To some drag racers, driving in two categories can be challenging. But for Bo Butner, it’s really nothing more than walking and chewing gum.
With this said, Butner, credited with winning national event titles in seven different categories, plans to race Mission Foods Series Pro Stock behind the wheel of a Camaro usually piloted by Fernando Cuadra Jr.,
He also continues his pursuit of the first Mountain Motor Pro Stock championship at this weekend’s PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.
Butner is able to run the two because the JHG Mountain Motor Pro Stock division is a specialty series that is not part of the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Butner quickly points out that he’s just as focused on the Mountain Motor Pro Stock program he’s undefeated in thus far this season. He’s filling a void in the Elite Performance team, with the Cuadra Brothers sitting the weekend out due to business obligations.
“I don’t want to take away from the Mountain Motor program, at all, I’m involved in the engine program over there,” Butner said. “I think I’ll just be showing up in the staging lanes and jumping in Fernando Jr.’s car. It’s a new car, it’s good, just getting some more laps on it. It’s going to be fun. We’ve got a lot of cars on the entry lists, 20 in Pro Stock and there’s 16 in Mountain Motor Pro Stock with only eight spots. We had 14 Mountain Motors in Bristol and we didn’t get my wife, Randi Lyn, qualified, so I need to get that done or it’s going to be a long way home.”
Butner is one of only two drivers in NHRA competition to have won national events in seven categories. Teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. is the other.
“I’d run five classes in a weekend if they’d let me,” Butner added. “I always race two classes in sportsman, so on me personally, it’s not going to be very different. Elite Motorsports has a lot of guys over in the 500-inch side of things, and our new crew over in the JHG Mountain Motor pits is gelling too, so it’s going to be a busy but good weekend.”
Butner enters the weekend as the Pro Stock defending event winner. The last time Pro Stock raced at Virginia Motorsports Park was in 2019. Butner qualified No. 3 and took out Wally Stroupe, Chris McGaha, and Jeg Coughlin Jr. en route to defeating Greg Anderson in the finals.
“Last time Pro Stock raced there, I did get the win. I technically doubled up with a Factory Stock Showdown win, but it was when it was still an exhibition class, so it doesn’t count the same,” said Butner. “Virginia is awesome. I mean, it’s shocking how nice the track is. It’s one of the smoothest tracks we have on tour, probably nicest track I’ve been on. It’s a first-class facility, and we should be there every year. With the heat this weekend though, the goal will be just to get from A to B, nobody is going to try to break records.”
