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Joliet Final for Bateman/Friesen
Bruce Biegler - June 9, 2008
 Following his impressive "final four" appearance during NHRA's Summer Nationals at Topeka the previous weekend, Calgary's Roger Bateman went one round better during last Sunday's Torco Route 66 Nationals at Joliet Illinois, placing runner-up in Top Alcohol Funny Car eliminator.
The superb effort came in what was just the 3rd event start for the potent new Ford Mustang owned by Manitoba's Brian Friesen.
For Bateman, who is arguably Canada's all-time best ever driver in the TAFC class, it was the 2nd time he has come extremely close to winning his first NHRA National event title since joining Friesen's team as driver, in 2006.
Crew chief Ken Murray (from Winnipeg) had the car tuned to near perfection at Joliet. After qualifying 8th with a 5.653 secs at 253.71 mph, the car continued with great consistency during eliminations winning consecutively over Andy Bohl (5.679 secs 249.95 mph), Von Smith (5.679 secs 252.14 mph) and Jay Payne (5.685 secs at 250.13 mph).
 For the event championship the Canadian team was forced to try to tame the biggest fish in the TAFC sea -- Frank Manzo's Lucas Oil Chevy Monte Carlo.
The team did turn up the wick for that final round attempt to run Manzo down -- but when Roger dropped the clutch the car moved violently forcing him to abort. Manzo cruised to a winning 5.581 secs at 259.66 mph and scored his milestone 75th career NHRA national event win.
While the Joliet runner-up effort may have caught some class insiders by surprise, the reality is it should not have. Canada's all time quickest and fastest TAFC should be regarded as a serious class player and poised for even more.
(Bruce Biegler Photos)
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