Atlanta Dragway might be Junior Pippin’s home track, but NHRA’s Southern Nationals finished up as White Alligator Racing’s (WAR) event.

Not that it started that way. WAR’s Jerry Savoie had been on a five-race Pro Stock Motorcycle number one qualifying streak stretching back through last year. But Savoie started this weekend in a hole when he—and the rest of the sharp end of the field—were rained out of any attempt to qualify on Friday. Only 14 bikes made attempts in a start and stop session that took nearly three hours. Angelle Sampey was quickest when the session was called for good.

E. Krawiec

Photo: Tim Hailey

Saturday was Eddie Krawiec’s day as he took number one qualifier with a 6.849 at 194.21 mph. Savoie topped out at fifth place with a 6.867, while teammate LE Tonglet stood second with a 6.858.
Pippin’s rider Chip Ellis qualified Junior’s EBR third with a 6.864 and was able to drive around 14th qualifier Karen Stoffer and advance out of E1. Krawiec beat Steve Johnson, Tonglet beat Cory Reed, and Savoie trailered Matt Smith.

C. Reed

Photo: Tim Hailey

Krawiec’s E2 match was with Joey Gladstone—Eddie’s protégé of sorts. Gladstone wanted this. You could see the intensity as he looked over at Krawiec, visor up as Eddie went through his pre-stage routine. Visor down, crouched, throttle twisted in the staging beams, Gladstone nailed an .020 on his idol. But Eddie’ .041 would be enough as his Vance & Hines Harley legged out the difference 6.82 to 6.96.

Byron Hines

Photo: Tim Hailey

Tonglet had low ET of round 1 (6.811) and again in 2—6.805 along with the top speed of the event, 196.13. That was a crucial round win against Krawiec’s teammate Andrew Hines. Tonglet was establishing himself as the man to beat on raceday and the pieces were aligning for a possible all-WAR final.

Terry Vance

Photo: Tim Hailey

Savoie did his job in E2, keeping his cool while number four qualifier Hector Arana Jr. redlit.
It was in the semifinals where Savoie really excelled. Once again, Krawiec found himself at a reaction time disadvantage, but this time around it was Savoie’s Suzuki that had the legs. And when Tonglet won a good race against Scotty Pollacheck to take the other semi, an all-WAR final was assured.

LE Tonglet

Photo: Tim Hailey

The final itself was anti-climactic, as Savoie’s 2-step failed on the starting line. As he threw the clutch, 1100 rpms too much boiled the tire. Tonglet streaked to his second straight win in the other lane. “This won’t be the last all-White Alligator Racing final this year,” said an ecstatic Tonglet, who credited WAR tuner Tim Kulungian.

C. Ellis

Photo: Tim Hailey

With three Suzukis and one Harley in the semis, experienced railbirds could see dark clouds on the horizon as the WAR Suzukis posed nose-to-nose in the winners circle—a looming storm of competitor complaints and calls for adding weight to the inline fours. Will that storm come this way, and how will NHRA respond? The summer will tell.

G. Courtney

Photo: Tim Hailey

H. Arana Jr.

Photo: Tim Hailey

Joey Gladstone

Photo: Tim Hailey

Joey Gladstone

Photo: Tim Hailey

J. Savoie

Photo: Tim Hailey

LE Tonglet

Photo: Tim Hailey

M. Smith

Photo: Tim Hailey

Pollacheck and Tonglet

Photo: Tim Hailey

Tonglet

Photo: Tim Hailey

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

Position	Rider	Team	Points
1.	Eddie Krawiec	Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson	306
2.	LE Tonglet	Nitro Fish Racing Suzuki	291
3.	Andrew Hines	Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson	230
4.	Gerald Savoie	White Alligator Racing Suzuki	204
5.	Scott Pollacheck	Pertrolhead Buell	196
6.	Joey Glandstone		188
7.	Steve Johnson	Steve Johnson Racing Suzuki	136
8.	Matt Smith	Victory Gunner	136
9.	Hector Arana Jr	Lucas Oil Buell	126
10.	Angelle Sampey	Team Liberty Victory Gunner	114

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