Mon, 6 Nov 2006, 09:29 AM Bateman and Bateman Cash In on The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Courtesy of NHRA Marketing Photo copyright 2006 David Allio

LAS VEGAS --

Garrett Bateman

NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors wrapped up the 2007 divisional season this weekend at the Short Line Express Market Gambler Shootout at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The event was the last of 43 on the season contested around the country. In the end, there were two Batemans in the winner's circle. Top Alcohol Dragster newcomer Garrett Bateman took the win after qualifying in the No. 4 spot, and veteran racer Roger Bateman, who also qualified fourth, earned the win in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Top Alcohol Dragster's Bateman, who resides in Cameron Park, Calif., faced Sunland, Calif., resident, Chris Demke in the first round of eliminations and then took on No. 1 qualifier Duane Shield of Boulder City, Nev., in the semis, running 5.584 seconds at 254.71 mph to Shields' 5.717-second, 228.31 mph run. In the final round, Bateman took on John Finke of Selkirk, N.Y. Bateman's 5.574-second, 255.87 mph run was more than enough to cover Finke's 7.037-second, 131.05 mph pass.

Roger Bateman

Roger Bateman, of Calgary, Alb., took on another veteran racer, Jay Payne of Claremont, Calif., in round one and faced one of the class's hottest drivers, Steve Harker of Gainesville, Ga., in the semis. In the final, Bateman beat Clint Thompson of Klamath Falls, Ore. Bateman ran 5.828 seconds at 249.35 mph to Thompson's 8.591-second pass at 109.40 mph.

In Comp Eliminator, Craig Bourgeois, Metairie, La., scored the win over Jacklyn Gebhardt, Jacksonville, Ill. Super Stock racer Larry Zavala, San Gabriel, Calif., beat out Abe Loewen, Regina, Skask., in the final and in Stock Eliminator, Jim Waldo, Richland, Wash., grabbed the win from Peter Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y. The Super Comp winner was Jeff Cheney, Cambridge, Minn., who beat Fallon, Nev., racer Mike Hiatt. Raymond Sawyer, Acton, Mass., won in Super Gas, beating Phoenix's Kevin Kleinweber. In Super Street, Rodger Sauder, Sidney, Neb., was the winner over Carl Hagen, Napa, Calif., and in Top Comp, Canyon, Texas' Greg Lair beat Steve Swenson of Valley Springs, S.D., while in Super Eliminator, Dean Hall, Guerneville, Calif., out ran Jed Bourquin, Canyon Country, Calif. In Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley Davidson, Brian Johnson, Anoka, Minn., beat NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle competitor Craig Treble of Hensley, Ark., in the final.

NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors may compete at the NHRA Finals at Auto Club Racing in Pomona, Calif., November 9-12, for their final opportunity to earn points toward a national championship.

The following are the final results from the Short Line Express Market Gambler Shootout at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1

1) Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., 5.590, 258.42 def. 
8) Larry Miersch, Huntington Beach, Calif., 5.720, 245.09

3) John Finke, Selkirk, N.Y., 5.380, 265.53 def. 
6) Mark Niver, Phoenix, 5.493, 255.58

4) Garrett Bateman, Cameron Park, Calif., no time def. 
5) Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., foul

7) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.419, 260.56 def. 
2) Sean O'Bannon, Alta Loma, Calif., 5.421, 264.18

Semifinals
Bateman, 5.584, 254.71 def. Shields, 5.717, 228.31
Finke, 5.410, 264.03 def. Perkins, 5.705, 214.28

Final
Bateman, 5.574, 255.87 def. Finke, 7.037, 131.05

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1

1) Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., '05 Monte Carlo, 5.645, 254.28 def. 
8) Doug Gordon, Paso Robles, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.963, 246.75

2) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., '02 Firebird, 5.649, 255.10 def. 
7) Ron August Jr., Pleasanton, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.881, 250.83

3) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '05 Monte Carlo, 6.300, 246.75 def. 
6) Larry Miner, Lodi, Calif., '05 Monte Carlo, 9.450, 127.52

4) Roger Bateman, Calgary, Alb., '02 Camaro, 5.738, 250.60 def. 
5) Jay Payne, Claremont, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.795, 254.42

Semifinals
Bateman, 5.692, 250.23 def. Harker, 5.744, 251.16
Thompson, 6.817, 166.89 def. Hough, foul

Final
Bateman, 5.828, 249.35 def. Thompson, 8.591, 109.40

COMP ELIMINATOR
Craig Bourgeois, Metarie, La., dragster, A/ND, 7.009, 186.92 def. 
Jacklyn Gebhardt, Jacksonville, Ill., dragster, A/ED, 6.700, 200.20

SUPER STOCK
Larry Zavala, San Gabriel, Calif., '96 Achieva, GT/FA, 10.475, 125.35 def. 
Abe Loewen, Regina, Sask., '98 Grand Am, SS/DM, 9.319, 143.32

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Jim Waldo, Richland, Wash., '02 Firebird, A/FI, 10.422, 127.88  def. 
Peter Biondo, Maspeth, N.Y., '69 Camaro, C/SA, 11.881, 85.55

SUPER COMP
Jeff Cheney, Cambridge, Minn., dragster, 9.049, 163.47 def. 
Mike Hiatt, Fallon, Nev., dragster, foul

SUPER GAS
Raymond Sawyer, Acton, Mass., '02 Camaro, 10.073, 162.86 def. 
Kevin Kleineweber, Phoenix, '06 Corvette, 10.101, 146.61

SUPER STREET
Rodger Sauder, Sidney, Neb., '72 Barracuda, 11.093, 127.73 def. 
Carl Hagen, Napa, Calif., '00 Avenger, 11.083, 142.45

TOP COMP
Greg Lair, Canyon, Texas, '04 Grand Am, 7.053, 189.66 def. 
Steve Swenson, Valley Springs, S.D., dragster, 7.273, 176.72

SUPER ELIMINATOR
Dean Hall, Guerneville, Calif., dragster, 8.038, 176.88 def. 
Jed Bourquin, Canyon Country, Calif., '93 Daytona, 8.029, 172.28

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Brian Johnson, Anoka, Minn., '04 Suzuki, 9.091, 142.58 def. 
Craig Treble, Hensley, Ark., '02 Suzuki, foul