By Briar Starr, NHRA Staff Writer
In this week’s The Wally Questions and Answers Series, Kickin’ The Tires catches up with Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Jerry Savoie. Savoie has competed in the class since making his debut in 2011 at Gainesville. Since then, the Lousiana native has seen much success by winning 14 races in 154 starts including winning the 2016 Pro Stock Motorcycle championship.
Throughout the interview, Savoie discusses his favorite career moments such as his favorite Wally in his collection, memories of winning his first race at St. Louis in 2014, a learning lesson he’s learned and applied throughout his career, and much more in this week’s The Wally Q&A Series.
Kickin’ The Tires:
You’ve competed in 154 Pro Stock Motorcycle races since making your debut in 2011 at Gainesville. Which season do you feel was your best and why?
Jerry Savoie:
“I would have to say there are two seasons, 2015 and 2016,” Savoie said. “2016 because we won the world championship that year and that will always be the best one. In 2015, we came up a little short and when you’re running against the Harley’s like we were back then, it’s tough.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
Ever since the Countdown was installed in 2007, you’ve made the playoffs six times in your career. In 36 races, you’ve scored five wins and five runner-up finishes. What’s the most special Countdown victory you’ve achieved so far?
Jerry Savoie:
“Dallas in 2019,” the Louisana native said. “We run really strong there and the track is such a great place.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
At some point during a driver’s career, they usually experience a scary moment. In your career, what’s a scary moment that you’ve experienced while competing and hope to never experience again?
Jerry Savoie:
“Going into the sand at Pomona (in 2016),” the 2016 Pro Stock Motorcycle champion said. “The bike started getting into a really bad shape and went back and forth, so you can’t hit the brakes. If you hit the brake, it’ll throw you off. So, I just rode it out, but when the bike shakes like that, it can get pretty spooky.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
Most drivers have their “Welcome to NHRA moment.” For you, when did you have that moment and how did you take that moment to apply it later in your career?
Jerry Savoie:
“I’d have to go back to my first race in Gainesville that occurred in 2011,” he said. “I qualified No. 6 on the board and the way everyone welcomed me to the class, was special. I use this in everyday life, never forget where you come from. I try not to let everything go to my head and try to be a normal person.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
If your driving career was over tomorrow, but you had the option to stay in the sport whether it’s a crew chief, marketing, or specialist, what would your other career choice be if you weren’t racing Pro Stock Motorcycle?
Jerry Savoie:
“I think I would stay as a Team Owner,” Savoie said. “This year will most likely be my last year as a full-time rider, I’m pretty much done. There could be times that I’d make one or two appearances as a spoiler or something in the Countdown, for the most part, I’m done with racing after this year.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
Sometimes people get mistaken for other people and that happens in racing a lot. Have you ever been mistaken for someone and if so, who?
Jerry Savoie:
“It’s kind of funny, I’m mistaken for being Angelle’s (Sampey, current Pro Stock Motorcycle rider) husband and she gets mistaken for being my wife.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
If time travel was available and you could go back in time, which season would you like to relieve and why?
Jerry Savoie:
“2015,” Savoie said about reliving a season. “We were leading the championship going into the last race of the season, we gathered enough points on qualifying that year and we blew the tire off the bike when we went down the track and lost the championship. I would like to take back 2015 for sure.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
10 No. 1 qualifiers in your career with your first in Sonoma 2014. Favorite No. 1 qualifier?
Jerry Savoie:
“St. Louis in 2015 is my favorite No. 1 qualifier.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
I am sure there are many achievements you would like to cross off the list before you retire, however, what would you like to cross off the list before you’re done with racing?
Jerry Savoie:
“People ask me all the time about the 200 mph club,” the Pro Stock Motorcycle rider said. “If it happens then great, if not then I’m not going to get too worked up about it. However, I think it would be neat to have it on my career before I am done.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
Favorite race you will always remember well after you retire?
Jerry Savoie:
“The four-wide at Charlotte and Gainesville when I won the championship,” Savoie said. “Matt Smith (four-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion) said ‘if you ever win a race, I’ll be the first one to shake your hand and when I won, (Matt) was the first one there to shake my hand. That was cool.
But, the race that stands out to me is the Charlotte four-wide nationals in 2018. That bike was just fast, we blew away everybody.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
Favorite Wally in your collection that means the most to you and why?
Jerry Savoie:
“I’d have to say Bristol from earlier this year because the win came on Father’s Day,” he said. “Every time before I make a pass, I think about my dad. That win was so special to me.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
Briefly, I want to talk about your first-ever win in Pro Stock Motorcycle that came in 2014 at St. Louis. How much did that victory mean to you and what will you always remember about that day?
Jerry Savoie:
“On a scale of 1 to 100, it is over 100 of how much that victory meant to me,” the Lousiana native said. “To win your first Wally, I think I had been to the finals eight or nine times before I finally won that race. Matt Smith told me ‘once you win one, they come easy after that.’ He wasn’t lying about that.”
“Definitely a heartfelt moment for me because there were so many emotions. The most impressive thing to me about that race was, that I went .012 on the light (reaction time) and Andrew Hines (former motorcycle rider and now crew chief at Vance and Hines) went .012 and he couldn’t catch me.”
Kickin’ The Tires:
If there was ever a movie made about your career, what would the title of your movie be called and who is going to play Jerry Savoie?
Jerry Savoie:
“I don’t think there wouldn’t be a title for my movie, but I would say it’s all about the heart I have,” Savoie said. “I really don’t know who would play me in a movie.”
Throughout Savoie’s career, the Louisiana native has made 154 starts and has amassed 14 career victories. Additionally, Savoie obtained 17 runner-up finishes, and 20 semi-final starts and earned 10 No. 1 career qualifiers making his career a win-loss record of 192-134. In 2022, Savoie has one win that occurred at Bristol and made four semi-final starts equaling a win-loss record of 14-7. Savoie enters the 2022 Countdown to the Championship eighth in the standings, 65 points back.
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