John Montecalvo Hopes History Repeats Itself
DARLINGTON, SC - It was just two months ago that veteran Pro Stock racer John Montecalvo from Center Moriches, NY., etched his name into the history books at Darlington. The Citgo-sponsored, pilot pushed his Chevrolet Monte Carlo to the first ...
DARLINGTON, SC - It was just two months ago that veteran Pro Stock racer John Montecalvo from Center Moriches, NY., etched his name into the history books at Darlington. The Citgo-sponsored, pilot pushed his Chevrolet Monte Carlo to the first 6.5-second clocking in the class. He hopes to be the front-running Chevrolet in the division again during the forthcoming 2000 season.
"It always feels great to be a part of history," explained Montecalvo. "We always use the Groundhog as a means for establishing a baseline for the upcoming season. I think this year's event could produce some impressive runs in the Pro Stock division."
By sitting out the recent test event in Houston, Montecalvo slipped to third in the standings of the quickest Pro Stockers of the world, behind Ron Miller and defending World Champion Chris Holbrook. He hopes to recapture his top billing after Darlington.
"We really enjoyed being on top of the performance ladder," explained Montecalvo. "I think we can get up there again with the help of my crew and engine builder Sonny Leonard."
The real intriguing thing about the IHRA Pro Stock division is that it allows an entry to run in upwards of 800-plus cubic inch engines. The NHRA limits their Pro Stock machines to 500-inches. Many consider the division to be the drag racing equivalent of Winston Cup vehicles.
There will be five professional divisions contested at the CompetitionPlus.Com Groundhog Warm-Up presented by Majesty Homes. The classes contested will be Pro Modified, Pro Stock, 500-inch Pro Stock and Nitro Harley. The defending champions are Ronnie Hood (Pro Modified), Chris Holbrook (Pro Stock), Jim Yates (500-inch Pro Stock) and Steve Moore (Nitro Harley). The Pro Stock Trucks are welcome to test as well. The aforementioned categories are the only ones allowed to participate.
The format is simple for this event. Darlington Dragway will provide free testing for any racer that competes in the aforementioned divisions on February 18 - 20, provided that they adhere to the following conditions. The racer must participate in a "Chicago Style" format on Saturday in which there will be three set sessions for runs. The first two attempts will determine the final round contestants, as the two quickest runs will qualify for the final round to determine the winner. The final round will be run during the third session. To qualify for the free testing, the racer must participate in all three days of the event.
Gates will open for the Saturday show beginning at 10 am with the first blast off at 11 and admission only $10.
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