Roger Bateman Topeka wrap up

Bateman Dazzles in Kansas but comes up short

Roger Bateman had a fair amount of success this past weekend in Topeka, Kansas at the 20th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Summer Nationals. As of Friday’s qualifying session he was the number one qualifier at 5.728 seconds, 248.25 mph with big names such as Jay Payne, Von Smith and Steve Harker below him. After some movement in the qualifying standings on Saturday the Friesen Motorsports Top Alcohol Funny Car team placed number four overall with a 5.704 seconds, 249.35 mph giving them lane choice in round one over Scott McVey of Winnipeg, MB.

When round one rolled around on Saturday evening the track temperatures were in the triple digits and the air temperature in the high eighties. The battle of Manitoba-Based Racing Teams squared off with Bateman getting the win over Scott 5.692 seconds, 251.06 mph to McVey’s 14.464 seconds, 58.05 mph. In the second round Roger was paired off against Von Smith from California with Smith having the lane choice. Both drivers left relatively even, but as they ventured down track Von was victim of tire smoke and gave the win to Roger at 5.694 seconds, 249.81 mph to his 9.768 seconds, 85.51 mph.

The final four in Top Alcohol Funny Car paired Bateman against transplanted Australian turned Georgian Steve Harker, who once again had the all important lane choice. With the track temperature at 118 degrees and the air temperature a relatively dry 85 degrees this would be a driver’s race because of the condition of the track. Roger got the starting line advantage but drifted out of the groove allowing Harker to catch him and ran him down 5.625 seconds, 256.16 to Roger’s 5.863 seconds, 243.68 mph. Harker then went on to win the race and defeat another Californian Sean O’Bannon in the final.

The Friesen Motorsports Top Alcohol Funny Car team received an additional award as they were selected the Hedman Headers Best Engineered Vehicle of the event and had the distinction of being very consistent in all three qualifying attempts and ran their best pass of the weekend on Sunday’s Second round win over Smith. “We showed some good signs and improved greatly” Todd Murray the car chief for Bateman’s racecar was quoted as saying. “We are going to go to Chicago and try again”. As mentioned by Todd the team will head out to Joliet, Illinois for the TORCO Race Fuels NHRA Route 66 Nationals June 5th to 8th, 2008 and will hopefully capitalize on the impressive race surface in Joliet.

Jeffrey Porth
Friesen Motorsports