Episode 48 - Chuck Stearns and Mike Avila Water Ski Racing Legends
Release Date: 07/08/2024
Episode 55 - Freedom One Racing Team
Powerboat Talk
In this episode, we’re talking with the team behind , a new name making waves at this year’s . The Shootout’s loose rules invite wild setups, and Freedom One didn’t disappoint, bringing a brand-new powered by twin 4,000-hp 4.9-inch bore, all-aluminum Hemi Pro Mod drag racing engines. The boat’s engines are a marvel of engineering much of which is familiar to the 1/4 mile crowd, but unconventional to general marine performance guys. Topped by , the engines feature dry blocks (no water jackets) and require no cooling system. They employ engine management systems and route the...
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Episode 54 - Billy Moore Class 1 Offshore Racer
Powerboat Talk
Billy Moore stands as one of the most successful offshore powerboat racers competing today. Following in the footsteps of his father, —widely considered the first throttle man in offshore racing—Billy “works the sticks” in both and Super Cat. I spoke with Moore recently, just as his Class 1 team celebrated back-to-back wins at in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. In addition to racing for Defalco, Moore throttles the in the Super Cat class. Not only did Moore gain invaluable racing insight from his legendary father, but he also learned the finer points of boat rigging and race boat setup,...
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Episode 53 - Warren Kosikov Vice President of Sales at SEMA
Powerboat Talk
Warren Kosikov is the Vice President of Sales for the , an organization that represents the automotive and marine aftermarket industries while advocating for the interests of both manufacturers and consumers. Before joining SEMA, Kosikov held executive sales management roles at Source Interlink Media, Buckaroo Communications, Petersen Publishing, and Nordskog Publishing. His extensive background in the performance boating industry includes work with Powerboat Magazine, Hot Boat Magazine, and Family and Performance Boating Magazine. Kosikov emphasizes SEMA’s critical role in the automotive...
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Episode 52 - Shane Westerfield Drag Boat Racer, Engine Builder and Tuner
Powerboat Talk
Shane Westerfield is a versatile and accomplished racer with a rich history in both drag boat and car racing. Along with his father, Steve, he owns , a shop specializing in supercharged engines, components, and high-performance flat bottom boats. Westerfield’s 15-year drag racing career began by helping his father with his Top Alcohol flatbottom and reached a peak in 2017 when he won the Top Alcohol Funny Car World Championship. Westerfield has amassed 14 NHRA national event wins and continues to drive alcohol cars. He spent the last five seasons with and recently began driving AA...
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Episode 51 - Ron Gordon Founder of American Turbine and Dominator Jet Pumps
Powerboat Talk
Ron Gordon, General Manager and Vice President, founded with his boyhood friend, Bruce Simmons, in 1989, bringing decades of experience in the jet drive industry. Ron’s first encounter with a jet pump dates back to 1968, when he began working on his family’s Glastron V174 jet boat. Gordon’s career in the industry officially began in 1976 when he and Simmons founded Dominator Jet in Lubbock, Texas. After running the business for 12 years, they sold Dominator. Gordon stayed on as manager for a few years before he and Simmons left to start American Turbine. Gordon developed American...
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Episode 50 - Tres Martin Owner of Tres Martin Performance Boat School
Powerboat Talk
Tres Martin is the owner of and , where he offers advanced, hands-on, skill-based training for performance boat owners. Martin grew up working with his father, Ralph Martin, at Everglades Marina in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ralph Martin is credited with organizing the first poker run for boats in 1985. In 1986, Martin began racing offshore powerboats, achieving great success in the class, where he throttled various and race boats. He concluded his career with an impressive 66 wins, including four National Championships and four World Championships. In 1993, Martin founded Tres Martin...
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Episode 49 - Gordy Jennings Circle Boat Racer and Engine Builder
Powerboat Talk
Gordy Jennings is one of the most decorated circle boat racers in history, particularly noted for his excellence in driving blown boats in the . While his boat racing career is remarkable, Jennings is perhaps best known for his expertise in performance engine building, a skill he honed while working for his stepfather, Paul Pfaff, at . During his time at Pfaff, the company excelled at creating power plants for boats and found success in various forms of motorsports, including sprint cars and off-road racing. Today, Jennings works as a dyno operator for and continues to build engines for Tom...
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Episode 48 - Chuck Stearns and Mike Avila Water Ski Racing Legends
Powerboat Talk
Chuck Stearns and Mike Avila are two of Water Ski Racing's most successul competitors. Stearns, who is often regarded as the greatest water skier in history having won National and World Championships in tournament skiing, won his first Catalina Ski Race in 1955 at the age of 16. Stearns went on to dominate the international race winning an unprecendented (at the time) 11th title in 1982 at the age of 44. Stearns also set a multiple world speed records culminating with is run of 122.11 m.p.h. in 1969 at Long Beach Marine Stadium. Avila one the first ski race he entered in 1968 at the age of...
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Episode 47 - Keith Eickert Offshore Race Engine Builder
Powerboat Talk
Keith Eickert is one of the most recognized and successful high-performance engine builders in offshore racing history. With a career that began at Mercury Racing in 1972, Eickert went on to create power for 37 World, International, and National Champions. Eickert was recruited to Mercury by his childhood friend Gary Garbrecht, who was the head of Mercury Racing. Eickert graduated from working on cylinder heads at Mercury to becoming one of their best engine builders. In 1976, Eickert was lured away from Mercury to build engines exclusively for racers Rocky Aoki (Benihana) and Preston...
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Episode 46 - Jerry Gilbreath Boat Builder and Offshore Powerboat Racer
Powerboat Talk
Jerry Gilbreath has made a career out of designing, building, and racing some of the most exotic and well-known boats in the world. His journey began in the 1960s, driving flat-bottom endurance boats in races like the Salton Sea 500 and the . Gilbreath’s father, Jake, founded Gil Marine, which started as a gas tank manufacturer and grew into one of the largest aftermarket performance marine companies in the world, producing iconic Gil Exhaust Manifolds and the first outboard set-back bracket, the Gil Bracket. Gilbreath became one of the most respected and talented custom boat builders...
info_outlineChuck Stearns and Mike Avila are two of Water Ski Racing's most successul competitors. Stearns, who is often regarded as the greatest water skier in history having won National and World Championships in tournament skiing, won his first Catalina Ski Race in 1955 at the age of 16. Stearns went on to dominate the international race winning an unprecendented (at the time) 11th title in 1982 at the age of 44. Stearns also set a multiple world speed records culminating with is run of 122.11 m.p.h. in 1969 at Long Beach Marine Stadium.
Avila one the first ski race he entered in 1968 at the age of 10. He went on to become one of the most dominate skiers in the 80's. Avila claims to have the most wins in ski racing history with 149 which included 27 national championships. Avila was a member of six US world teams. Avila still competes today as a boat driver and finished 1st overall in the 2023 Catalina Ski Race.
Lifelong friends, Stearns and Avila are both members of the Water Skiing Hall of Fame. Stearns was inducted in 1982 as a member of the first class of inductees. Avila was inducted in 2002 as the first speed skiing only member.
Stearns will also be a passenger in Avila's boat as they compete in this year's Catalina Ski Race on July 13.
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