LAYOFF DOESN’T COOL OFF BUTNER AS HE WINS IN PRO STOCK AGAIN

Writen by Tracy Renck, photos by Roger Richards    Mon, 2019-05-20 04:00

 



Bo knows Pro Stock – especially this season in NHRA’s Mello Yello Series.

Butner won his fourth race in five attempts this season, the latest victory came Sunday when he snared the Wally at the NHRA Virginia Nationals in Richmond.

Butner won the final round with a 6.599-second elapsed time at 209.01 mph to defeat his KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson, who came in at 6.607 seconds at 210.18 mph.

Butner, the 2017 Pro Stock world champion, also qualified No. 1 with a 6.648-second lap at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“This has absolutely been an amazing season,” Butner said. “Again, a good call to comeback, retirement (from Pro Stock) was short. KB Racing shows, I’m racing the boss right there and they still give me the best. There’s never any monkey business. They give me the best. I had a new ‘19 Camaro out there this week. It was the first time for that car and that was cool. I can’t complain. Things are still falling our way. Greg is the most competitive dude you will ever meet, but we are still happy when we get two KB cars in the final round because that lets Ken and Judy (Black) win and that’s what’s important to us. We still want to win, don’t get me wrong, I’m a racer, I really want to double up.”

This was Butner’s 11th career Pro Stock win and his fourth this season as he also was victorious at Pomona, Calif., Gainesville, Fla., Las Vegas and Richmond. He departed Richmond atop the points standings with 545 points. Alex Laughlin is in second place with 358 points.

Butner now has 26 career national event victories in five different classes.

In Richmond, Butner also was competing the Factory Stock Showdown, where he lost in the final round on a holeshot to former Pro Stock standout Drew Skillman.

“He (Skillman) is a good friend and a good racer,” Butner said. “I’m glad he’s in that and not in Pro Stock. With Tanner (Gray) and him (Skillman) gone (out of the Pro Stock class), I’m not saying it is any easier, but it is easier. He (Skillman) is a good driver and they are nice enough to let me fly here (to Richmond) with them on their jet and I’m flying home with them and that will make our (flight) a lot better. Good job to them. We have made some good strides with that Cobra Jet and it is going to be fun this year and I think we can double up somewhere.”

Butner defeated Wally Stroupe, Chris McGaha, Jeg Coughlin and Anderson in his victory march Sunday.

“It was very hot out and I’m way out of shape to be driving two cars seven rounds in one day,” Butner said. “It was fun. I would like to do it again. In Pro Stock, we have a good enough car to win the championship with, but we all know it starts over (in the six-race Countdown to the Championship) and you have to be this good every day. It is a tough class and a lot of the other racers and a lot of teams are going to be coming in and getting their fair share of wins, but let’s just hope it is one of the KB guys.”

 

 

 
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