Catching Up With The 2010 Champs: PXM’s Kim Morrell

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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 first of these six “Catching Up With The Champs” pieces takes a look at Pro Extreme Motorcycle World Champion Kim Morrell and her busy off-season thus far.Kim Morrell can still re-live the moment of winning her first ADRL World Championship in her mind.There, all the highlights of her final-round upset of Ashley Owens and the 4.02 she recorded earlier in the day remain fresh and vivid.On the outside, thought, Morrell is chomping at the bit to get back on the bike and make some new memories.“It’s been too long of a break,” Morrell says, laughing. “We’re ready to get back to racing. It’s been too long and we’re ready to go.”There’s a sense of enthusiasm in Morrell’s voice and almost a little urgency, too, as she’s more than set to pick up where October left off.Of course, the story has been told plenty of times by now, but it’s still worth rehashing.Morrell had raced well all year during the 2010 ADRL Tour, advancing to two finals and finishing third in the points.But nearly everyone thought Owens would roll to a world title after his career year in 2010 that saw him win eight races and break nearly every ADRL record.Yet, Morrell and her team, led by crew chief John Sachs, believed and did the unthinkable, going 4.02 in qualifying at Texas Motorplex, and then knocking off Owens when the points champion broke during the championship round of the “Battle For The Belts.”But Morrell hasn’t basked in the glory of the title and has instead been hard at work securing sponsors for the 2011 season.The list reads long - NX Nitrous Express, MTC Engineering, Robinson Industries, Bates Leathers, Mickey Thompson Tires, Cometic Gaskets, Sparkplugs.com, CarSafe, Sachs Race Bikes, Simpson and REV Valves - but it shows the work Morrell has done in preparation for 2011.She is still working hard to secure a major financial sponsor for the upcoming year, but Morrell is very much thankful for those who are on board already. “I’m very excited to welcome these new sponsors for the 2011 race season,” Morrell said. “It’s so great to have them on board for 2011. I’ve been putting in work every day, talking to different sponsors and working with different people. “To have all of these people on board for 2011 is great. We’re definitely excited.” Morrell also hopes to scratch that racing itch next month, as she is planning to test at her home track, Palm Beach International Raceway.Of course, that track is also home to an ADRL race for the first time (April 15-16), an event Morrell has already excitedly marked on her calendar.But to meet the testing goal, Sachs spearheaded the movement to build a new race shop to house Morrell’s bike and parts.Sachs, along with Larry Hensley, Mike Fulks, Marc Sachs, Morrell’s neighbor, Jay, Morrell’s son, Tommy, and his friend, Curly, and Morrell and Sachs’ daughters, Shelby and Jordan, have put in time during the building process and the near-completed shop is another motivator for Morrell and crew.“John and I are both very thankful for everyone’s help with this and this is going to be such a wonderful deal,” Morrell said. “John’s getting ready to start on the motor and get everything put back together and we’re excited about that.“I can’t wait to go do some testing.”

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