This season Jerry Savoie planned on competing in NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle class full-time.

Savoie’s plan had to be modified because of a nagging neck injury.

So far this season, Savoie has competed in six of the 10 Pro Stock Motorcycle events and he is 16th in the point standings.

This season Jerry Savoie planned on competing in NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle class full-time.

Savoie’s plan had to be modified because of a nagging neck injury.

So far this season, Savoie has competed in six of the 10 Pro Stock Motorcycle events and he is 16th in the point standings.

“The reason I have not been running is because I had neck surgery twice over the winter,” Savoie said. “My first neck surgery was in November and my last neck surgery was in February so I missed the first three or four races. My neck was injured from just years of work. I had bone spurs and I had some nerve damage.”

Savoie’s first race of 2013 on his White Alligator Racing Suzuki was at Englishtown, N.J., May 30-June 2. Savoie’s full-time job is as an alligator farmer at Savoie’s Alligator Farm in Cut Off, La.

Most recently, Savoie competed at the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis Aug. 28-Sept. 2. Savoie qualified No. 5 at 6.980 seconds and he beat Shawn Gann in the first round. Savoie’s day came to an end when he lost on a holeshot to Scotty Pollacheck in the second round.

“I’m OK,” said Savoie about the health of his neck. “I’m having a couple of issues, but it is something I can deal with. I’m doing better now. It doesn’t really hurt when I ride. I have a little numbness going on, but we will see what happens. We are going to make the rest of the season. We do not plan on missing anything else.”

The Mello Yello Series Countdown to the Championship playoffs begins Friday and runs through Sunday at zMax Dragway in Charlotte, N.C.

Savoie can’t compete for a 2013 championship because he didn’t finish in the top 10 in the point standings at the conclusion of the regular season at the U.S. Nationals.

“We are plugging away,” Savoie said. “We have been the underdog all year and it took me a little while to get back in shape. It is a whole new engine program with Vance & Hines and it took a while to figure that out. We are not there yet, but we are getting really close. We are excited.”

Savoie, however, plans to be back on NHRA’s circuit in full force in 2014.

“We will be back,” Savoie said. “We will be back fulltime. The only time I have trouble is during the egg season when I’m harvesting the alligator eggs in June and July.”

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