Making Waves: Julie Hooton Rejoins Alumni Board, Continues to Assist Hydroplane Racing Team
Written by Doug Goodnough
Julie Hooton, ’80, and her husband, Mark, ’81, are both retired from their jobs at General Motors. However, when it comes to their work in hydroplane racing, retirement will be a more difficult decision.
The Hootons have been involved in the sport for many years, and currently support the marketing for the Miss Madison Racing Hydroplane Unlimited team, which is part of the H1 Unlimited racing series. Julie assists with social media, photography, and any other “logistics” the team may need. Mark still helps with marketing and sponsor engagement.
Their love of hydroplane racing goes back to their student days at Hillsdale College.
“When we met at Hillsdale, he was talking about it,” Julie said of Mark’s love of the sport. “He took me to a race, and I just loved it. It’s such a beautiful, spectacular visual sport.”
For many years they were fans, but eventually became directly involved in the team aspect when Mark was hired as team manager in 2006. Julie soon joined as a self-described “team mom.” Their son became a fan and eventually became a part of the “team.”
“I do the drinks and the food and take care of the pit area, just keep the guys healthy,” Hooton said of her role. “And now I manage the social media and website and continue with the photography.”
The Miss Madison team, started in 1961, is the longest continuous running team in the sport. Actually owned by the citizens of Madison, Indiana, the team has won 11 national championships and six American Powerboat Association trophies.
The H1 Unlimited season runs from late spring to early fall, with a series of races around the country. The Hootons travel to support the team, and they especially enjoy when the series visits the Detroit River, usually in August. The couple has also traveled the world for races, and their current commitment to the Miss Madison team is practically year-round.
“We’ve got something going on all the time,” Julie said.
Although they are now considered “volunteers,” she said the relationships they’ve built over the years makes stepping away from the sport difficult.
One of the biggest challenges for the sport is television coverage. With boats traveling at high speeds on the water, it is sometimes difficult to broadcast. The recent use of drones has been a positive addition, but Julie said there is no substitute to viewing in person.
However, powerboat racing is not the Hootons’ only passion. In November of 2021, they moved from the metro Detroit area to Jonesville, Michigan, where they could be closer to their alma mater. Julie, who served on the Hillsdale Alumni Association Board for several years in the 1990s and also volunteered for the College for various efforts, rejoined the board in July. She is one of five new board members.
“I really want to support the College, and that’s my priority,” she said. “And we work a lot, we travel a lot, so the time I have, I like to focus on the College.”
A member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority, Julie said that experience really helped her socially.
“I was a very shy person, and that’s what forced me to start to try to be able to talk to more people,” she said.
An accounting major, she credited Dr. Febes Facey for helping her with her future career, which included working in accounting and finance for General Motors when she wasn’t at home raising a family. And her minor in communication arts also came in handy when she got involved in hydroplane racing.
“I’m proud to say I’m an alum and enjoyed the experience. We wholeheartedly believe in the mission of the College and the learning that takes place there,” Julie said. “We are so impressed with the current students.”
To learn more about the Miss Madison Racing team, click here.
Doug Goodnough, ’90, is Hillsdale’s director of Alumni Marketing. He enjoys connecting with fellow alumni in new and wonderful ways.
Published in September 2024