Roger Bateman Brainerd wrap up

Mechanical woes plague Bateman at BIR

Roger Bateman and the Nobel Biocare Top Alcohol Funny Car team made a return trip to Brainerd, Minnesota August 9th to 12th to compete in the 26th Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. This time the weekend was not as kind as it was back in late May when the team set the track record and was number one qualifier. This time round a hot and sticky race track combined with a host of mechanical problems made qualifying the Friesen Motorsports/ Nobel Biocare TAFC a chore in itself.

The team made their best run in the Saturday afternoon heat going 5.826, 250.04mph and qualified a poor 12th. Not having lane choice, the team faced former Australian who now resides in Gainesville, Georgia, Steve Harker. In the first round Bateman left first on Harker but experienced tire shake and had to lift when he got too close to the retaining wall running 9.377, 90.15mph to Harker’s 5.716, 253.37mph.

Brian Friesen had a wonderful speech commending his team in their pit area after the loss stating it was only a bump in the road. “Everything just went wrong this weekend”, Friesen commented. “We will fix it for the next race”.

The team is taking this weekend off getting ready for the Division 5 event in Topeka, Kansas on the 24th to 26th of August.


By Jeffrey Porth
Friesen Motorsports