Mitch was born in Rochester, NY May 14th, 1980. His parents were divorced since Mitch could remember. Both his mother (a respected police officer) and father (a seasoned Pilot) were loving people, rich with personality. His mother provided Mitch with a strange but good sense of humor and respect for others while his father provided him with a sense of responsibility and an appreciation for life and what it has to offer.
He spent his time between the two homes. At his mothers, during the week, he spent his free time exploring the vast and colorful water front of Webster, NY. He managed to mostly stay out of trouble. At 16 years old his mother taught him how to drive. Being a police officer, she had taught him several tricks of the trade and gave him a taste for performance driving. At his father’s farm in Barre Center, NY, Mitch was allowed to drive the 1977 Ford Custom Pickup truck at the early age of 13. He had an old Honda motorcycle and a BB gun. He explored the country side and often dove from the top rafters of his neighbor’s barn into large piles of straw. Both residents provided a unique environment to grow up in and gave Mitch a strong sense of adventure. And if any of you know him personally; you may understand just how strong that is.
Mitch went off to Buffalo State College after high school and quickly learned the difference between responsibility and everything else. His short time there gave him the chance to contemplate his life’s direction and a better understand of who he was. After an upbringing of snowboarding, driving, mountain biking, aviation and kayaking he decided that adventure was in his blood and must always be a part of his life. After a brief brush with the wild side, he purchased a Subaru Impreza and impressed his father at his first Solo race. Mitch returned to Rochester and went to MCC where he studied Auto Mechanics and Cosmology. He graduated with an Associates of Science. He remained in Rochester for several years after working for the Snowboarding industry. He participated in several TSD rallies with long time friend Jeremy Lepel. He also rallycrossed and Autocrossed which layed the fundements for his racing career.
In 2003, Mitch moved to Denver, CO. He brought with him a 1984 VW, GTI. He shortly got involved in the Colorado Hill Climb Series where he met his current Co-Driver Alix Hakala. Mitch quickly caged his 2000 Subaru Impreza and began a rich racing career with help from his fellow teamemebers Troy Matta, Grant Hughes, Brian Moody, Steve Bis, Brian McGuire, Ron Nelson, Brooks Freehill, Jason whaples, Todd Morberly, Mark Malsom and so many others.
-Thanks for the support guys-
In 2005, Mitch opened Checkpoint Racing with his friend Brian McGuire. He’s been operating the company ever since. He has since collected several cars and have gone through countless motors, chassis and suspension parts. He currently races in the CRC, CHCA and USRC with a few RA events here and there. He spends his free time with his lovely wife Alissa; snowboarding all over the state when he is not broken or missing parts of his body.
He hopes to spend the future with his wife exploring the globe looking for new places to snowboard and dividing his time between the east and west coast of the United States. It is hoped by Mitch that he will never fully retire from rally so long as he can afford it and his body will physically allow him to. There are just too many awesome people in the sport.
