Episode 34 - Fred Kiekhaefer, former president of Mercury Racing
Release Date: 01/31/2024
Episode 72 - John Connor Offshore Racing Legend and Genius Innovator
Powerboat Talk
In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with offshore racing legend John Connor to explore a career that helped define the sport’s golden era. As throttleman and crew chief for Paul and Betty Cook, Connor played a key role in Betty’s rise to prominence as one of the most important figures in offshore racing history. In 1977, Betty Cook became the first woman to win a world championship in offshore powerboat racing (her first of two), and just the second female in any major motorsport to achieve the feat, alongside drag racing’s . Remarkably, Cook and Muldowney each captured...
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Episode 71 - Cade Wilson Owner of Sterling Engines
Powerboat Talk
In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with Cade Wilson, the new owner of , a name deeply rooted in offshore racing history. After a successful corporate career and a leadership foundation built through service in the U.S. Army, the U.S. Naval Academy, and as a Naval officer, Wilson set out to acquire and grow a business, ultimately landing in the one place he initially tried to avoid, racing. We dig into how a calculated acquisition quickly became a hands-on rebuild of both operations and reputation, from restoring equipment and workflow to navigating early challenges like the loss of...
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Episode 70 - Ty Newton Flatbottom K-boat Racer
Powerboat Talk
In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with veteran flatbottom K-boat driver Ty Newton of Phoenix, Arizona, a multi-time national champion and member of the American Power Boat Association Hall of Champions (2009). With more than three decades behind the wheel and 15 years in K-boats, Newton brings a deep well of experience and perspective to the conversation. Newton shares the story of his recent trip to Australia to compete in the , marking his third appearance in the event after first competing in 2019. He breaks down the unique challenges and joys of racing down under. The...
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Episode 69 - Dave Villwock Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Legend
Powerboat Talk
In this episode, recorded before the 2025 racing season, we sit down with Dave Villwock, the most successful driver in racing history. At the time, Villwock had amassed 67 career wins, 10 national championships, 10 APBA Gold Cups, and multiple world speed records. During the 2025 season, he added to that legacy with his 68th career win and 11th Gold Cup at age 71. Villwock’s story spans decades, from driving flat bottoms and wrenching in the pits to rising as a crew chief, becoming a dominant driver, and ultimately returning to the cockpit at age 70. His career reached another milestone...
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Episode 68- Joe Zelinski Founder of Custom Marine, Inc
Powerboat Talk
As the founder of , Joe Zelinski stands as a central figure and true innovator in the high-performance marine world. For decades, CMI headers have set the benchmark for performance marine exhaust systems. Raised by a father who was a plumbing contractor, Zelinski developed a strong work ethic early on, along with a natural curiosity for anything mechanical. While spending summers digging ditches for his father’s business, he purchased his first boat, a Boston Whaler, at just 12 years old. Not long after, he landed a job at a local boat shop where he was paid in parts, eventually working his...
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Episode 67- Tyler Speer Drag Boat Racer (Part 2)
Powerboat Talk
In this episode, the 2nd of two parts, we talk with racer following the 2025 drag boat racing season as he breaks down the continued progress of his A Fuel Nitro Hydro, Georgia Outlaw, through the 2025 season and his plans heading into 2026. Speer, who works in the family boat business in Woodstock, GA with his father Tim, talks about an early-season change to a different clutch program that required the team to re-establish their baseline setup, which slowed progress as they worked through the learning curve and adjusted to the new combination. We talk about his results competing in both...
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Episode 66- Tyler Speer Drag Boat Racer
Powerboat Talk
Tyler Speer is one of the most versatile racers in modern drag boat competition and a rising force in nitro-powered hydro racing. Today he campaigns an Injected Nitro Hydro in the Top Alcohol Hydro class, pushing the limits of performance while developing one of the most demanding boats in the sport. Speer began racing motocross at age five, later moving through go-karts, the Allison Legacy Series, and stock cars, before making his debut in 2010. After transitioning to drag boats in 2014, he quickly made his mark by winning the 2016 Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series Pro Modified World...
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Episode 65 - Live from Eddie's SoCal Performance Expo opening night
Powerboat Talk
This episode of Powerboat Talk is a recording of a livestream that we did at Eddie Marine in Rancho Cucamonga for Eddie’s SoCal Performance Expo opening night party. We had the privilege of interviewing 23 marine and automotive industry leaders and personalities. Eddie’s SoCal Performance Expo brought together almost 300 cars and 90 performance boats for a great day in sunny Southern California. The line up was INSANE!! To learn more about Eddie’s SoCal Performance Expo visit their website Clint Miglia- / Ray Lee- Ken Johnson- Scott Walters- Rob Torres- Tony Chiaramonte- Jake...
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Episode 64- Racers and Engine builders Gordy Jennings and Paul Fitzgerald
Powerboat Talk
This week’s episode features an inside look at the in Australia with Stock Racing team members Gordy Jennings () and Paul Fitzgerald (). As the crew chiefs responsible for tuning and maintaining , piloted by , Jennings and Fitzgerald found themselves representing the United States alongside and driver Ty Newton. Together, the two American teams faced a formidable lineup of 28 blown alcohol boats from Australia and New Zealand, making for two intense weekends of competition. We explore the realities of taking a race program halfway around the world, the chemistry within a veteran team, and...
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Episode 63 - Tate Ramsey Australian National Drivers Champion
Powerboat Talk
On this episode of Powerboat Talk, we welcome Tate Ramsey, an Australian circuit boat racer, three-time winner, and reigning National Drivers Champion. Ramsey is also the current BAD Boat Challenge champion, and he puts that crown on the line in the upcoming 2026 . There, he’ll face a deep and competitive field of more than 25 Australian racers, along with standout American challengers and and New Zealander . Ramsey’s race boat is a 21-foot powered by a 470-cubic-inch PSI-blown big-block Chevy built by , with top speeds reaching 160 mph. In this episode, Ramsey shares an inside look at...
info_outlineFred Kiekhaefer, former president of Mercury Racing and son of Mercury Marine founder Carl Kiekhaefer, shares stories of his journey in the marine industry. He now owns K.Lab Design Works, a design and consulting firm, and discusses his latest project: a surfacing drive with a cockpit-controlled variable-pitch propeller. The drive, known as Project Dolphin, was designed for performance diesels in the recreational and military markets. Kiekhaefer received a patent for the drive in 2022 but canceled the project due to low demand for diesel-powered boats.
After his father's death in 1983, Kiekhaefer took over the family business, Kiekhaefer Aeromarine Motors, which was famous for its successful racing engines. He decided to shift the business from engine building to performance products, drive systems, and propellers. He also developed products such as Zero Effort Controls and K-Plane trim tabs, which are still industry standards today.
In 1988, Aeromarine launched their Sterndrive by Kiekhaefer, a drive that could handle extreme horsepower. Kiekhaefer recounts how the drive dominated offshore racing for years. In 1990, Mercury Marine bought Aeromarine and named Kiekhaefer president of Mercury Performance. The Aeromarine drive was rebranded as the Mercury Number Six drive.
Mercury Performance later became Mercury Racing, where Kiekhaefer led the division to great success. He oversaw the development of the QC4V engine, a 9.0-liter quad-cam, four-valve engine that is arguably the best performance marine engine ever.
Kiekhaefer retired from Mercury in 2012 and lives in Colorado, where he enjoys his exotic car and does work for various charity organizations including AeroAngel and the Morgan Adams Foundation.
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