The famous Top Fuel motorcycle owned and operated by Chris Hand of Hand’s Performance Motorcycles in Jasper, Alabama, known as “The Red Neck Express,” rides again. On Saturday, November 23rd, 2024, Chris Hand and his team put the bike on the track at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Adel, Georgia, during the Man Cup World Finals. Of note when they did so: Chris Hand was not seated in the hot seat.
Before the big race, the season finale for Man Cup, Chris was in contact with Hollywood,” Broderick Jackson and his Man Cup associates, who were gracious enough to accommodate the RNE team to test a new pilot for the legendary Top Fuel bike. Testing a 5-second, thousand-pound drag bike that will go from zero to 100 MPH in 1.25 seconds is actually a big deal that requires a significant amount of time, expense, and manpower to produce meaningful results.
And to do so in the middle of a National Event is no small deal, with a new pilot rolling very serious dice.
The new rider in training is indeed new to Top Fuel motorcycle, but he’s no rookie. GT Tonglet is no stranger to professional drag bike racing: He’s made hundreds of passes on NHRA and Pro Stock bikes, won championships, and set national records. In GT’s own words, “I’ve been on two wheels, it seems all my life. At age two, I had a 50cc four-wheel, ATV-type bike, and by age three and a half, I was on two wheels aboard a JR-50. We still have the bike in our family.
I was about age 14 when I made my first drag bike pass, in 1997. I began racing the fast stuff, and by 1999, I was beginning to learn and pilot Pro Stock motorcycles in IDBA and PROSTAR competitions. We made the big move to NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle in 2001. My quickest elapsed time back then was a 6.91 @ 197 MPH, which at the time was phenomenal.”
Chris Hand’s decision to give GT the opportunity to pilot the Red Neck Express was far from spontaneous. As Chris explained, “I have known Gary Tonglet since the IDBA days in the 1970s, so I’ve essentially known GT for most of his life. GT has been on my shortlist for about three years, and we finally arranged an audition at this year’s Man Cup Finals.”
GT, in a post-race interview, commented, “While my dad had asked me years ago if I’d had an interest in Top Fuel, I didn’t back at that time. But about five years ago, Chris Hand began asking me if I might be interested in racing a Top Fuel motorcycle.
I’ve known Chris and Sharon Hand since I was a little guy. Chris raced in the same sanction series as my dad, back in the 70’s and 80’s. It seems our families have known each other forever. So it was a comfortable conversation when Chris and I talked about maybe me throwing a leg over his bike.”
The getting acquainted session at the Man Cup World Finals went well for the first outing.
GT commented about his first experience on a four-cylinder in-line Top Fuel motorcycle: “Prior to the start-up on the bike on Saturday, I’d never sat on the bike while it was running. So when we started it, and I climbed on, the crew quickly reminded me, “There is no rev-limiter on this motorcycle – easy on the throttle.”
Chris and I were comfortable with each other, and the first pass was meant to just achieve a good burnout and then do a short hit. We achieved that just how we wanted it and were ready for a second hit later that evening.
Dick Boxell Gets a few words from the Tonglets about GT’s first pass!
Before the second pass, my dad and I talked about doing a 330’ hit on this pass. Then, just before the fire-up, Chris said to me, “You looked good on the first pass. I asked Chris how far he wanted me to take this run. He responded, “You go as far as you’re comfortable with it.” I decided I’d take it full to the eighth if all felt well.”
So when the second pass began, It felt good initially, but quickly dropped cylinders and for me on my second pass ever on a Top Fuel motorcycle, I knew something didn’t feel right, right away, and I backed off my eighth-mile intentions. I know there will be other days for this.
Since my first passes with Chris’s bike, I swear I’ve watched the videos at least two or three times a day, every day since, LOL. I keep reliving the experience.
“Once I did that first burn-out, I knew this was for me; this is definitely a class of racing I can see myself in.”
Chris Hand was very pleased with the way the test session went. “As it turned out, we only had one day available to make laps. GT did everything right. He looked very comfortable on the motorcycle. Had it not been for a sub-standard fuel mix on the second trial session, I believe GT would have made a respectable eight mile, or beyond, pass.”
When asked if there was a chance the Red Neck Express might appear in the NHRA competition in 2025, Chris responded, “Given a favorable planetary alignment, the NHRA Pingel Top Fuel Motorcycle program would be desirable for us in 2025, yes.”
| Until Next time…
– Tom McCarthy |
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