Hall did some testing at zMax Dragway. (Kenneth Charlton photo)

For the last few years, 2016 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Jerry Savoie has talked about reducing his schedule. The busy alligator farmer is finally going to do it, and 2013 U.S. Nationals winner John Hall will be the first rider to race Savoie’s White Alligator Racing (WAR) Suzuki since Chip Ellis subbed for Savoie following neck surgery several years ago.

A year on the NHRA circuit riding Star Racing Buells and two years with Matt Smith Racing preceded Hall buying the old Vance&Hines/Kuryakyn Buell formerly owned by Harry Lartigue and ridden by Ellis.

Hall tested with the WAR team on the Monday after the Four-Wide at zMAX Dragway, and Hall admitted to being a little nervous before making his first pass on a foreign piece.

(Tim Hailey photo)

“We learned a lot of stuff, like their starting line routine. We were kinda off on that on the first pass. I’m up there for like two minutes waiting for someone to come pat me on the back. I’m lookin’ and lookin’ and no one’s pattin’ me on the back! So we came up with a different routine and it worked the next three passes.

“I didn’t know what to expect. There’s little things you’ve got to know, like the burnout is at 10 grand—it’s screamin’! The Buell is barely turning in the burnout. The tank is much different and you can tuck lower. The shift points are different, but it didn’t seem that far off from the Buell.

“That first pass I didn’t feel good at all. The bike went to the right and I didn’t know what to expect. That bike was pretty aggressive on the hit and wasn’t really 100 percent ready for it.

“On a Buell, you have to be pretty aggressive in your corrections. You have to swing your ass over to get the bike to move. I did that with this and the bike made a BIG move, and I though ‘Oh sh*t, I guess I don’t need to do that!’ You can correct pretty easy without making a big move. The bike is really light. It’s a huge difference from the Buell, but nothing you can’t get used to. I gotta adapt to that.”

In all, the team made four passes with a best of 6.94.

“We made some decent runs and I’m confident going to Virginia.,” said Hall. “We’ve got enough consistency already that Tim (WAR tuner Kulungian) will be able to tune the bike to me.”   [05/16/19]

Paul Romine has given up his DRO AA/FC Challenge championship-winning “Man O’ War” Mustang for an Outlaw Street Falcon. A few photos in the old mayo jar high atop the Phlegm Building’s second-story penthouse porch gives us a look at the new project being put together by Spitzer Race Cars. The 1964-1/2 car features at Strange Engineering Pro Mod rear end and will have a Small Block Ford for power.

The Agent will keep an eye as the car gets ready to make its debut.  [05/16/19]

The threat of severe weather this weekend has caused the Southwest Heritage Racing Association to cancel the May 18 event at Wichita Falls, TX. The next event will be Saturday, June 8, at Xtreme Raceway Park in Ferris, TX.   [05/16/19]

John Force and his PEAK Chevy Camaro Funny Car will be debuting special Herculiner branding at this year’s Virginia Nationals. Herculiner, a product of PEAK, is a do-it-yourself truck bed liner that provides a tough, durable, skid-resistant protective coating five times thicker than other roll-ons.

Force is the winningest JFR driver at Virginia Motorsports Park with a history of successes that include four wins and four No. qualifiers. Force won the inaugural Virginia Nationals in 1995. His most recent win came in 2000 where he was also the No. 1 qualifier. At last year’s event, Force qualified No. 7 and advanced to the final round where he lost to daughter Courtney Force in the 50th all-JFR Funny Car final.

The 16-time champion is trying to reach his 150th win.   [05/16/19]

Tim Wilkerson and the Levi, Ray and Shoup Funny Car team will unveil the LRS 40th Anniversary Ford Mustang on the starting line at Virginia Motorsports Park on Friday, May 17, just prior to their first qualifying session of the weekend.

The striking Mustang, newly designed by Ford Performance engineers and capable of speeds in excess of 320 mph, is adorned with a sleek paint job beneath a colorful wrap celebrating the 40th anniversary of Wilkerson's primary sponsor, Levi, Ray and Shoup.

Wilkerson and fellow Ford campaigner Bob Tasca are the only two nitro FC drivers to have received the new Mustang body. This is Wilkerson’s 10th season behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang Funny Car.

"We're off to a good start this year in a lot of ways, and we expect that it will get even better from here," said Wilkerson, who is currently No. 6 in the Funny Car standings. "Ford Performance did an outstanding job with this design, and my chassis builder, Murf McKinney, did his job mounting it for us and getting it ready. I think it looks sharp, and I can't wait to put it in the winner's circle for Ford; Dick Levi; Levi, Ray and Shoup; Summit Racing; and everyone who has been behind us for so long."   [05/16/19]