Former Islander Hall is set for Seafair hydroplane races

Published 5:30 pm Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Brent Hall returned to his home turf of Mercer Island to promote the super speedy sport of hydroplane racing at Summer Celebration.

On July 11, the former Islander — who currently resides in Bothell — shared his passion for hydroplanes with people as a locally-backed mammoth H1 Unlimited boat was displayed on the street adjacent to Pagliacci Pizza and Mercerdale Park. As a bonus, celebration attendees engaged in a hydroplane racing simulator that was a hit with kids and adults.

It was an “opportunity to bring the sport out of the pits and directly to the people,” said Hall, 57, who strives to make hydro racing mainstream again and inspire the next generation to embrace the hydro realm.

When the thrilling, rooster-tailing Seafair hydro races zoom across Lake Washington on July 31-Aug. 2, Hall will be competing in the event for the eighth time. He’ll be manning a Grand Prix boat again this year with hopes of qualifying a top-tier H1 Unlimited boat next year. Grand Prix boats, which are one step below Unlimiteds, reach a top speed of about 150 mph during races.

Pagliacci co-owner Matt Galvin and Hall’s longtime friend is sponsoring the Grand Prix boat.

“It was great having Brent and his team set up right outside the Pagliacci during the Summer Celebration. Everyone was super engaged and into learning more about Brent, the team and what it is like to drive a hydro,” Galvin said.

Hall has been competing on the hydro scene for the last 18 years and nearly qualified in the Unlimited sphere one year, but fell just short due to gearbox issues. Hall has test-driven Unlimited boats twice during his career.

“I just say this might be even just a call to action. Job not finished,” Hall said about jumping into the Unlimited ring. “I was one lap away from getting qualified and making history. I’d be the first Black or African-American driver to ever be qualified as an Unlimited hydroplane driver, so that’s still on the bucket list.”

In 2005, Hall crewed for Harold Mills, who Hall said was the first African-American to drive an Unlimited light at Seafair.

RACING FOR HIS BROTHER

When Hall takes to the water during this year’s races, he’s competing in honor of his brother, Hayden, who died from lymphoma at the age of 60 last year. With Hayden at the top of their minds, Hall and Mercer Island resident and actor Hill Harper are involved in fundraising for the major cancer research nonprofit V Foundation.

“It’s based off of Jimmy Valvano. He was the coach of NC State, super famous coach, won the national championship, total underdog. But then he passed of cancer years later and they’ve raised over $458 million for cancer research,” Hall said.

A recent emotional racing highlight for Hall was winning a heat on the anniversary of Hayden’s death on July 4 at the Madison Regatta in Wisconsin. Hall said that Hayden was his biggest fan.

“I’ve definitely had some accolades, I’ve won heats before. It’s just this last one was really big because it was in honor of my brother,” Hall said.

MERCER ISLAND ROOTS

Hall’s family moved to the Island for his first-grade year and he attended Mercer Island High School through his sophomore year before transferring to Newport High School in Bellevue. His mother, Annie, taught at Mercer Island public schools for more than 30 years before retiring in 1995.

It was from their home on First Hill where a stoked Hall first got a glimpse of the Seafair hydro races.

“So every year when the hydroplanes would run, I just got so excited and we’d run down to the 7-Eleven and get the latest Seafair magazine. I’d look through there and find my favorite boats. Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, I’d go down to the pits and spend time. That was just such a big part of my summer,” Hall said.

Playing with radio-controlled boats for many years came first, and then Hall finally got his chance to drive a real hydro later in life.

“I just geeked out on hydroplanes, anything hydroplane racing,” said Hall, adding that he was a huge fan of Island hydro racer Steve Reynolds, who was an occasional mentor to Hall when racing came his way.

In a family-affair scenario, Hall’s son Brent Jr. got into hydro racing at the age of 10, won some junior Seafair heats and was ranked third in the nation. At age 15 now, Brent Jr. is too big for the hydros and is concentrating on playing basketball.

For Hall, hydro racing is in his blood as he continues to eye the Unlimiteds.

He described what it’s like to be in the middle of the action during hydro competitions: “Your head’s on a swivel. I wear my Apple watch in the boat, and I think the highest my heart rate got to was 150 this past weekend (July 4). So it’s very challenging from a physical perspective and I work out, I try and stay in shape, but those couple of minutes in that boat are very violent, very taxing, but also extremely exciting at the same time. It’s an honor to touch one, let alone drive one.”

ISLANDERS LEND SUPPORT

Hall said that his lifelong friends and Island sponsors and supporters accompanying him on his hydro journey are “fueling the future of hydroplane racing.”

Along with Galvin and Harper, there’s Bryan Mazza of the Mazza Financial Group, Chris Bailey of The Mona Bailey Academy and Rob Graham of Graham trucking. ASA Gathering co-owner Harper will be hosting sponsor and celebratory parties before and after Seafair at the Island boutique bar and social club.

Bailey said the Mercer Island community can be extremely proud of Hall, who he described as being an excellent role model and mentor to future hydro drivers.

“It has been my pleasure to work with Brent in helping him achieve his lifelong goal of becoming an Unlimited hydroplane driver. I have known Brent since we were young kids and have always known how passionate he is about hydros. That’s why it’s so easy to support him,” Bailey said.

Islander Graham, who supplied the U-98 Graham trucking display boat at Summer Celebration, said he wants to help Hall achieve his goal of competing in the Unlimited class.

“As of now, the discussion is focused on a rebuilding of the U-98 for next season,” Graham said.

Mazza added that it was fun watching Hall interact with the kids at Summer Celebration: “I am thrilled to be part of the team helping to bring attention to Brent and his journey this year. We both share the pain of losing loved ones to cancer and Brent’s efforts to include the Jimmy V Foundation was very important to us.”