Bo Butner puts faith in his JHG Pro Stocker as Norwalk fades out of view
NORWALK, Ohio (June 26, 2022) – Bo Butner is used to seeing win lights, but it’s been a good long while since he’s seen more than one on Sunday – and he’s ready to get back to business. Butner, driving the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Chevrolet Camaro, had a tough weekend in Norwalk at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, and he’s ready to put it behind him and start anew on the famed Western Swing in just a few short weeks.
Butner qualified in the No. 15 position and, although he was first to leave the starting line in his first-round meeting with Kyle Koretsky, his opponent was quicker to the finish with a 6.656-second pass at 205.79 mph to a 6.684, 206.01.
“It was better to the 60-foot, but we didn’t make the best run today. I have a feeling we’re going to be doing some testing in the near future,” said Butner, an 11-time Pro Stock winner and a driver who has 27 national event wins overall across the Professional and Sportsman categories. “We just have to be better, but I know we will be. These guys are working hard to figure it out.”
The NHRA tour will take a few weeks off before the start of the strenuous Western Swing, where races will take place on three consecutive weekends. The ‘Swing starts in Denver with the Mile-High Nationals and the thinnest air on tour for the oxygen-hungry factory hot rods, then makes its way further west to Sonoma wine country, then ends amongst a forest of trees in the Pacific Northwest.
“I’m looking forward to Denver, the atmosphere up there, the Pro Stock fans,” said Butner, who was the Pro Stock runner-up at the Mile-High Nationals in 2017. “To go back out West is cool, and we’ll move on. I think it’s just one of those deals that once the car finds its spot, then everything is going to click.”
The next race on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule is the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals, July 15-17, 2022, in Morrison, Colo., just outside of Denver.
Qualifying results:
Q1: 7.265-second, 208.30 mph (No. 12)
Q2: 10.704, 84.22 (No. 17)
Q3: 6.707, 207.50 (No. 16)
Q4: 6.662, 207.82 (No. 15)
Raceday results:
R1: Kyle Koretsky defeated Bo Butner, (.040-second reaction time) 6.656-second at 205.79 mph to (.037) 6.684, 206.01