This past weekend the state of Kansas' capitol opened it's doors to the NHRA Full Throttle Drag
Racing Series for the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Summer Nationals and the first real hot track of the
season. Roger Bateman and the Friesen Motorsports Top Alcohol Funny Car team ventured to the 21st
annual event coming off a win in Brainerd the week before. "We have to get Roger his first
National Event win", car owner Dr. Brian Friesen commented. "We want to build on the momentum from
BIR!"
The team posted a solid 5.680-second time at 251.72 mph to land the team in the number five spot in
the qualifying order and the all important lane choice. With the left lane being the favored lane
for the professional categories the team would face Firestone, Colorado's Paul Anderson in a West
Central Division showdown. "These races are important to the points chase down the road," Roger
said. "These types of races can be good to the winner and bad for the loser" he continued,
referring to the fact that Anderson competes against Bateman for the division's championship.
Saturday afternoon's air temperature of 93 degrees and a track temperature around 120 degrees gave
crew chief Ken Murray a task of running fast without smoking the tires. Paul got the jump off of
the starting line but Roger simply drove around him to take a 5.707/ 251.53 win to a 5.781/ 248.71
and a meeting with Long Island City, NY resident, Tony Bartone in the quarterfinals. "Paul is
always a good race, and now we get Tony!" Bateman exclaimed. "We have a stacked side of the
(eliminations) ladder!"
The team met up with the 1996 Alcohol Funny Car Champion under the lunchtime skies and a track
temperature of 116 degrees. As in the round before, Roger left second but could not catch Tony, as
he did against Anderson, falling to Bartone by mere hundredths of a second at a 5.686 to Bartone's
5.654. "That one was tough to take but we did well and will get going for Joliet (Illinois)", Dr.
Friesen commented. "We did learn some things about the car."
As mentioned, the team will move East to Joliet, IL for the United Association Route 66 NHRA
Nationals and the special race within a race for the sportsman competitors; the JEG'S All-stars to
be held on Saturday of the event. Roger will be the West Central Division's Top Alcohol Funny Car
representative.
