Roger Bateman Joliet wrap up

Windy, Wet & Wild Weekend for Bateman in Joliet

Anyone who has been to Joliet’s Route 66 Raceway can attest to how nice the facility is and how the track has the potential to be a racer’s best friend. Roger Bateman and the Friesen Motorsports Top Alcohol Funny Car team threw their hat into the ring this past weekend at the 11th Annual TORCO Race Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals where humidity, two major rain delays and tornado warnings on Saturday took place. The team showed steady improvement on Friday’s qualifying sessions where the team ran 5.690 seconds at 251.77 mph and 5.653 seconds at 253.71 mph respectively. Roger and team qualified the eighth overall, giving the team lane choice in round one eliminations Sunday morning.

Sunday morning awoke to respectable temperatures and 60% relative humidity. Roger faced off against Andy Bohl of Racine, WI, as the first pair of the day and Roger’s crew were ready for the task. Bateman defeated Bohl handily 5.679 seconds, 249.95 mph to 5.715 seconds, 250.88 mph. Roger then faced #1 Qualifier Von Smith of Oak Ridge, TN and did not have the all important lane choice. Von & Roger squared off with the same result as the week before in Topeka, KS as Bateman defeated Smith 5.689 seconds, 252.14 mph to 8.215 seconds, 110.49 mph as Smith’s car had engine troubles.

After a two-hour rain delay the drivers and crews were greeted to intense humidity and a rising track temperature. The semi finals were a list of heavy hitters as names like Frank Manzo, Doug Gordon, Jay Panye & Bateman squared off. Bateman, not having lane choice was placed in the left hand lane against Payne of Claremont, CA. Bateman handled the temperatures like a pro and drove around Payne for the win 5.685 seconds, 250.13 mph to 5.809 seconds, 229.00 mph. “Now we have seen everything” Bateman was quoted as saying. “It’s hard to push water…” referring to the high humidity, “…but we did it and now we face Manzo!” The final round race for Alcohol Funny Car had Bateman as the underdog without lane choice against the reigning Lucas Oil Champion Frank Manzo of Morganville, NJ. Manzo got the lead at the tree and never relinquished it as he beat Bateman handily 5.581 seconds, 259.66 mph to Roger’s 10.840 seconds, 82.17 mph as Roger had to shut down after his car got loose and went sideways at the hit of the throttle.

“My lights sucked all day.” “Thankfully the car did it’s job”, Roger was quoted as saying as he was second to react in all four rounds. “I will have to work better next week!” All said, the team had a great weekend and have shown steady progress in the past three weeks. It will be just a matter of time before they break through for the first win of the season. Roger and crew will be in Denver, CO this weekend for the Lucas Oil Racing Series Event and are hoping to repeat as event winner.