CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
LUCAS OIL NHRA SOUTHERN NATIONALS
ATLANTA DRAGWAY AT COMMERCE, GEORGIA
SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017
Chevrolet Pro Stock Winning Streak Reaches Seven to Start Season
• No. 1 qualifier Bo Butner is first two-time winner of season in Pro Stock
• Two-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders advances to final round
• Robert Hight sets track Funny Car elapsed time record in advancing to semifinals
• Courtney Force earns No. 1 qualifier honor for the fourth consecutive race
COMMERCE, Ga. — (May 7, 2017) – Atlanta Raceway held significance in Bo Butner’s memory before this past weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals.
He added another scrapbook moment by driving the Butner Auto Sales Chevrolet Camaro SS prepared by KB Racing to victory over two-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders in the final round. Butner, of Floyds Knobs, Indiana, is the first two-time winner – all by Chevrolet – in the seven races of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.
Butner, who claimed his maiden Pro Stock victory at Houston two weeks earlier in his eighth final-round appearance, made his Pro Stock debut in 2015 at Atlanta Raceway, and he was runner-up in Super Stock in 2009 at the track.
“I said no way in the world I could go another 40-some races and not win another one,” said Butner, whose pass of 6.569 seconds at 211.26 mph edged Enders’ Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS (6.593). “We’ve had the car to win with for a year and a half. It’s just all come together and I’m doing my job. You have to be in the right place at the right time.”
KB Racing, which includes Pro Stock points leader Greg Anderson (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS) and reigning class champion Jason Line (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS), has reached the final round in each of the seven races.
“This is a shout out to (team owners) Ken and Judy (Black), Jason and Greg because they gave me this opportunity. It’s been amazing,” Butner said. “They want me to win as much as I want to win. Maybe more. Jason has taught me a lot in the last few races since I won. Of course, it was a little downer last week in Charlotte, but this is a good rebound.”
Enders, whose crew changed the engine in her Camaro twice on race day, reached the final round for the first time since Nov. 1, 2015, at Las Vegas during her second championship season.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg; there is a lot to be optimistic about,” she said. “The really cool part is they know we are here now.”
Chevrolet drivers won every elimination round in Pro Stock.
Enders defeated first-year driver Tanner Gray (Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS) on a holeshot in one semifinal, while Butner ousted Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Jegs.com Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS), who earlier in the day earned his 597th career round victory.
First-round winners included Vincent Nobile (Mountain View Tire Chevrolet Camaro SS), NHRA Four-Wide Nationals winner Chris McGaha (Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevrolet Camaro SS), No. 2 qualifier Drew Skillman (Ray Skillman Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro SS), and reigning Pro Stock champion Jason Line (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS).
Tanner Gray dispatched his father, Shane, who drives the Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS, in the first round. It was the first time the 2017 race winners have faced off in eliminations.
“I really enjoyed the rivalry between my dad and I in the first round. It made the nerves of racing first round not so noticeable,” said Tanner Gray, who became the youngest winner in NHRA history with his win at Las Vegas. “What made it even better is I came out on top.”
The three John Force Racing Funny Car teams were paired on one side of the elimination bracket, which set up a quarterfinal matchup between No. 1 qualifier Courtney Force (Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS) and No. 9 qualifier Robert Hight (Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS. Force, driving her backup car after an on-track incident last week at zMAX Dragway, recorded her fourth consecutive No. 1 qualifier honor and the 14th of her career. The record for consecutive No. 1s in Funny Car is seven, accomplished by Don Prudhomme in 1976-77 and John Force in 1994-95.
Hight, who broke Force’s track elapsed time record in the first round, reset the record with a pass of 3.882 seconds in eliminating Force in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Hight smoked the tires and lost to 2016 class champion Ron Capps.
John Force (PEAK Coolant & Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS), who was competing in his 715th NHRA Funny Car event, qualified fifth and won his first matchup for his 1,274th elimination round victory. He fell in the quarterfinals.
Brittany Force, whose crew replaced the front end of the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster in the days following the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals last week, fell in the first round after qualifying 16th.
“These guys have been hustling, and they have not stopped,” said Force, who was runner-up at Phoenix in late February. “The hauled the car to Indy in between races and getting it back here in time, I’m proud of them. I know how much they put into this car. We’re going to end up in the winner’s circle soon enough. It’s only a matter of time.”
After a week to regroup following three consecutive weekends of racing, the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties on May 19-21 at Heartland Park Topeka (Kansas) is the next stop on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Jason Line defeated KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson in the Pro Stock final to lead Chevrolet drivers in the eliminations. Brittany Force was the No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel. FS1 will telecast eliminations and finals live at 2 p.m. ET May 21.
Jeff Strickland, who was the No. 10 qualifier of 53 Stock Eliminator entrants, advanced to the third round of eliminations in his 2017 Chevrolet COPO Camaro. Strickland was the 2016 class champion.
ROGER ALLEN, CHEVROLET RACING NHRA PROGAM MANAGER: “Congratulations to Bo Butner and the KB Racing team for their Pro Stock victory – the first two-time winner of the season. Erica Enders and the Elite Motorsports team again showed they are a force to be reckoned with in Pro Stock again. Also, congratulations to Robert Hight and the John Force Racing Funny Car team in twice setting the track record in eliminations. Courtney Force earned the No. 1 qualifier honor for the fourth consecutive race, and the team is poised to stack wins together.”
An interview with BO BUTNER, JIM BUTNER AUTO, BUTNER AUTO SALES CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier, earned second win of season and second of career; first two-time winner this season; Chevrolet has won all seven Pro Stock events):
Q: WHAT DOES THIS WIN, FOLLOWING YOUR WIN TWO WEEKS AGO, MEAN TO YOU?
BO BUTNER: “I have to thank KB Racing for giving me one fast race car. I have gained a lot of confidence this year, especially on the Tree. It’s a very tight field among the Chevrolets in Pro Stock, so to win two times in seven races is an accomplishment that I don’t take lightly.”
Q: THE KB TEAM HAS GIVEN YOU A CAR THAT CAN COMPETE WITH ANYBODY.
BO BUTNER: “This is a shout out to (team owners) Ken and Judy (Black), (KB Racing teammates) Jason (Line) and Greg (Anderson) because they gave me this opportunity. It’s bene amazing. They want me to win as much as I want to win. Maybe more. Jason has taught me a lot in the last few races since I won. Of course, it was a little downer last week in Charlotte, but this is a good rebound.”
Q: THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD TRACK TO YOU.
BO BUTNER: “This is a good track. There are tracks we are better at, but it’s like there’s not a bad day in racing. I’m happy with this place. Good fans; my kind of people.”
Q: YOU’RE A CLOSE SECOND IN POINTS. DOES A CHAMPIONSHIP CROSS YOUR MIND?
BO BUTNER: “I’m fortunate that I won one (championship) in 2006 in Competition Eliminator. I won a lot of division championships. It’s great but it’s early. If you keep going rounds, get some semifinals and finals, it could work out. Those last few races you have to keep turning it on.”
Q: THREE RACES IN A ROW AND NOW A BREAK. DO YOU WISH YOU WERE RACING NEXT WEEKEND?
BO BUTNER: “It’s good to get a mental break. Hopefully, we can show up in Topeka and get four good qualifying runs in because those little points are huge and they are starting to make a difference.”
Q: AFTER ALL THAT TIME YOU BROKE THROUGH AND HERE YOU ARE AGAIN.
BO BUTNER: “I said no way in the world I could go another 40-some races and not win another one. We’ve had the car to win with for a year and a half. It’s just all come together and I’m doing my job. You have to be in the right place at the right time.”
Q: ERICA (ENDERS) HAD A GREAT DAY. ON PAPER, YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THE FASTER CAR BUT STILL HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF IN A GOOD MENTAL PLACE.
BO BUTNER: “They have improved a lot and they’re all good drivers. If I go up and be like .030 (on the Tree), the car should win the race. And you have to have a lot of trust in your car. I’m happy in this car and happy with this team.”