CHEVROLET AT RICHMOND
What: Virginia NHRA Nationals
When: Friday, May 17-Sunday, May 19
Where: Virginia Motorsports Park, Richmond, Virginia
TV: FS1 will telecast eliminations and finals at 7:30 p.m. ET May 19
Chevrolet ready to ramp up the excitement at Virginia track
Team Chevy Pro Stock racers, who have swept the four races, return to action
DETROIT (May 15, 2019) – Nearly seven weeks have passed since Bo Butner drove his Chevrolet Camaro SS to victory at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
A follow-up win at the next National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) event was out of his control because the Pro Stock category was not on the schedule. In fact, three events have been contested in the interim with the sanctioning body’s reduction of Pro Stock races from 24 to 18.
This weekend, Butner and the other Team Chevy competitors are back in action for the Virginia NHRA Nationals in Richmond.
“It’s kind of like we’re starting a new season again. That’s a long, long time off between races,” said Butner, who will debut a KB Racing-prepared 2019 Chevrolet Camaro SS this weekend. “I assume a lot of people have tested and worked hard and our guys have, too, so hopefully we’ll start off right where we left off.
Butner, the 2017 Pro Stock champion, is off to quick start with three victories in the four races and 12-1 elimination round record.
“It’s kind of unbelievable; you don’t see that in Pro Stock because it’s so close,” he said. “If you see somebody repeat in Pro Stock two races in a row, it’s kind of unheard of these days, We’ve had our share of luck, I’ll be the first to admit it, but our car has been very consistent race day and qualified good.”
Chevrolet Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers, who also have had success this season, will be competing in their eighth race of the 24-event season. Robert Hight, driving the Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS, enters the race weekend as the Funny Car points leader based on three wins and a runner-up finish, plus five low qualifier honors.
Teammate John Force, who needs a victory to reach 150 in his Funny Car career, is third in the championship race in the PEAK Coolant & Motor Oil/Herculiner Chevrolet Camaro SS. He’s driving the car that daughter Courtney Force used set the track Funny Car elapsed time and speed records last June on the way to victory over her father in the final round.
Brittany Force is second in the Top Fuel standings thanks to a victory and two runner-up finishes in her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet dragster.
“All of John Force Racing is doing good so I’m looking forward to getting back out there with them after being off for a weekend,” John Force said.
The track will host the third round of the SAM Tech.edu Factor Stock Showdown. Stephen Bell of Shreveport, Louisiana, runner-up in the first event of the season in Gainesville, Florida, leads the Chevrolet COPO Camaro competitors.
Also entered with the COPO Camaros are Arthur Kohn of Richmond, Texas; Randy Taylor of Artesia, New Mexico; Leonard Libersher of Wilmington, Illinois; David Barton of Robesonia, Pennsylvania; L. Scott Libersher of Wilmington, Illinois; Doug Hamp of York, Pennsylvania; Waldemar Rodriguez of Cidra, Puerto Rico; David Janac of Caldwell, Texas; Robert Falcone of Pleasant Valley, New York; and Peter Gasko Jr. of Monroe Township, New Jersey.
Competing in Super Stock in their Chevrolet COPO Camaros will be Bob Bagley of Warsaw, Virginia, and Steve Szupka of Northampton, Pennsylvania.
Driving their COPO Camaros in Stock Eliminator will be Jack Matyas of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Philip Lankford of Langhorne, Pennsylvania; Jeff Warren of Clinton, North Carolina; Marion Stephenson of Williamsport, Indiana; and L. Scott Libersher of Wilmington, Illinois.
FS1 will telecast eliminations and finals at 7:30 p.m. ET May 19.
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (2017 class champion; two-time No. 1 qualifier; won at Houston; runner-up at Las Vegas and Atlanta): “I’ve been building my confidence with this team and they’ve given me a great race car. We almost had it in Atlanta and were the No. 1 qualifier and finished second, but I’m proud of these boys. They have this car running amazing and I’m excited to see what we can pull off in Richmond. After a weekend off, this Advance team is ready to get back on the track. We’re ready to jump back into it and go to the winner’s circle in Richmond. I have an idea of what to expect in the conditions at this track and know we can do good, better than last year. We’re all looking forward to this race and hoping we have a good weekend out there.”
AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (Making eighth start; has won two rounds): “Every time I go down the racetrack, I’m learning new things and trying to improve my skill set. We’ve had a weekend off to get things back on track and I’m in the mindset to go out there and go some rounds in Richmond. We fell short to an extremely close drag race in Atlanta and we’re hoping to get on the other side of that this weekend. The track surface is beautiful in Richmond, and we’re hoping we can lay down some great numbers to get us in the top half of the field. I’ll be as ready as ever.”
FUNNY CAR:
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (2017 class champion; class points leader; has won three races): “We didn’t get the win in Atlanta, but we’ll bounce back from it. We left with an even bigger points lead than what we came in with, and that’s all positive going into the next race. Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham, the entire Auto Club team, they’ve given me the most consistent car out there so I know we can get back into the winner’s circle. We’ve had a week off and I’m ready to get back into the seat and go some rounds. Last year was our first time back in Richmond since 2009, so we kind of got our test run in last year. The conditions are different there and we had to figure things out. We didn’t do as well as we hoped, so this year, we’re looking for the win.”
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK COOLANT AND MOTOR OIL/HERCULINER CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has 149 class victories; four-time winner and four-time No. 1 qualifier at track): “We didn’t get after it in Atlanta like we wanted to but I’ve got a good race car and I’m getting more confident. We’ve gone some rounds now and we’ll get to the final soon and get in the winner’s circle for PEAK. I love coming to Richmond. I’m glad NHRA added it back into the show. I’ve won there a couple times and you know, just want to keep adding more.”
PRO STOCK:
BO BUTNER, JIM BUTNER AUTO, JIM BUTNER AUTO SALES CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has won three of the four races and two-time No. 1 qualifier; 2017 series champion): “The lucky streak we’ve had in Pro Stock this year is just crazy. I feel like we just have to show up, but the truth is that we still have to do our job. The guys can’t make any mistakes in the pits, but with the guys I have, I never worry about that. It sets my mind at ease, so all I have to do is go out there and be a bracket racer. We’ve had some fun with the Factory Stock Showdown car since the last time we raced Pro Stock, but I’m looking forward to getting back in that Jim Butner Auto Chevy Camaro. We want to continue this roll we’ve been on.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (holds track Pro Stock speed record; No. 1 qualifier in 2018; has 802 round victories): “My Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro has been a very fast race car. We’ve been gaining on it all year, in terms of both the engine and the car, and we expect that to continue in Richmond. Even when we’ve started off behind the eight ball, we’ve been able to make up ground and get back up to speed, so I think it’s going to be very important that we just don’t get behind the eight ball at all this weekend. The last time we raced, I had the best day I’ve had in a long time. I’m looking forward to getting right back to business.”
JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (won at track in 20016; has 599 Pro Stock round wins; fourth in points): “It’s been interesting being away from the track with our Pro Stock cars these past few weeks. It gave us the opportunity to work on things in the engine shop a dyno room, and we’re excited about that. It was nice to have the opportunity to be a Sportsman racer again and get back to my roots, and who knows, maybe that will help a little bit when I get back in the silver Summit Racing Chevy this weekend. It’s been a long time since we’ve had the opportunity to see how what we’re working on stacks up against everyone else. We’re ready.”
ALEX LAUGHLIN, LAUGHLIN MOTORSPORTS, HAVOLINE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (runner-up at Gainesville; second in points): “People are definitely excited to see the class back out there and we’re excited to be back out there. I’ve never been this high in points, but it’s so tight in this class. Bo (Butner) is way out there (as the points leader), but the position we’re in now, we’re trying to race for a championship, the pressure is on to say the least. There’s no room for mistakes and we have to be on our game. The Countdown (to the Championship) will be here quicker than you think.”
JEG COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM/ELITE PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has 647 round wins; won at Phoenix): “It’s definitely time to get back after it and resume the fight. It’s been a bit odd and some of my buddies in the nitro categories have mentioned how strange it is for them to race with no Pro Stock cars around, but I’ve actually had some gaps in my career where I’ve taken entire seasons off, or the majority of a season off, so I’ve had a small taste of this before.”
SHANE TUCKER, TUCKER RACING, AUZMET ARCHITECTURAL/STRUCTGLASS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (will be competing in fourth race of season and 31st in Pro Stock overall): “I think I will be fine getting back into this Auzmet/StructGlass Chevrolet Camaro after this layoff. I keep my mind on racing even when I am not at the track. I was able to go back to Australia to work on a few projects and see my family. We are back now, and I am ready to go. The last race in Las Vegas I flew in from Australia less than 24 hours before qualifying so this will be much more relaxing.”