RACING SPOTLIGHT: Kicking Off the 2009 OPA Race Season with Team Mitigator

Last week we featured the advanced anti-shock technology developed by SeasGroup, which was developed to help abate the effects of all the bumping and heavy pounding that offshore drivers and crew experience in active seas. The natural question might be to ask - "Okay, but how well does it work in the real world?"


Well, High Priority Offshore Racing Team MitiGator will be in a great position to let everyone know, as they open their Offshore Performance Association (OPA) season this weekend in Ocean City Maryland. Sponsored by the SeasGroup, Team Mitigator's boat is also a high-speed demonstrator for their Mitigator system, which has been integrated into the cockpit of the boat by Premier Performance Interiors.

"As for as the MitiGator product, it sells itself, all you have to do is give it a try," says Team Mitigator Driver Warren Miller. "The PPI seats and the MitiGator technology has made it possible for a couple of old guys like us to run up front with racers more than half our age, and still winning races from time to time."

As a group, the team has been racing for 10 years, and has won numerous races, including nine National & Divisional titles, as well as the 2004 APBA-UIM World Championship. Members include Warren Miller - Driver, Mack Clark - Throttle and Crew Chief Charlie McDonald. Their Joker powerboat, which is 29'8" LOA, features a stepped Kevlar hull weighing 5500 lbs. and custom-built Mercury XR drives and custom 4-blade props.

PHOTO CREDITS: High Priority Offshore Racing / Team Mitigator

In addition to the shock mitigation system, another innovative addition to the boat is an on board digital video camera system that should deliver some great action video. The Ocean City race will be the first real test of the system, which also has been carefully installed in order to operate under the stress and vibration of high performance offshore racing. Assuming the system works as expected, the captured video will be available for viewing at the team's website - http://www.highpriorityosr.com/ or on youTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/MitigatorMan

2009 Tentative Team Schedule

May 30-31 OPA Race Ocean City MD.
June 27 Coles Point Poker Run Coles Point VA.
July 25-26 OPA Race Harrison Twp. MI.
TBA Chesapeake Poker Run Virginia Beach VA.
Aug. 22-23 OPA Race Patchogue NY.
Sept. 12 Wake The Lake Poker Run Clarksville VA.
Oct. 10-11 OPA Race Chattanooga TN.
TBA World Championship Race Hollywood FL.

Fans should also be able to catch up with Team MitiGator at least three Poker Runs in 2009, including the June Coles Point Poker Run, the July Chesapeake Poker Run and the September Wake the Lake Poker Run on Buggs Island Lake. Be sure to say hi, and tell 'em you saw 'em on [B3]!