Team Warpaint MTI Ready for Key West

ByJason Johnson

With great enthusiasm, Team Warpaint Offshore Racing owner and driver Bob Vesper proclaimed “She’s ready to go!” in a press release yesterday. Rather than rebuild the team’s original warhorse, the Warpaint Apache, which Vesper and throttleman Danny Crank stuffed in Key West, Fla., last November, the New Jersey-based team opted to go in a different direction (see Team Warpaint Set to Return with New MTI). And after months of incorporating new technology and additional safety features, Team Warpaint will debut its 42-footer from Marine Technology Inc. at the Super Boat International (SBI) Key West World Championships, Nov. 4-11.

With Bob Vesper behind the wheel and Danny Crank on the throttles, Team Warpaint will make its return to Key West with a new ride, a 42-foot MTI.
With Bob Vesper behind the wheel and Danny Crank on the throttles, Team Warpaint will make its return to Key West with a new ride, a 42-foot MTI.

“Our decision to go with the boat and engine package we selected was based upon the formation of the Superboat class announced in April by John Carbonell, president of Super Boat International,” said Vesper, referring to the new class that combines the former Super Cat, Superboat 750 and Superboat 850 classes. “I’ve been pleased to see so many teams step up to the plate in a down economy and redo engines, weight, setup, etc., to become Superboat compliant.

“This class will give deck-to-deck racing a whole new meaning and provide a better experience for the fans,” Vesper continued. “Moving forward, it’s going to be exciting with seven to 10 experienced and talented teams competing. The Superboat class is stimulating conversation between international and U.S. teams looking for highly competitive racing. 2013 will be an exciting year for SBI, the Superboat class and Team Warpaint.”

Crank, who recently founded US-1 Performance Marine in Morgan, N.J., rigged the new Warpaint, which will sing to the tune of twin Superboat-compliant engines from Sterling Performance and the legendary Mike D’Anniballe. Managed by Patti Raffa, Team Warpaint also added two crewmembers—Brian Mathews and Scott Robel.

“We want to thank all of the fans who have asked for continued updates on the next-generation Warpaint,” said Vesper, adding that he and Crank plan to idle to the spot of last year’s accident during their first test run on Tuesday, and start where they left off. “We hope they are as happy as we are with the end product.”

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