BUTNER CLAIMS NO. 1 QUALIFYING SPOT IN PRO STOCK AT ENGLISHTOWN
Sometimes lost in the talk about the powerful Ken Black Racing Pro Stock team is Bo Butner.
Yet, it was Butner, not reigning Pro Stock world champion Jason Line or Greg Anderson who took center stage Saturday at the Summernationals as he captured the No. 1 qualifying spot with his 6.551-second run at 211.73 mph from June 9.
This was the third No. 1 qualifying spot of the season for Butner to go along with the ones he grabbed at Atlanta and Topeka. He has six No. 1 qualifying efforts in his Pro Stock career.
“You can’t take it for granted,” said Butner when asked about his third No. 1 qualifying performance of the season. “This is Englishtown and on top of it (June 10) is my birthday. You couldn’t even ask for a better birthday present. First of all, I don’t thank the Lord enough and I really should because I probably shouldn’t be standing here today for numerous reasons, but He has changed my life. My kids are watching and I miss them all on my birthday, but this is just an awesome day and a good present.”
Butner, who drives the Jim Butner’s Auto-sponsored Chevy Camaro, will face Val Smeland in the first round Sunday. Butner has a 19-7 elimination round record highlighted by his two race wins at Houston and Atlanta. Although Butner could not improve on his June 9 run Saturday in qualifying because of warmer conditions he wasn’t complaining.
“I am with the best team that probably has the most experience,” Butner said. “It doesn’t seem to bother them. It probably bothers me more, but the car still made it down (the track) and we didn’t have to abort any runs and I still think we were the fastest car every session so that helps.”