in the batter over here about, you know, hey, you want to run where the fast boats are, you gotta stay over here. And I'm like, nah, I think you gotta come to us. And I think we're gonna prove it this year. GPA is gonna prove that they need to come uh run with the big boys.

SPEAKER_01

Love it, love to hear it. And I'm really excited for Brent. He's a great guy. I've known him for many years. Um, as we talked before about racing radio controlled boats, and he's overdue for his chance. And I'm really happy that you're giving him his chance.

unknown

Yep, yep.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

GPA History From Unlimited Lights

SPEAKER_01

But let's talk about this whole thing. Grand Prix Hydroplanes of America. How long has this been together? I mean, I feel like this this series has kind of evolved over the years and changed some names, but can you give me a quick history lesson for our fans that don't know as much about it?

SPEAKER_00

Oh, god, I'll do my best since I'm kind of new to the whole group, too. But uh, I reached out to some of the guys to get some more details on it. And uh yeah, Rome is 20 years old now. Uh we started as the Unlimited Lights.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Uh with um with the G boats as they called them. And uh from the G-boats in 2006, they went to uh GP West, and they formed GP West and became part of the Grand Prix Hydroplane Circuit and forming their own uh blown motor Grand Prix Circuit. And uh from there we have involved here into 2016 the Grand Prix America, and uh each year we're growing. Uh we're doing what we can. Uh we base ourselves a lot off of HRL when their roles because they had them established, they were there. Um, we've done a couple things. We do have a two-motor set up where they have a one-motor you know, deal. And uh, but it's we can run either motor when we do run with them, and the same they can run whatever they run when they come to us. So uh it's an agreement we have between two both racing leagues, which works out well. I mean, that's that's an important part of it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's one of those things where other the HRL, like you said, they have rules established, right? So don't don't need to reinvent the wheel with this. But yeah, I think for fans that miss unlimited lights, this is uh the next better thing, right? Because that series, that series was huge. Uh back in the day, it's bringing out a lot of boats and teams and uh some competitive drivers to this series.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I I think the one thing that uh the fans would notice a little different on the boat. Some of the old boats still have the rear wings, you know, they still got the rear fins on them. Uh we kind of found out here on the east uh a little bit when we were running them that they actually slowed the boats down a little bit. And uh they were affecting the uh run and the handling of the boats, so we ended up taking them off. Yeah um and that's why you see a lot of us left with that will have little tail fins or something like that for cosmetic look and to make them look cool, you know. But I mean, all in all, it's uh that that that's the big difference in the ULs and us now. Um and I mean, of course, the guys uh a lot of our group are from the uh old school uh GP boats, and like you said, Hops and Jerry and Greg, uh their their uh back air to shell shell house was sold off to uh shellhouses or however you pronounce it. I'm sorry if I said that wrong. Um to um the Harnacks. Uh they've got their boat now. Um of course um Dean Rojas and the Charger ended up going to uh Brian Richards and the Richards racing team two years ago. So um our we're growing. I mean, we brought in two new boats this year, which is cool. I mean, uh each year when we get a couple new boats, well actually three if you count mine. I mean, I'd I count mine, but uh it's only running because I didn't sell it. So all right. Anybody out there looking for a GP, I got one for sale.

SPEAKER_01

Well, sounds good. Sounds good. Well, I I want to see them both run on the on the water though this year. Uh I seeing some of those pictures of uh the test session with them together is like double trouble, it's pretty cool. Well, you you said this this this

Boat Counts And Venue Reality

SPEAKER_01

is growing. Can you talk a little bit about the status of the sport for our Grand Prix American?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I think as far as status, uh, we're in a growth mode right now as far as gaining boats. Uh we've got uh 12 to 15 boats that are um going to be running out on the west coast this year.

SPEAKER_01

Excellent.

SPEAKER_00

Uh and we got 10 or 11 on the east because we still have to compete with HRL, and HRL owns some of their boats, so getting them to come to some of our events is tough. Um and uh also some of our the wet East Coast teams have unlimited drivers. Right so those drivers can't drive the GPs at an H1 event. So um that that creates a little bit of a problem for the uh teams uh ourselves. But um, yeah, I mean we're in a growth mode for sure. Uh the one thing we're in a down mode on is by relying on H1. We're uh lost a couple races of venues that we're hoping to find some more to replace. Uh hopefully Gunnersville comes back. I'm not sure. Um, we have some other places we've scoped out that we're looking at and talking to, which are APBA events that we could go to. Oh uh I'd like to find something in the Midwest. Uh you know, uh we've all been talking. We talked at Decatur, Illinois last year, but that was a year too early. So we need to find out how they go this weekend. They're actually running the Nationals this weekend, and that might be an event that we can uh try to tag into for uh 2027. Okay and uh we just gotta put ourselves out there and keep reaching out to every race venue until we find another place. I mean, we'd like to have six venues a year, it'd be a good number for us, uh and right now we're sitting on four or five if we count Valley Field. Now that Valley Field is a dual event, so the it counts points for both uh GPA and H HRL.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. So maybe maybe 4.5 then.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, 4.5, right?

SPEAKER_01

All right, well, excellent. So is that something that when you're looking for new race sites, is this something where the the series could possibly uh race and have an event without each uh each one and have a standalone event?

SPEAKER_00

Uh no, we would have to run with the other boats. We'd have to run with uh maybe try to tie in with the uh oh god, what do they call this? The uh five leader class that's running out west. Uh if we could get in with those, um or a couple other groups. I mean, F1 tunnel boats. There's there's all kinds of ways we can look out to tie into to go to some events. It's just making sure the events have the money to pay us to show. You know, they got to have the money. Um and we all know with boat racing as a whole, sponsorship money is tough to come by. Uh we're pounding the phones daily here. And I mean, I I work them as hard as the rest of the guys. And it's just uh trying to raise money for these events when your product is, I mean, when you're talking about 10, 12 boats and you know, 50,000 fans, it it's some of the big events, and you know, 20,000 at the smaller events, you're just not got enough product out there to get them to come in with any kind type of money to make it valuable to them to get them sold. And that's that's why we continue to build our media and continue to build our presence and keep doing what we're doing to try to make it a better system to get out there.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, definitely. Yeah, definitely. Well, I mean, as a fan, we always want more races and more venues. So hopefully this is something that can continue to build upon itself and and expand further.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, yes. Um, you know, I mean it's good that you guys are out here doing your type of podcast. You got a couple other groups out there doing them. Um, I'll throw a plug out for chasing tails just just because they're out there, but they're um and they we got some um we we need them out here and everybody to keep promoting the sport. And I think the whole thing with Grant and Prix is one day is Grand Prix needs to be just Grand Prix Hydroplanes.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And uh no HRL, no GPA, just Grand Prix Hydroplanes. Yeah, and uh as a whole, that will put us over 20 boat count and uh a more marketable product, uh and uh make us more attractive to get there. I mean, it's uh to the events. I mean, as if as the teams become more professional and uh uh and keep growing with the haulers and everything. I mean, when we're showing up, we're not just showing up and pick up trucks anymore. Pretty much all the teams are rolling in and race haulers all done up, the whole thing, trying to move their product, trying to build a brand.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Yeah. It's hard to do that, like you said, the sponsorship portion of it. And it's not just boat racing, it's all kinds of racing, is I think having a harder time right now. And how how do you deal with those challenges?

Sponsorship Strain And Travel Costs

SPEAKER_01

And what like and what other challenges are you facing today for the series?

SPEAKER_00

Mainly sponsorship money and boat count. Uh getting both both organizations to work together. And I mean, there's uh several of us out here trying. Uh, I know Brandon's been trying, uh, Michael Grindell has been out there trying. Uh we have been. Uh, but to get everybody to come together as a group, it's it's tough. I mean, because they don't want to come west, and uh Westboats don't want to come east. And the uh it's tough. I mean, especially with fuel costs today. I mean, let's let's face it. Uh I ran to Chicago the other day and it cost me more than it cost me to run the uh Seattle Washington last season. Oh yeah, up the back, yeah. And uh I mean it's six dollars a gallon plus on the road right now, right? And it's six miles to the gallon on our haulers. I'm doing it twice. Say double mine. Um if I'd have known at the beginning of the year, it might have been a different plan. But uh once we commit, we're committed to go out there and do what we have to do.

SPEAKER_01

That's right. That's right. Well, I love the the the you know the the talk and of having higher boat counts. I think that just makes a better and better product. And uh I always love to live in a dream world and and dreaming of having 20 plus grand prize at an event would just be so fantastic.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, it would.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that would just propel it into a uh another facet for the the series. Well, what those those challenges that we have, what are some of the positives that we got going on right now?

SPEAKER_00

Positives, it would be the growth that we're having with uh the more boats coming in, uh more professional teams, yeah. Um and more learning to make yourself a brand and a product. It's not um some of the teams the old mentality of hey, how much you're giving me to show up to race, that's gone, man. If the teams that are gonna go off of that, they're just never gonna survive. Right. It's what can we offer them? What do we bring into the plate? And um, you know, if you're bringing something good, bring in a good boat, bring in a good product, and you can go and complete and finish your heats and get out there and do your job, uh, then then we have a marketable thing for the fans, and the fans are what's the products. The teams can sell their own merchandise. And uh so I mean there's way other ways of making the money. I mean, yes, we need sponsors, big sponsors, don't get me wrong. Um, we need some of that money coming in. I think part of the thing is a lot of the uh groups right now they're all looking for the big dollar, right? And the big dollar people ain't there. So let's take five small dollars and uh make one whole. You know, and uh that's my mentality.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um and there's so many ways to get it uh and to raise money. And uh we just have to get out there and do it daily. I mean, it's uh you gotta you gotta eat, sleep, and breathe boat racing and grand prix racing if you want to make it work.

SPEAKER_01

That's right, that's right. Well, it just makes me think about too is that some of the the the stops I think are flourishing right now, like Madison and Tri-Cities are they're not the big cities, right? They're not they don't have that top dollar that you're talking about. But as a community, they're just it's so well loved that you know a lot of other smaller businesses and communities come together to make it happen.

SPEAKER_00

Correct. And it's uh and that's important. I mean, uh, like coming up to Madison, uh their event. I mean, we're gonna be there in less than four weeks now. Uh we got the big Fourth of July parade, and they've turned it in, it's just not a boat race, it's a show. The Rooster Tail Festival.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um, you know, you gotta regatta. They're they're building their own brand and market for what they're doing there now, and uh bringing in big name bands and concerts in the evening. The fourth of July parade, there is nothing like it. I'm sorry. Uh once you ride through the little town and see all them people, it's like going through um it's just old town America. And um, it's really cool. I mean, it they appreciate you coming and supporting their town, and they're out there just having a blast. I mean, they'll still buy the t-shirts, they'll still be there supporting the vendors and supporting and screaming for the teams, screaming for their Miss Madison as it goes by. I mean, it's um nothing's changed there, and that that's the cool part. And uh what we do as a local, going back to the cool cat hat a second, uh, I have already I'm got my sponsors for that town. The 135 will be known as the damn bad cat.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

It was a damn bad influence last year. Uh so it'll be a damn bad cat this year by the damn family. And then uh HB Tree Service uh sponsored us last year in the two uh 135, which is now the 235, and they come back again this year and sponsored us, and they're gonna haul us through the parade with their vehicles so their vehicles will be lettered up for they could get some promotion for their local business. And that's how we do it. It ain't it ain't all about the big dollar, right? It's about supporting the community, they support you, take what you can get and make it, you know, make it an event. And that's how that's how we do it. A lot of the GPA mentality is that way, which is good with the teams.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. I I'm just I'm chuckling at myself. I'm sorry I'm getting distraction. Uh it's probably my ADHD, but I just keep seeing cats uh crawl over your boat behind you, or your your table.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, my dad's 1946 uh pop glacier sea racing runabout.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, beautiful, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, she's a uh 10-time world record holder.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that's awesome. And uh it looks like you're inside too.

SPEAKER_00

Is this your living room that you're in or you're no, this is my basement.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, all right.

SPEAKER_00

This is the basement room where I have this boat. I have a vintage uh I have my original tea boat that I raced back in 1974 that I set five world records in.

SPEAKER_02

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00

Uh that Larry Lauderback restored. Uh, it's just a real little guy sitting over there. I have a Lauderback blazer racing RC boat and a couple in the walls here. So it's it's just uh I figured it was a better place to do it than you looking out my window and seeing the cats and the pigs running by. Make it a little bit more boat racing.

SPEAKER_01

There we go. There we go. I'll have to talk in to do another video tour of that basement sometime. Oh, that's uh uh sorry again. Yeah, I get

Which Boats Show Up Where

SPEAKER_01

Distracted very easily. Um, all right. Well, I mean, a lot of lot of fun things to talk about with this series, though. Getting back to that. Um, you said there's growth in this series. You said is there a possibility of 14 boats? Is that correct this year?

SPEAKER_00

Uh yeah, in Valleyfield, we're definitely going to have uh 14 plus boats, I believe it is. Yeah. Yeah. And uh the big thing with Madison right now, we have the Luptons coming. So we have some New Zealand boats.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, they're gonna bring it out.

SPEAKER_00

We have both Jack, Jack, and Ken are both going to bring it. Uh, you're gonna have the 35 air uh of a TKO racing with uh Brandon Kennedy driving that boat, and uh they're gonna bring it. I mean, they're the boat to beat this year. Dirty, dirty American boat to beat, let's put it that way. Okay, um, you know, I mean, it's um there's a lot of teams that talk out there, but they I think over the last couple of years they won almost every uh qualifier or pole position, as you want to call it, you know, for qualifying that's been out there, and uh they're they're fast.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. Well, it's gonna be some some great racing over there on the east side, there for sure. What about one that comes out west? How how many boats do you think we could expect to see it in Trade City, Seattle, uh, and San Diego?

SPEAKER_00

Right now, you're gonna have my two boats coming out there, and there's a possibility of one other fast, fast boat coming out there, and we are still working on Jack and Ken to see if they'll come out. All right, all right, and um, so I mean it we could have anywhere between three, two for sure. I can guarantee you my two will be out west. Um, and then uh I mean it's not said yet, and it's not out there, but the Miss Madison is going to be in Tri-Cities and Seattle.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I think I think they just announced that.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, they just announced that, picked up a sponsor. So I am gonna say bands, it's my brother, and he'll probably even kill me for saying this on a podcast right now because he hasn't committed, but I will venture to say that the 35 will be out west.

SPEAKER_01

Excellent. That'd be great.

SPEAKER_00

Uh, and uh, if it is, all the batter bantering that's been going back and forth between all the three P teams over the winter, uh, just change because now all the fast boats are out west.

SPEAKER_01

I'd love it. I'd love it.

SPEAKER_00

So um we're we'll see. I mean, it would be cool to have them come. I hope they come. You know, it's none of us. We want to, if we're gonna race and want to win, we want to beat the best. Oh, for sure. You know what I mean? And uh, you know, it's it's that's that's the whole deal, man. It's great. So yeah, we're hoping they come. I'd love to see Brandon out there. Uh, let them all get on this mile and two-thirds and find out what the big courses are like.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I think that's I think it's uh an eye-opening for sure. Yeah. Well, with this, you know, this marriage uh of joint events with different racing series, uh GPA is uh often with H1 Unlimited. They've been changing the rules for the starting procedures, and uh frankly it's been a little confusing for some casual fans. I just wanted to talk to you a little about the starting procedure for the Grand Prix America. Uh, what does that look like for this series? I know it's similar to HRL, but could you tell our fans a little bit more about uh what's expected? So they understand what the starting procedure is uh really is.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, well uh we do a qualifying to uh decide our lanes. We we have assigned lanes in our Grand Prix America.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Uh so we're not fighting for lanes, and uh which is very good for the owners because we don't beat the but the boats don't get beat up as bad. Uh pretty much uh it's an equalizer uh because uh let me start from the beginning here where we don't get lost. On Friday morning when we get to the races, uh

Qualifying And Assigned Lane Starts

SPEAKER_00

we're gonna go out and do one testing run, and then we're gonna come in and we're gonna have a qualifying. And each boat will go out individually and do a time trial. And you get up to three laps. Most of them run one lap. They go out and warm up for two, and the last lap, they're full throttle for when they're coming around to finish that last lap, they get a full run, full bore, uh, and go hammer one real hard lap out. And then uh by the fastest qualifier will be the inside lane of heat one. The second fastest qualifier will be the uh inside lane in heat two. And then the third fastest qualifier will be back in lane two on lane one, and they just alternate them like that and kind of stagger them for the positions for our starting procedures, which will all be announced, and it will all be going out uh over the broadcasting for the fans do know and understand. Uh as far as the racing goes, then we just have a one to the five start. Um, and then when we're out on the course, there's a five-minute warm-up procedure and a score-up bouillie on the back half of the course, on the last half, half of circle, half of the perimeter around. There'll be a score-up Billy on the back side, and they got to be at the score-up bouilly. Normally, I think it's 45 seconds with Grand Prix, maybe 30. Okay. I know it's a minute with some with some of the other inboards. Um and that changes per race course and size. And so they'll be at that score-up Billy, they have to be behind that at the mark, and then they're coming around for the start. And uh, even though it's assigned lanes, the thing is to hit the clock at zero and be on a full run. And uh it's exciting, especially when you get uh what it's four boats out there, isn't it? But when you get to the finals and you have six to eight boats out there, like San Diego, they'll put eight out there. Um Tri-Cities in them, they'll probably put six or seven out because running the bigger H1 courses, we can run uh more boats. Madison will probably be a six-boat final if I had a guess.

SPEAKER_01

Not too long on that, but yeah, it's much narrower there. Yeah, for sure. So and then when you get to the final heat for the lane assignments, is that is it the same uh order or is it the change?

SPEAKER_00

It's how you finish in your heat 1A, 1b, or 2a and 2b.

SPEAKER_02

So based on the points.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, you you'll have up to three, you'll run three heats. You'll have a a a 1A, a one b and a one c. And normally if it's eight boats, you're gonna have a one and a two. There's gonna be four per heat. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Okay. So it seems rather straightforward then. It's um very I I always enjoyed the jocking for positions, but I think as the boats have advanced and they can go so sl so slow now and be able to get up back at speed, it's uh it's a little bit different. It's not like it used to be. So I think the for the fans, the side lanes is the way to go.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, they the supercharged boats, especially, because I mean, one get caught in one tail or one hosing by a mistake, and it could cost an owner 60 grand.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

If they hydrolock the motor with water. I mean, it's uh so yeah, it's uh there's reasons for it. I mean, it's uh the whole thing is uh with Grand Prix Hydroplanes, it's more about getting out there and finishing your heats. Yeah, definitely than it is anything else. If you can't get out there and come in and start and finish, it it's gonna be harder for you. I mean, it's uh and we've struggled with that a little bit, but um we we got good at the end of the year last year. We won the podium all three last season, and uh Richards was right out there, Hops was out there with us. So, I mean, it's uh we we got a lot of fast boats out there, and it it they're all getting the finish now, and that's the that's the good thing. And uh we just got to keep that momentum going with all the teams. I mean, with the new teams out there, I mean you're gonna have the 14 coming out, the uh what's it, Amarillo Breeders Association, and uh the 88 with the Harnic family. Um, I don't know if they named that boat yet or not, but uh I know the uh two and a half mod is Mr. Jigs or the National Mod is Mr. Jigs, I should say. Yeah, uh so I don't know if that's gonna be a Mr. Jigs two or what it's gonna be, but uh they're gonna be fast. You can't never can count the Harnick family out. Uh I'm sure the uh Denise Curl and the uh MRL boat that they're gonna be a fast boat.

SPEAKER_01

Um yeah, yeah, they have a lot of experience with that team. I know Jalen Crone back when he crewed for Canamas Cutel, and he crewed for a lot of unlimited teams as well. So I know that that team's gonna have some experience, um, even though they're a new team for the Grand Prix Series.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, they're uh do it. Uh we have a couple boats waiting on motors yet uh out west. Uh poor um Larry Lynn and the uh lone income. Uh they have been waiting for motors from a builder now for almost two years. And uh I won't say the builder's name because it ain't proper, but it's uh we just need to uh I feel bad for them because they are trying. I mean, they've had merchandise, they're ready to get out there and do their thing. Ed Preston's ready to drive, Larry Lynn's ready to put it out there and go. And unfortunately, they missed testing coming up, and uh they have still yet to get a motor on the ground, which was supposed to be back in April originally this year, and April the year before last year. So yeah, it's just uh it it makes it tough.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Yeah, it's hard to see that that team sideline for that reason. It was a fast boat out on the series when it was racing. Um they came out and did a display earlier this year down at um somewhere near my house, Lacey, Washington, where we had a reading controlled uh boat race there and uh beautiful boat, and just sad to see that that's not out there.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, yep, good people too. I mean a good group of racers.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Well, I know a lot a lot of the rules are are kind of tied in from HRL racing because that's been kind of proven there and you're proving it there in the Grand Prix series. Is there any rule changes or technical adjustments that are they're talking about to advance the series? Or is it it's not broken, don't we don't need to fix it right now?

SPEAKER_00

If it's broke, if it's not broke, don't fix it. Uh the rule changes mainly that we have made is in part supplies. Uh uh Dart heads have gotten real hard to get. Uh so they've added a couple different manufacturers for um their cylinder heads that have been approved.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Uh, but nothing really performance enhancing besides uh the only other thing that we do have now is the electronic EFI, the electronic fuel injection. And a couple of teams are uh testing it now. I know the 35 tested it a little bit last year. I don't know what they're running this year yet. Um I know Brian Richards is testing it out. Um so it's going to be

Parts Updates And EFI Experiments

SPEAKER_00

interesting to see how it goes because it's a good technology if they can get it figured out.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And uh, you know, it's just uh I'm I'm we're the old uh keep it simple team. So yeah, we're still running the magnetos, and uh, I don't care if it's port injected or not, you know, they hit port injections in it. We just want to go out there and run and finish, start and finish laps. Yeah. I mean, that's that's the whole key.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. I mean, sometimes that KISS motto is just where it's at, right? I mean, keep it simple and silly. Yes, sir. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That's how my dad, right? That's Kai was kind of raised on that method.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Well, there's no school like old school. Yep. All right. A lot of fun things talking about here, the growth of the series, but think more long term. Uh in five, I always like to think about some you know, scenarios and goal setting. About in five years from now, where do you see this series at? Or where do you anticipate it and where do you hope it will go?

SPEAKER_00

I think the word will be hope. Um it all depends on how everybody works together. Um, where would I like to see it go? Uh, as I talked earlier, 20 boats racing together as one would be great um in long term in a five-year plan. Um if it's if if it's feasible or possible. Um that that will be determined. Um, it just depends on everybody. It's so hard when you get 20 cups and you're asking each one, and everyone has their own opinion of how they want to do something, and then you're trying to juggle them cups, and then they're only each a quarter full. You know what I'm saying? And you it's hard to balance it. So that that's a hard part.

Five-Year Vision And Triple Crown

SPEAKER_00

But I mean, for GPA, we've set a five-year plan into motion. Um, we have some plans to put together. I'm not going to go a lot of detail in it because we don't want to put it out there with everybody else right now because it's all in the planning stages and raising uh raising the money and the sponsorships to do it. But we want to be up to a six-race series uh completing and have our own inner series within the six-race series and put an event out there, and we're gonna do a uh I'll put this out there just for the field, just for people to know it, but we're gonna put a triple crown together. Oh, cool. And the goal is to start it for 2027, and it's gonna be a one-mile course, a mile and a quarter course, and a mile and two-thirds course.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Just just like the horses.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So they got to run the short, medium, and long. And then it takes all of us boat racers' theories away of who's who's better. Well, you come to the big course, you come to the little course because you got all the practice time on the little course, you know. Now we have to run all the courses. And uh, if we get get the right sponsors that we're talking to now and we can put it together, uh, it's going to be a big event, and it will bring the big boats. I guarantee you uh the Luptons will become. I know Ronnie will come. I know the Steeler will come. We'll shake Grandpa Huey out of the uh uh closet there and get him to come on back out and start racing again instead of sitting there in the garage and just doing HRL events.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um, I mean, I get it with his driver. We pick on him a lot, but he's a good guy. Don't get me wrong. Me, me and Huey get along well and we're good friends. We just uh we just like bantering each other.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um, but you'll get him out. Um the 212s will come back out. Um then we got to see if Mary O'Blaine and the other guys with the uh HRL boats will come out there and race. Yeah, uh Ken Brody purchased a boat, but he also purchased a business. So he's got a big change going on right now with family and everything that makes it tough. Uh you're definitely shake Roger Mayhan out of the garage when it's the big events. You know he's gonna come if you're if it's something big going on, Roger will be there.

SPEAKER_01

So good, good. Well, I love to hear that. And it's so interesting with the different size courses, right? Because it's not you you can't get your boat ready for the exact same exact same way for the different courses. Uh there's so many nuances that go into it that so many people don't think about that.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, you have gearbox boats. Yep, you have non-gearbox boats. So um you got the direct drive guys, and then you have us gearbox boats. Um so yeah, it's it's a lot of different change in setup, uh set up and fins, set up in flight. The speeds are definitely uh probably 20 mile an hour difference in uh from the mile and two-thirds to the mile course.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, you know, at least 15, maybe 20 mile an hour difference from straightaways.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so fun. Yep.

SPEAKER_00

Well, it'll it'll be exciting.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, it will be exciting. And speaking of that, that's my next question. I was I was gonna say, what should fans be excited about for the season? I know you're excited about running your boat, and that's that's but what should what should fans be excited about for this season?

SPEAKER_00

Fans should be excited for just seeing the Grand Prix Hydrears getting out there on the course. Um it takes a lot of work. These these boats are uh what the fans don't realize is they're 12-hour days on these boats. These they they just don't, they're not the weekend warriors that can go out on a Thursday afternoon, get it ready, show up at the race on Friday, and race on Saturday and Sunday. Uh, we're working all week putting stuff together, trying to get them. No part on the boat is light, every part when it's heavy. Uh and um it takes a lot of time. Uh the excitement part will be good boat turnouts. You're gonna have it in Valley Field, you're gonna have it in Madison. Got 11 in Madison. I'm gonna venture to say we'll have 10 plus in Tri-Cities.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, great. Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Uh Seattle. Seattle will depend on how Tri-Cities

What Fans Should Watch For

SPEAKER_00

fares out with boats and surviving.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um, but I mean, you could have a if you got 10 there, you'll have 10 there as long as everybody's still running. Uh and San Diego, uh, you never know with that race. I mean, if they if we could get a good sponsor for that race and finish off the year strong, that uh two years ago we had Luptons, we had everybody there. We had the Steeler there, we had uh uh Brody there. Uh so yeah, there's there's a lot of boats that could come out the end of the season. So it's because HRL season's over. So at that point, it it's it's that's kind of the last hurrah of the year.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I hope that we gotta continue to push that to make it a big uh event. And San Diego has been doing a great job of that the last couple years.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, they have, and I I got to go down last year and um was really impressed by a lot of things there. I mean, that you saw at Fiesta Island that it was packed full of RVs. Uh oh yeah, yeah, they they're doing a great job of job of doing some synergy with other things and uh to bring it out to like Madison is doing, right? Uh have it not just be a boat race, but more to it. And uh and they just announced officially that they're they are back on for this year, so really happy to hear that they are and um that you can't beat beat San Diego late September.

SPEAKER_00

Nope, not at all. I mean, it's a great event. Um Tri-Cities is a great event to kick off the West Coast side. Um, I mean, Aaron Stevens has a great job there, putting everything together. Um, and I mean there it just a little tidbit is uh Tri-Cities is the original race site they took on Grand Prix America and GP West XVPW and give us our first official race. Okay, so uh little tidbit from them, and they've been with us every year, they've never not had us there, and it's sad sometimes to see that some of the other boats won't come out and support them when they're out there and doing it. And uh I I keep banging the phones, I'm gonna keep challenging them and try to get everybody out there because it's a great event, and uh I would love to see um the luptons come out. Jack, Ken, if you're listening, come on out, buddy. Let's go west. Yes um and uh the 35 with Brandon. Yeah, they'll be there. I think they will be. Um I mean the Madison's gonna be there. I cannot see that boat staying home in the garage. I just I I don't see that happening.

SPEAKER_01

So just the caravan over and bring them all.

SPEAKER_00

The hard part, it's a one week in between Valley Field and there. So yeah, like we like to give you an idea, we get home, we're running our race season's crazy this year for uh G Grand Prix America. Um, we run Madison straight to Valley Field. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. So we go straight to Valleyfield. Okay, we run Valley Field. I come home, I got a 12-hour drive to my house, just to give you an idea for our team. So we want to get to our house on a Monday evening. Tuesday and Wednesday, I'm gonna be pulling motors, going through, changing, doing what we have to do, get them back together for Thursday and Friday. And then Saturday morning, we're headed west for the following weekend in Tri-Cities. Yeah, and then we got Seattle the week after that. Yeah, so it's four races in five weeks. Yeah, and then we have San Diego in mid-September. So for this particular year without the other venues in between, yeah, it's uh it's a cram season right now.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, it's it's about a about a good month without good sleep, right?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, exactly. A lot of traveling and on the road time, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Well, fantastic. Well, I'm really looking forward to it this year. Uh, and before we go, I just want to talk one thing. Around the same time that it was announced I was partnering with the Grand Prix America series. Uh, you also announced that fast and loud photography is a part of the series. And I'm glad to see someone step in. Uh, unfortunately, um, wasn't I don't think official partner with GPA last year, but we lost Chris Denzlow, uh, who's a phenomenal photographer, phenomenal photos of everything that was racing. Uh, and I'm it's it's hard to step in. It was, it was. But could and I'm not too familiar with with fast and loud photography. Could you could you speak about them briefly?

SPEAKER_00

Sure. Um Eric is uh the main person with uh fast and loud photography, and he brings his buddy Gerard in, which does uh the uh them fast little jet sprint boats. Okay, and they do all the photography for that and the videography for that. So they will have two cameras on every GP boat this year. Um to uh get on on the water footage. Uh they'll have in in in camera footage

Fast And Loud Media Partnership

SPEAKER_00

for the teams that want it for in cockpit footage. Um we'll be running uh three on. The outside and one inside on our boats. Um, and um, each team they offer packages for each GP team to uh promote their team to do more media for them to help the teams that are, I guess, how do you put it? Uh non-media capable without being mean. Just uh they're not used to it because we're all old school still and still learning the new school.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um and uh so they're gonna help us and help them learn how to do all that and uh do it with the promotion. And uh great bunch of people. If you go on and look them up on social media, I mean they've just got thousands and thousands of footage in space. They have their huge followings. Um, I mean, I think they're some of the charts are up over the a million hit on followers. And it's huge. And uh it's a big deal for us. I mean, it they they work, they worked a deal with us. Uh they came in, uh, we explained to them we don't have a lot of money. Uh, we're still a growing organization uh right now and raising sponsors, and we worked a deal um with them to kind of bring it and get it out there that they can afford to be there and help us promote it. And as we grow, they grow with us. And it's not something we're gonna use them and kind of pack them in. This is something we put a deal together with them. Um, we tied a little bit of my drift car experience into it um as far as offering the packages, because that's how the drift teams do it with their media guys, because none of the all of those guys are working, they're they're dirt broke. Uh, most of them the teams when they're running. And uh, but they can scrape together and get a couple videos made to promote their teams and to get them, and then that media gets seen, and then they pick up a sponsor, and it works. And uh, so they've always gone out and just did lower dollar packages, medium packages, and for if there's a big team and they want a big package, they can do it. And uh I talked to Jared and explained to him how we do it in the drift world, and he liked that idea a lot. And then they came back and put a proposal together that really worked for us and made it affordable for GPA, uh, made it affordable for the GPA teams. And uh I really am looking forward to how that's gonna help us next year grow into some bigger sponsors because we're gonna have something to market, we're gonna have the followers, we're gonna have the media.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's fantastic. Uh and I've I've done some digging on social media with fast and loud photography and great images and great media that they've they've prevented presented so far. Uh outside of the Grand Prix. Obviously, they haven't gotten much done, uh, had a chat opportunity yet, but uh just they have a lot of a lot of talent behind uh the cameras.

SPEAKER_00

Uh they mainly did uh the offshore, they've had some tunnel work, the jet boats, uh and the different things. Uh they did San Diego last year. That was their first year at a uh, I think the Grand Prix event. And uh Kevin Eckert's got a couple um videos that they set cameras up in his boats and did some test runs with to figure things out. And uh they when they approached us, it was just kind of a no-brainer to put together with them the happy package. I mean, as you could as I said with even with you, I mean, this this whole thing to meet the teams and uh get the GP teams out there for people can know them. It's uh it's important. I mean, it's good for the teams, it makes the teams feel better. It's not you know, uh meet the crews and the crew members. Uh, we do our own little things like after the race, we're doing a uh little promotion on ourselves just to um think we're gonna be doing something on each crew member, what his position is, what he does. Just a little five-minute tidbit just to put out there to keep the media going. But just for the fans, keep them engaged. Yeah, that's the whole thing. Uh, I mean, if you're not engaged with your fans, you're not gonna survive in a sport.

SPEAKER_01

Right. Right. Yeah, and it's it's hard when it's a it's a shorter season, right? If you're five races, um it's a great summer, right? But right, but fans, they want more content. We want things in the fall, we want in the winter, the spring, yeah round. So getting to know the teams, getting to know the personnel, I think is so important.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, we we have no secrets in our team. Um, we don't we don't care, we publish all year long. I'm I'm not worried about oh, this is a new color or this is a new scheme, or you know, it's uh we just get out there and put it out there and put some crazy stuff up. You never know what some of the stupidest stuff gets the most hits.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, I've put stuff up that I've laughed at that like I don't even know why I'm posting this. And the next morning I wake up, it's like you've had 1500 views in eight hours or something like that, you know. You know, it's crazy hits. It's just yeah, it's just crazy numbers, and uh it's it it's kind of it's good because that you know then the fans are watching and they're coming in, and it is so important. I mean, we work with uh things, and I'm gonna work with GPA this year as being a part of the board to bring them in. We need to work with some charities too. I mean, that's something that we do with Coolcat. Um, we work, we work with the V Foundation and we work with um Race in the Reed. Matter of fact, when we come out west to try cities, uh Charlie Griggs reached out to us uh for the race in the read, and uh we're going to be out there at the ace hardware putting our boats out there on display for them.

SPEAKER_02

Excellent.

SPEAKER_00

You know, coming out and supporting them. We're we might be East Coasters, but we'll be out there doing uh supporting the West. So uh and you know, that's for GPA, it's not just for us, it's just it's just uh it's the whole thing as a whole. We have to do that. The teams need to do that, you know. It's uh it's important. And it brings even a bigger, bigger market to us. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01

There's um oh definitely.

SPEAKER_00

It's yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Well, and like you said, like there's something you said there, like you post something, I don't know if why I'm doing this, right? But to you, it might not mean as much, but when you get those hits, you know that the fans love it and they want more, more and more. Right.

SPEAKER_00

So exactly.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. Well, a lot of fun things on the horizon. Is there anything else that you'd like to share about the Grand Prix?

SPEAKER_00

Just um want to wrap up this uh 2026 season, uh get it started here in Madison. Um wish our fans come out, follow us, follow us our teams, uh, follow the GPA Grand Prix America Facebook page. Uh it's Grand Prix America Hydroplanes. Um and um we'll we'll do our best for you. We're gonna try to put on a good show this year. We're gonna bring you a lot of fast boats and get out there and uh put on a good show.

SPEAKER_01

Well, fantastic. Well uh can't wait to see the boats on the water and just a few weeks away. I'm ready. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_00

Yep, which is trembling. I can hear the hear the loop now. Yep.

SPEAKER_01

All right, well, thank you, Ed.

SPEAKER_00

Thank you, David.

SPEAKER_01

Well, race fans, I hope you enjoyed this episode and my conversation with Ed. Really enjoyed talking with Ed. I love the conversations I have with him because you can hear the passion he has and that desire to share the love of the

Where To Follow And Season Sign-Off

SPEAKER_01

sport with everyone, not just his team, not his family, not the other teams, but he wants everyone involved and he wants to make this racing series available and accessible to all fans of all demographics and sizes. Really looking forward to getting to the racing season and seeing the GPs out on the water. It's gonna be a great year and I have a great start over in Madison, Indiana in just a few short weeks. But I have a lot of fun things in store, a lot of great interviews. I'm lining up right now and excited to get out to you. And I just can't wait. But most of all, I just can't wait to be out of school so I can have some more time to work on the podcast. The past month or so has just been tremendously crazy busy at school. Only a few days away from me right now. And when this episode goes out, I'll have one more day of school and I'll be free for summer. Uh, free to get more access for you to be closer to Hydropin Racing. Well, in the meantime, don't forget to check us out on social media. We're on Instagram, Facebook, also our website of RoosterTaleTalk.com. Check out all those extra features on there. We've got a lot of fun things to encounter. And I got nothing else for you. So until next time, I hope to see you at the races.