Nitro Funny Car driver Bobby Bode announced to CompetitionPlus.com that Zorbaz will be an associate sponsor on his family-owned Funny Car at the Lucas Oil Nationals Aug. 16-18 in Brainerd, Minn.

Zorbaz on Gull Lake dubs itself a great times Mexican and pizza joint with the lakes area's best beer selection. Bode will have a meet and greet at 7 p.m. (CT), Aug. 15 at Zorbaz, which is located at 8105 Lost Lake Rd, Lake Shore, Minn.

“Zorbaz sponsored me for the first time last year at the Brainerd race and they had a blast, and they are doing it again this year,” said Bode, 22. “A ton of racers go to Zorbaz and it will be fun at the event (Aug. 15). Last year when they sponsored me, they loved the atmosphere at the race and they are back again.

Bode’s primary sponsor in Brainerd will be his family-owned Arbee Transparent Products company, which is based in Elk Grove Village, Ill., near Chicago.

Bobby will be competing in Brainerd for the third time in his career – the site of his father’s most memorable moment.

Back on Aug. 15, 2010, Bob Bode, a part-time Funny Car driver on a limited budget, stunned the racing community by capturing an improbable victory at the Lucas Oil Nationals by defeating Jack Beckham out of the Don Schumacher Racing stable in the finals.

Bobby Bode’s best finish in nitro Funny Car was a runner-up finish in Houston in 2022, losing to Matt Hagan in the finals.

“We have so much history in Brainerd with my dad winning there and it is already cool just to race there and having someone to support us like Zorbaz does it makes it even better,” Bobby said. “I’m not sure how I would react if I was lucky enough to win. It would be cool to win there, especially since my dad won there. That would be a full-circle moment if that happens.”

Bobby has competed in five races this season – Pomona, Calif., Phoenix, Chicago, Bristol and Norwalk. He has a 2-5 elimination-round record – winning one round each in Pomona and Phoenix and qualifying a season-best third in Pomona.

“We started out the season really hot and we won a round at the first two races, and I feel like we kind of got into a midseason slump,” Bobby said. “The last three races we really haven’t had the success we were looking for, but Norwalk was a really good race for us because we got down the track three times and we didn’t hurt any parts at all. That goes a long way for a team like us. So, now if can just tune it up a little bit and run a 3.95 without hurting anything that’s going to be our goal this weekend. I’m pretty excited and I’m hoping we can get out of this slump.”

Bobby said his team will round out the season by competing in Indianapolis (Aug. 29-Sept.), St. Louis (Sept. 27-29) and Dallas (Oct. 11-13).

“We are going to try and finish these last four races out like we started the year,” Bobby said. “Consistency is definitely what we are looking for. We want to be a consistent mid (3)90s car by the end of the year. That would be cool.”

Although Bobby has not competed since Norwalk, Ohio, June 30, he did make on an appearance in Seattle (July 19-21) working on Jim Head’s nitro Funny Car crew with driver Blake Alexander.

“One of their guys couldn’t make it and they needed a clutch assistant, and they called me,” Bobby said. “I flew out there and helped with the clutch and it was really fun. That was my first time actually working on someone else’s car. I learned a lot that we are going to apply to our car and try and make us better.”