Drag Illustrated Issue 129, January / February 2018 | Page 89

THE
CHAMPIONS
ISSUE
nhrA p ro s toCk
Bo Butner
T
he 2017 Pro Stock champion-
ship was going to be awarded to a
member of the three-car KB Racing
team, thanks in part to a dominant
run by the trio of Greg Anderson,
Jason Line and Bo Butner during
the Countdown to the Championship.
But with the title on the line in Pomona, the
safe bet would have been on mainstays Anderson
or Line, who have a combined eight world cham-
pionships. Instead, it finished as a true breakout
season for Butner, a sportsman standout who took
a major step forward in 2017. After winning his
first Pro Stock races of his career in 2017, Butner
didn’t settle and was clutch in Pomona, taking the
winner-take-all semifinal duel against Anderson
to claim his first Pro Stock world championship.
“The semifinals in Pomona, that was the way it
should have been, me and Greg racing each other,”
Butner says. “You have to put your destiny in your
own hands, and I didn’t want to watch somebody
else have to win for me. I had some butterflies
going into that round, but we made a good run
against Greg. This year (the championship) be-
longs to KB Racing, and I’m very proud of that.”
Butner played the ultimate part in that, im-
proving in all facets to become a champion.
He showed glimpses in 2016, finishing fourth
and advancing to five finals. Butner added a
seventh career final without a win early in 2017,
wondering aloud when that first victory would
arrive. But he was clearly a different driver this
year, making impressive progress in reaction
times, breaking through at the fifth event of the
year for his first career Pro Stock win.
Butner wasn’t lower than second in the points
standings the rest of the way, winning five times
and advancing to 11 finals. In all, the KB Racing
team won the final five events of the Countdown,
with Butner capping it off with his win in Pomona.
“I have a great crew; it’s amazing,” Butner adds,
beaming with pride. “They don’t give up on me.
But the KB team, what does that say about them?
Honestly, I rent a car and a motor and they put
me in a championship. It’s just unbelievable.”
Butner’s sportsman background played an im-
portant part in the championship as well. His
success in the sportsman ranks, where he won the
2006 NHRA Lucas Oil Comp world champion-
ship as well as four Division 3 titles, clearly paid
dividends, and Butner hoped it had a tremendous
impact on the sport as well.
“I’m a Sportsman racer and always will be,” But-
ner says. “I had the whole world of Sportsman and
bracket racers behind me for this deal, and I feel
like that brought new life to Pro Stock this year.
I think this could make a big impact, (and) that
you’ll see more fans following Pro Stock because
a Sportsman racer could come in here and win
this deal.” – JOSH HACHAT
DI DI DI
DI DI DI DI
DI DI DI
NHRA STOCK JUSTIN LAMB
Ja n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 8
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