What would have once seemed like a far-fetched idea will now become reality, and will bring the drag racing careers of three influential drag racers full circle.

On July 7th and 8th in Grove, Oklahoma, Kebin Kinsley will drive the Scott Palmer/Tommy Thompson owned “Liquid Voodoo” Top Fuel Hydro at the Southern Drag Boat Association’s Wolf Creek Nationals.

Kinsley and Palmer’s friendship spans nearly 25 years. They spent many of those years traveling the country and competing against each other in the NHRA’s Top Alcohol Funny Car category. Both racers shared the dream of one day driving Top Fuel Dragsters, and today that is their reality, Kebin in the Hennen Motorsports Road Rage Top Fuel Dragster, and Scott in the CatSpot Top Fuel Dragster.

But they never anticipated that the paths they took and the friends they made on the way would lead them to run a Top Fuel Hydro together.

“The first time I ever saw a Top Fuel Hydro run was when I went to Chouteau (Oklahoma) in 2001 to watch Kebin race in the class,” Palmer said. “All I could think about was how crazy and intense it is to put a Top Fuel motor in a boat. It was at that same race I met Tommy Thompson for the first time. Who could have imagined what would become of that meeting all those years ago?”

For the past few years, Thompson and his companies CatSpot and Magic Dry have partnered up with Palmer to run the full NHRA Mello Yello Series with his Top Fuel Dragster. With so much focus on the car, Tommy Thompson Motorsports has been running the Top Fuel Hydro out of their shop, but Scott is still very much involved in the decisions surrounding the drag boat team.

“I’ve always driven my own cars,” said Palmer. “The only time I ever let anyone else drive one of my cars in competition was Kebin in my Alcohol Funny Car back in 2002. That’s how much I trust him. He’s an awesome friend, and I’m excited to see what he can do in our Top Fuel boat. Besides, we all know I’d never get in the boat. I’ve never even been in a canoe, let alone a Top Fuel Hydro.”

Kebin’s extensive career on the water started when he was just 14 years old, and has brought 15 world championships and over 80 different rides ranging from Comp Hydro to Top Fuel Hydro. Palmer’s “Liquid Voodoo” is the same hull that Kebin drove back in 2012 when it was the “Hot Licks” Top Fuel Hydro owned by the late Dennis “Hoot” Gibson.

Another one of those 80+ boats that Kebin drove was a Top Alcohol Hydro called “A Few Dollars More,” owned by Tommy Thompson Motorsports. Kebin and Tommy saw a lot of success during their time together from 1998-2000, winning numerous races and championships.

“I’m very blessed to even do this at all, and then to have the quality rides that I’ve had over the years, it’s awesome. I’m really excited to come back and race for Tommy and Scott because we’ve all done it together and now it’s come full circle. They’re both awesome people, and we’ve been close friends for years. I’m excited, and I’m ready to get back in it and do it again,” said Kinsley. “I have so much history with Scott, Tommy, and this boat. I can’t thank Roger (Hennen) enough for his blessing to come over and do this in between our races with the dragster.”

The trio has entertained the idea of adding a few more races with the Top Fuel Hydro this year as long as the car schedules will allow.

The Hennen Motorsports Road Rage Top Fuel team will return to the asphalt for the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, the site of their 2017 success which took Kebin, Roger, and the team to their first ever final round in Top Fuel.

Palmer will be at the New England Nationals in Epping, NH this weekend with his CatSpot Top Fuel Dragster, anxiously awaiting results from Oklahoma.