Catching Up With The 2010 Champs: XPS’ John Montecalvo

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In a new, periodic feature on the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) website, www.ADRL.us, we’re going to check in with our 2010 World Champions and see what each of them has been up to in the off-season as they prepare to defend their Speedtech “Battle of the Belts” titles during the 2011 ADRL Tour.Throughout the next two months leading up to the 2011 season-opener at Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas on March 25-26, we’ll be “Catching Up With The Champs,” giving a special feature to World Champions John Montecalvo (Extreme Pro Stock), Kim Morrell (Pro Extreme Motorcycle), Dan Millen (Extreme 10.5), Burton Auxier (Pro Nitrous), Frankie Taylor (Pro Extreme) and Tyler Allen (Pro Junior Dragster).The second of these six “Catching Up With The Champs” pieces takes a look at Extreme Pro Stock World Champion John Montecalvo and his relaxing and enjoyable off-season.John Montecalvo has been racing this off-season, just not the kind you might expect from the 2010 Extreme Pro Stock World Champion.Taking advantage of incredible wintery conditions at his vacation home in Ludlow, Vermont, Montecalvo has maintained a steady diet of snowmobiling, skiing and very little in the way of drag racing.In his mind, it’s been the perfect off-season coming off perhaps the finest season in his storied career.“The conditions have been exceptional in Vermont and we’ve been enjoying it. The snowmobiling keeps you sharp and it keeps your reaction time strong,” Montecalvo said.“We keep it moving on the snowmobiles and the trails we have go right from the house to Canada. It’s beautiful and a totally different world. The town is kind of a step back in time. It’s a slower pace.”Montecalvo welcomed that pace after a busy and rigorous racing season that included four straight wins during the scorching summer months.To maintain his edge and to also stay hungry for 2011, Montecalvo insists the time away from XPS and drag racing did him a world of good.In fact, the snowmobiling has been so enjoyable and invigorating that Montecalvo is debating entering a race at Lake Maurice in Vermont at the end of the month.“I haven’t seen a practice tree since the last race,” Montecalvo said. “But I’ve been hitting the gym and snowmobiling definitely keeps you in shape mentally and physically. You’re making split-second decisions all the time.“But I’ve definitely enjoyed the break (from racing).”For those thinking Montecalvo isn’t ready to defend his championship, he also followed with this thought:“Now that people are starting to talk racing, the bug is coming back,” Montecalvo said. “When March comes, I’ll be ready to roll.”Montecalvo also spent his share of down time relaxing in front of a fire, watching movies with his wife.Racing, though, will soon become a major part of Montecalvo’s day-to-day thoughts and he promises to be ready. Along with his plans to possibly debut a new Camaro by mid-summer, his current championship-winning car has been getting minor tweaks to find a little more horsepower.As for the bull’s-eye that will be on his back for 2011, Montecalvo welcomes the added attention.“I know everybody will be shooting for me, but that’s nothing new,” Montecalvo said. “My approach will be no different. I’ve been able to relax and that’s improved my driving.“I feel like we’ll be a contender again, but I know there’s a lot of people nipping at my heels and they’re going to come out swinging.”Montecalvo isn’t standing pat, either, and will be gunning to now win back-to-back titles.“That’s our new goal,” Montecalvo said. “We want to keep raising the bar.”He would do it in an XPS class he has thoroughly enjoyed, in part because of the friendly relationships between the drivers in the highly-competitive division.Last year’s “Battle For The Belts” win was the biggest moment in Montecalvo’s racing career, finishing off a season where he posted incredible times and won four straight races from June through August.He expects Maxam Equipment and Tilcon to be back as sponsors for a few races in 2011, and hopes to announce more before the season starts.By that time, he also plans to have completed testing at Palm Beach International Raceway, which will lead right into the first race of the 2011 ADRL Tour. That will come in his current car, but he does plan to test a new car - which he hopes will be a Camaro - in between races.All of it is centered around working towards the end goal of once again hoisting that belt over his head come October at Texas Motorplex.“We all want to win,” Montecalvo said. “I’m looking forward to battling for the title and continuing to race in the ADRL. I think the company is going to great levels.”(Photos by ADRL/Richards)

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