

LE Tonglet, the 2010 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion, confirmed to CompetitionPlus.com he will be competing on a limited schedule in 2019 with his family team.

“We are taking a step back; we’re just going to go to four to six races,” Tonglet said. “I’m doing this so I can spend more time with my family.”

Tonglet and his wife, Kayla, have a 1½-month old son, Brody, and they live in Metairie, La.

Tonglet said he will campaign his family-owned Suzuki with Vance & Hines power. LE’s father, Gary and his brother, GT will serve as his crew chiefs. Kenny Koretsky will provide financial backing for Tonglet’s team.

“We are not sure what races we are going to enter yet, but I don’t believe we will be in Gainesville (Fla.),” LE said. “We’re just going to pick and choose. We have a new bike we’re building, so whenever that is done we will go to a few races just to stay out there a little bit. We started building this bike last year and we just never finished it because we teamed back up with Jerry (Savoie). Kenny (Koretsky) said whatever races we go to he will be onboard with us. He gave me the option if I wanted to do the full season with (Jerry Savoie) and I told him I want to sit back a year. He understands, and Kenny is pretty much like family with us and we could not have asked for a better sponsor throughout these years and there’s many more to come.”

The season-opening race for the Pro Stock Motorcycle class is the Gatornationals March 14-17 in Gainesville.

When Tonglet won his world championship it was with his family-run team. The past two seasons Tonglet spent driving for Savoie at White Alligator Racing. He finished third in the points standings and won six races in 2017. Last season, he won four races and placed fourth in the points.

“We told him (Jerry) about a month ago that we weren’t coming back, and we were just going to run a few races and they understand and that’s just how it is,” Tonglet said. “I just want to stay home and spend time with my family and watch my son grow and enjoy him while he is young because they don’t stay young for long.”