My Cart

Close

New Driver Merchandise has ARRIVED!

Early exit in Epping for Butner, but he sees plenty of potential for the JHG Pro Stock car

Early exit in Epping for Butner, but he sees plenty of potential for the JHG Pro Stock car

EPPING, N.H. (June 5, 2022) – The NHRA New England Nationals didn’t produce the results that Bo Butner had been hoping for, but the driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Chevrolet Camaro sees a positive future for his racecar and his scorecard.

Butner closed out Saturday’s action with his best pass of qualifying, a 6.582-second journey down the quarter mile at 210.31 mph, to claim the No. 10 spot and a first-round meeting with Mason McGaha.

There in the first round and without lane choice, Butner clocked an identical .067-second reaction time to that of his opponent but was eliminated when McGaha recorded a 6.544, 209.82 to his 6.569, 209.59. It was Butner’s quickest pass of the weekend, but it was not quite enough.

“Our car is still not up to par to where it needs to be, but I still had a chance today,” said Butner. “I missed the Tree, and when I let go, I really thought I was later than I was. I’d been pretty steady through qualifying, but I just missed it like we do sometimes. We have some work to do, but I’m not giving up on this car.”

The season is still young with just six of 18 Pro Stock races completed, and Butner is fixed on the future with bright eyes.

“I know this is going to take time, and I’m good with that,” he said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us, and once we hit the Countdown, we have to be ready. And we will be.”

The next race on the NHRA tour will be the Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Tennessee. Butner is focused on the increased performance in which he is confident for his JHG Pro Stock car, and he’s also looking forward to getting back to Sportsman racing. He plans to compete in Super Gas on the same weekend he is racing for the Bristol Pro Stock trophy.

“I used to go a lot of rounds at Bristol in my IHRA days, and I won some Factory Shootout stuff there in the past,” said Butner, whose best performance was a runner-up in Pro Stock in 2017 to Alex Laughlin. “I’m looking forward to getting back in my Super Gas car there after winning the national open with it in Bowling Green last week.

“As for Pro Stock, I’m pretty sure these guys [Elite Motorsports] have a little fire built under them to make these cars better. I see good things in our future.”

The next stop for Pro Stock on the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series tour will be the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, June 17-19.

 

Qualifying results:

Q1: 6.584-second, 210.28 mph (No. 9)

Q2: 6.598, 209.14 (No. 9)

Q3: 6.582, 210.31 (No. 10)


Raceday results:

R1: Mason McGaha defeated Bo Butner, (.067-second reaction time) 6.544-second at 209.82 mph to (.067) 6.569, 209.59