TONGLET SCORES SECOND NHRA
U.S. NATIONALS WIN
I
n 2010, LE Tonglet arrived at
the U.S. Nationals as a 21-year-
old rookie facing an uncertain
future in the Pro Stock Motor-
cycle class. He went on to win
drag racing's marque event and
later won the NHRA Mello Yello
Championship. Tonglet returned
to Indy this week, August
29-September 3, and rode his
Nitro Fish Suzuki to a second
Indy title by beating his rival,
Screamin' Eagle Harley-David-
son's Eddie Krawiec, in the final
round. Even off the starting line,
Tonglet pulled ahead to win by
half a bike length, 6.86 to 6.88.
Both riders shut off the clocks at
197 mph.
"Eddie beat me last year in
Reading [Pennsylvania] and still I
haven't forgotten," Tonglet said.
"We had transmission issues
and didn't get down the track
and he beat me, but today we
showed that we can beat him,
and we can out-run him. In the
final, when I popped the clutch
in the left lane, it went immedi-
ately to the left and I just sort of
kept it in the left tire track and I
stayed straight from then on and
we were able to get the round
win. We just go up there and try
our best and whatever happens,
happens. It's just a lot of fun hav-
ing Jerry [Savoie] as a teammate
and riding one of his bikes. They
are so smooth and fast. That
gives me a lot of confidence on
days like today."
On a hot and muggy weekend,
Tonglet qualified number five in
the field and then rode to early
wins against Ryan Oehler, Vance
IN
THE
WIND
P32
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
MATT
POLITO
LE Tonglet gets the
jump on Eddie Krawiec
in the final round.
