During the 1982 season, The Bat briefly operated for the first four weekends. On May 21, the ride broke down due to a mechanical malfunction. Kings Island officials later found out that the track and supports were damaged due to the lack of banking on the turns. Since the track was unbanked, the stress caused it to be pulled apart. This also caused the welds that held the track to the supports to get weaker. On June 3, Kings Island announced that The Bat would remain closed indefinitely. The ride did not operate for the remainder of the 1982 season. Many park fans were getting very worried, but The Racer began to run backwards while The Bat was closed.