They're called hydroplanes. Part boat, part plane, and all speed. This weekend the unlimited light hydroplane racing association made history on the Missouri River near Chamberlain, with it's first race ever in the state.

With a roar that earns them the nickname thunder-boats and roostertails stretching hundreds of feet behind as they skim the water at 150 miles an hour, these boats and their drivers know how to put on a show.

Spectator Angie Klein says, "it's so different from anything you can see in South Dakota right now. It's boat racing and we're not the land of 10,000 lakes here."

Driver Wil Muncey calls this course world class. But Saturday's South Dakota wind made it a bumpy ride. "Oh, yesterday was crazy, Robert. I was so tired when I came in the crew knew it. I couldn't get out."

Sunday drivers called the conditions perfect. And race organizers were pleased with Chamberlain/Oacoma's planning, and interest in the big boats. John Lynch is the "voice' of ULHRA. "I think it's been done here for 15 years, I'm shocked to say that you guys have been doing this for one year."

The fans were pleased too. Two young guys were lucky enough to get a autograph with their favorite driver, Kayleigh Perkins. She had fun as well. "I've never seen anything like that before. That just made my day."

The racing is also serious business. The work to get this boat ready is intense. For every minute it's racing, there's 24 man hours of work that has to go into it.

These teams rarely race back to back weekends, but this race is the first of 5 weekends in a row of pushing bodies and boats to the brink. Driver Wil Muncey says, "it's going to be brutal. It's not necessarily who runs quick, who runs fast. It's a lot like a prize fighter. Who's standing at the end if the 15th round."

A stretch that starts in South Dakota, and will be here for years to come.

The ULHRA has committed to at least 2 more years of racing on the Missouri River at Chamberlain.