GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 17, 2019) – The historic 50th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals dangled the carrot of a commemorative Wally trophy in front of Mello Yello Drag Racing Series competitors, and in the end, it was KB Racing-powered Bo Butner who scored the hardware. Butner picked up his second win of the season with a final-round defeat of Alex Laughlin. On the other side of the ladder, teammate Greg Anderson was picking up the pace in the red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro to strike another spark of optimism for the determined team.

“Today was all about being in the right place right time, but we have such a great crew, and Ken and Judy Black are like second parents to me,” said Butner. “These guys give me the best, and it’s pretty cool to get to drive this car with this team.”

Butner, the incoming points leader, qualified in the No. 8 position and had his fair share of luck on Sunday at Gainesville Raceway to claim the ninth Pro Stock win of his career. In the first round, he came up against another KB Racing-powered driver, Fernando Cuadra, and got it done with a 6.532-second pass at 212.46 mph to a strong 6.549, 211.63.

In round two, it was another KB Racing teammate in the other lane, and when Deric Kramer squared the tires immediately, Butner raked in the round-win with a 6.552, 211.76 to 20.651, 37.89. Without lane choice over No. 1 qualifier Rodger Brogdon in the semifinals, there was a fairly large question mark over the outcome heading into the round.

Brogdon broke on the starting line, however, rolling through the beams and illuminating the red light. Butner’s good fortune was enunciated when he fell into tire shake and coasted to an 8.103, 115.58.

Laughlin, meanwhile, had gotten the best of Anderson in the second round, 6.507, 211.00 to 6.506, 213.16, as well as his Summit Racing counterpart Jason Line in round one, 6.512, 210.83 to 6.527, 212.39.

Butner needed a little revenge for his teammates and the good Summit Racing name, and he made his best run of the weekend in the final. The Jim Butner Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro was set on kill as he blazed to a 6.505, 212.29 that was just a thousandth of a second off of low elapsed time of raceday. He didn’t need the exceptional run, though, because Laughlin had an ignition malfunction and broke at the starting line.

“Today was just absolutely crazy,” said Butner. “The first round, we did our job. Second round, we didn’t get down the track, third round didn’t get down the track – we just had some mishaps for the guys in the other lane, but the KB Racing guys never gave up. We looked and tried everything, and we made our best run of the weekend in the finals. It was a great day.”

Butner and his crew will leave Gainesville Raceway with two of the special 50th anniversary trophies; his fiancée, Randi Lyn Shipp, earned the Stock Eliminator trophy there. The couple will have more to celebrate in the days ahead as Butner’s son and daughter-in-law are expecting a child – Butner’s first grandchild.

“This will be the last interview I give prior to being a grandpa,” said an elated Butner. “The baby is coming this week when we get home, and I cannot wait. His name will be James Earl Butner V, and I’m calling him J5. I have a hat collection going for him already after winning Pomona, No. 1 qualifier in Phoenix, and now winning the Gatornationals – and Randi Lyn will have one to add to the collection now, too. It’s a very exciting time for us. Life is good.”

What’s Next
The next Pro Stock event on the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour will be the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, March 14-17.

GREG ANDERSON
KB Racing, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro
Position in standings following event: No. 11

The first two races of the 2019 season of NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series did not go as planned for Anderson, but in Gainesville, it all turned around as he had one of the quickest cars on the property during qualifying to start from the No. 2 position.

He then recorded low elapsed time of raceday in the opening round with a cool 6.504-second pass at 212.69 mph to defeat Alan Prusiensky’s 6.625, 208.07. In round two, Anderson again had the quickest car of the round, this time with a 6.506, 213.16 (top speed of raceday), but Alex Laughlin was off the starting line first for a holeshot win on a 6.507, 211.00.

“My Summit Racing Chevy Camaro showed a lot of potential this weekend, and we definitely made a lot of gains this week after testing well,” said Anderson. “We learned a lot and improved, but unfortunately, we didn’t parlay it into a race victory like we wanted. I’m just disappointed because I wanted to get this done for my dad. My Chevrolet was good, but it can definitely be better, and it will be.”

Anderson had hoped to win for his father, Rod Anderson, who passed away one week ago at the age of 85. Although he did not earn the trophy on Sunday in Gainesville, Anderson did reach a milestone as he recorded the 800th round win of his Pro Stock career – the most of any active Pro Stock driver.

Anderson’s results:
R1: Greg Anderson defeated Alan Prusiensky, 6.504-second at 212.69 mph to 6.625, 208.07
R2: Alex Laughlin def. Anderson, 6.507, 211.00 to 6.506, 213.16

JASON LINE
KB Racing, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro
Position in standings following event: No. 3

The silver Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro wasn’t quite on par with the red Team Summit entry, and Jason Line qualified an uncharacteristically low 10th. Although he made the third-quickest pass of the first round with a 6.527, 212.39, it was not enough to stand up to Laughlin’s 6.512, 210.83.

“It was a good weekend overall for KB Racing to get the win with Bo’s Chevrolet Camaro and for Greg’s Summit Racing Chevy to show so much improvement, but we struggled with my car, we hurt some parts, and I did a lousy job of driving,” said Line. “The end result is that you go home early, and we’ve got a lot of work to do before Vegas. We’re not afraid of hard work, so we’ll get home and get to it. We expect to be better overall in Vegas.”

Line’s results:
R1: Alex Laughlin defeated Jason Line, 6.512-second at 210.83 mph to 6.527, 212.39

BO BUTNER
Jim Butner Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro
Position in standings following event: No. 1
Butner’s results:
R1: Bo Butner defeated Fernando Cuadra, 6.532-second at 212.46 mph to 6.549, 211.63
R2: Butner def. Deric Kramer, 6.552, 211.76 to 20.651, 37.89
R3: Butner def. Rodger Brogdon, 8.103, 115.58 to no time
R4: Butner def. Alex Laughlin, 6.505, 212.29 to no time

Race Info
50th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.
March 14-17, 2019

2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Standings
(after the NHRA Gatornationals, race 3 of 18)

1. Bo Butner (2), 301
2. Alex Laughlin, 229
3. Jason Line, 189
4. Erica Enders, 186
5. Matt Hartford, 185
6. Rodger Brogdon, 184
7. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (1), 180
8. Deric Kramer, 166
9. Kenny Delco, 141
10. Chris McGaha, 137
11. Greg Anderson, 130

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 16, 2019) – Qualifying for the 50th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals is complete, and Team Summit has Greg Anderson and the red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the No. 2 spot with top speed.

In a very positive turnaround from the first two races of the season, Anderson claimed bonus points in each round of qualifying, logging a total of six extra marks as one of the quickest Pro Stockers. The four-time Gainesville winner is in the hunt for the 92nd Pro Stock trophy of his career at the racetrack where he claimed milestone win No. 75 in 2015. Gainesville Raceway is also where he got the first round-win of his career, and he will be looking for round-win No. 800 on Sunday at this season’s rendition of the Gatornationals.

“My Summit Racing Chevy Camaro is wanting to run, the engine is wanting to run great,” said Anderson, whose best elapsed time in qualifying was a killer 6.494-second pass in the third session. “We’ve just struggled a little bit with low gear. We haven’t quite got it right, and when we do, it’s going to be fast.”

Notably, Anderson was the only Pro Stock driver out of 17 on the property to exceed 213 mph – and he did it twice. In the third session he recorded a 213.40 mph pass, and in the fourth session he improved to 213.43.

“We tested at Orlando Speed World before this race, and they did a fantastic job for us,” explained Anderson. “They were great to work with, the track was good, and I really think that test session is 100% the reason we’ve seen this turnaround with my car. We learned so much, but tomorrow is race day, and that’s when I’ve had my issues in the past. We’ll see how much we’ve gained on it. This is the best Summit Racing Chevy I’ve had in a long time, and hopefully I can get up on the wheel, go some rounds, and hoist that Gatornationals trophy at the end of the day.”

Despite three productive passes, Jason Line was a bit off in the quickest qualifying round and, thusly, will start from the No. 10 spot in his silver Summit Racing Chevy. The four-time Gatornationals victor will square off with Alex Laughlin in round one.

“Overall, I’m still really happy with my silver Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro. We had a computer error in the third qualifying session – I just kind of fat-fingered the tune up a little bit,” said Line, who is going after his 51st career win in NHRA competition. The Summit Racing driver has two trophies in Stock Eliminator and 48 so far in Pro Stock. “I feel good going into tomorrow. I have a good car, and if the weather holds out, it could be a great day for Team Summit.”

If Line should reach the final round, he will have racked up 600 round wins. Only two other currently competing Pro Stock drivers have more than 600 round wins in the category: Anderson has 799 and Jeg Coughlin Jr. has 647.

“It would be great to get to 600, but if I make it to the final, then I’d really like to get to 601,” said Line with a grin.

Bo Butner, driver of the KB Racing-powered Jim Butner Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro, was the provisional low qualifier on Friday but ultimately landed in the No. 5 position. He is on the opposite side of the ladder from teammates Anderson and Line. Butner will race Fernando Cuadra in round one, who also competes with KB power.

“The Jim Butner Auto Group Camaro wasn’t quite like it was yesterday, but some of the other guys made better runs, and maybe they kind of went after it,” said Butner, who has a Stock Eliminator victory in Gainesville from 2013 and was runner-up at the esteemed facility last season.

“We have a decent car, and I’m happy with the way I hit the tree so far this weekend; I’m in a good area,” Butner continued. “I think we have a chance to win. It’s just so close, and unfortunately, we have to race our teammate, Fernando Cuadra, first round. The good news is that one of us will go to the second round, and hopefully we’ll meet up with another KB Racing teammate [Deric Kramer]. I like our side of the ladder. Whenever I come in the opposite side from my buddies Greg and Jason, it’s a good week for us. I think we’re going to go a few rounds tomorrow. We’re coming to win.”

Final eliminations for the 50th Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals are set to begin at 11am ET on Sunday at Gainesville Raceway.

GREG ANDERSON
KB Racing, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro
Final qualifying position: No. 2
Anderson’s results:
Q1: 6.563-second at 210.24 mph (No. 3, +1 bonus point)
Q2: 6.556, 210.08 (No. 2, +2)
Q3: 6.494, 213.40 (No. 2, +2)
Q4: 6.513, 213.43 (No. 2)

Round one opponent: Alan Prusiensky

JASON LINE
KB Racing, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro
Final qualifying position: No. 10
Line’s results:
Q1: 6.567-second at 211.16 mph (No. 4)
Q2: 6.581, 210.57 (No. 6)
Q3: 6.637, 209.17 (No. 12)
Q4: 6.534, 211.79 (No. 10)

Round one opponent: Alex Laughlin

BO BUTNER
Jim Butner Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro
Final qualifying position: No. 5
Butner’s results:
Q1: 6.557-second at 210.41 mph (No. 1, +3 bonus points)
Q2: 6.556, 210.73 (No. 1, +3)
Q3: 6.511, 212.09 (No. 4)
Q4: 6.516, 212.03 (No. 5)

Round one opponent: Fernando Cuadra

Race Info
50th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.
March 14-17, 2019

Run Schedule (all times local)
Sunday, March 17
8:30 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations
11:00 a.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro eliminations begin
eliminations for all categories continue

#NHRAonFOX Television Schedule (all times ET)
Qualifying / Saturday – 9-10 PM ET / FS1
Finals / Sunday – 7:30-11 PM ET / FS1

2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Standings
(after final qualifying for the NHRA Gatornationals, race 3 of 18)

1. Bo Butner (1), 221
2. Jason Line, 189
3. Erica Enders, 186
4. Matt Hartford, 185
5. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (1), 180
6. Alex Laughlin, 169
7. Deric Kramer, 146
8. Rodger Brogdon, 144
9. Chris McGaha, 117
10. Val Smeland, 113
11. Greg Anderson, 110

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 15, 2019) – The 50th Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals kicked off on Friday at Gainesville Raceway, and after two rounds of qualifying, KB Racing was occupying the top two spots and had top speed. Bo Butner, driving the Jim Butner Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro, had hold of the provisional pole. Greg Anderson, pilot of the red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, was in a close second. The teammates clocked identical 6.556-second passes, but it was Butner with the nod based on a faster speed – 210.73 to Anderson’s 210.08. Occupying the No. 6 position, Jason Line had top speed in the silver Summit Racing Chevrolet with a 6.567 at a whopping 211.16 mph.

“Our Jim Butner Auto Group Nitro Fish Chevy Camaro was pretty awesome today,” said Butner, who was runner-up at this event last year. “It has been awesome all season; it’s been very consistent. We made two runs today within a thou’ (thousandth of a second). That’s pretty impressive. Our KB Racing team is strong again, we were just lucky to go a little bit quicker than Greg. We’re very happy with all three cars, and I think we’re going to have a great weekend.”

Butner, an eight-time Pro Stock winner and the 2017 world champion, is also racing in the Factory Stock Showdown in Gainesville driving a 2019 Cobra Jet Mustang with Summit Racing branding. The class pits Detroit’s Big Three against one another in heads-up competition featuring Cheverolet COPO Camaros, Dodge Challenger Drag Paks, and Ford Cobra Jet Mustangs.

After nabbing the provisional pole in Pro Stock, Butner spoke of the challenge of hopping out of one car and into another in two different categories.

“With our Summit Racing Cobra Jet, I know the potential for it – but I’m struggling with it,” admitted Butner. “I didn’t make a good run in the first qualifying round of the Showdown, so I hopped in the Pro Stock car mad. I went out there and made, what is in my eyes, a perfect run in the Pro Stock car – hit all the shift points and all that. I do better with more to do. When I hop out of one and into another, I think it helps me in both cars. It’s a mindset. It’s all about discipline. They’re both totally different, but we have to do good in both cars. That’s my goal.”

Butner was the first driver to ever win a Factory Stock Showdown. He accomplished the feat in the first running of the competition, at the 2012 U.S. Nationals. He now has a total of four FSS wins, including the 2015 Gatornationals trophy.

“This is just fun, and we were fortunate to win a couple,” said Butner. “It’s changed a lot over the years, and it’s kind of become a baby Pro Stock class. It’s very neat. It’ll be hard to win, and you’re not going to see a dominant car. A lot of cars can just go A to B and win rounds. Right now, you have to qualify, and it’s going to be a tight field tomorrow. The air is going to be better, and where I’m at has no chance of being in. It’ll be tough.”

Butner’s best time so far in Factory Stock Showdown qualifying is 7.971-second at 172.83 mph, and he is No. 14 in the 16-car field. There are 18 cars that ran in the 7-second zone. The Showdown cars have been rapidly picking up the pace since the first official 7-second pass was made last fall at the St. Louis race.

Qualifying for both categories will continue on Saturday at Gainesville Raceway, with eliminations for the 50th Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals set to begin on Sunday at 11am ET.

GREG ANDERSON
KB Racing, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro
Provisional qualifying position: No. 2
Anderson’s results:
Q1: 6.563-second at 210.24 mph (No. 3, +1 bonus point)
Q2: 6.556, 210.08 (No. 2, +2)

JASON LINE
KB Racing, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro
Provisional qualifying position: No. 6
Line’s results:
Q1: 6.567-second at 211.16 mph (No. 4)
Q2: 6.581, 210.57 (No. 6)

BO BUTNER
Jim Butner Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro
Provisional qualifying position: No. 1
Butner’s results:
Q1: 6.557-second at 210.41 mph (No. 1, +3 bonus points)
Q2: 6.556, 210.73 (No. 1, +3)

Race Info
50th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.
March 14-17, 2019

Run Schedule (all times local)
Saturday, March 16
8:30 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations
10:30 a.m. – SAM Tech Factory Stock Showdown qualifying
12:00 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 3
2:30 p.m. – SAM Tech Factory Stock Showdown round 1
3:30 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 4

Sunday, March 17
8:30 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations
11:00 a.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro eliminations begin
eliminations for all categories continue

#NHRAonFOX Television Schedule (all times ET)
Qualifying / Friday – 11:30 PM-12:30 AM ET / FS1
Qualifying / Saturday – 9-10 PM ET / FS1
Finals / Sunday – 7:30-11 PM ET / FS1

2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Standings
(following the NHRA Arizona Nationals, race 2 of 18)

1. Bo Butner (1), 181
2. Jason Line, 157
3. Erica Enders, 152
4. Matt Hartford, 147
5. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (1), 145
6. Alex Laughlin, 136
7. Deric Kramer, 110
8. Rodger Brogdon, 100
9. Chris McGaha, 84
10t. Steve Graham, 82
10t. Val Smeland, 82
12. Kenny Delco, 69
13. Greg Anderson, 67

50th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Gainesville Raceway
2019 Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing Series, Race 3

Jason Line
KB Racing, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro
Car No.: PS5

Story Lines:
• Jason Line debuted a new Jerry Haas-built Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro at the 2019 Mello Yello Series season-opener in Pomona, where he wheeled it to the final round
• The driver of the silver Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro will crest 600 Pro Stock round wins if he should reach the final round in Gainesville. That would be the third most of any active driver in the category. He has competed in 906 rounds of Pro Stock racing entering the event.
• Line has four wins in seven Gainesville Pro Stock final rounds, including back-to-back finals in 2015 and 2016, both with Team Summit counterpart Anderson in the other lane
• Line made the quickest run in the history of NHRA’s Electronic Fuel Injected Pro Stock category in 2017 in Gainesville with a 6.476-second pass
• The Mooresville, N.C.-based driver has 48 wins in Pro Stock and two in Stock Eliminator, one of NHRA’s premier Sportsman categories.
• In addition to driving for KB Racing, Line is the dyno operator at KB Racing and is part of the tuning team for the cars in the KB Racing stable
• Line has three NHRA Pro Stock world titles with KB Racing, as well as one NHRA Sportsman championship earned in Stock Eliminator behind the wheel of his 1970 Buick Gran Sport

Quotes
“We knew leaving Phoenix that we had a lot of work to do before this race, and I think we’ve had a productive couple of weeks. We’ll find out just how productive it was in just a couple of days when we take our Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaros out for the first qualifying session. This is always an exciting time of year because things are really started to get going, and from here there’s no looking back. Gainesville can be very fast, and it’s a fun racetrack. The KB Racing team has good history there, and we’d like to add to that with a win at the 50th annual Gatornationals. That would be a really special trophy, and it’s one I’d like to have, for sure.”

Line in Gainesville
4 wins in 7 Gainesville final rounds
Runner-up 2016 (Greg Anderson)
Runner-up 2015 (Anderson)
Won 2011 (defeated Anderson)
Won 2010 (defeated Mike Edwards)
Won 2009 (defeated Allen Johnson)
Runner-up 2008 (Jeg Coughlin)
Won 2005 (Dave Connolly)
No. 1 in 2016, 2017
In 2018: Qualified No. 4, first round

Line’s Career Stats
(through 2019 NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix)
3-time NHRA Pro Stock series champion (2006, 2011, 2016)
1993 NHRA Stock Eliminator champion
No. 2 in 2019 Pro Stock standings
358 Pro Stock races
48 Pro Stock wins
50 overall wins, including NHRA Sportsman and Professional categories
(2 Stock Eliminator, 48 Pro Stock)
52 runner-up finishes
100 Pro Stock final rounds
53 Pro Stock No. 1 qualifier awards
102 overall final rounds, including NHRA Sportsman and Professional competition
(2 Stock Eliminator, 100 Pro Stock)
Career best e.t.: 6.455
Career best speed: 215.17

Greg Anderson
KB Racing, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro
Car No.: PS7

Story Lines:
• Greg Anderson has more round wins in Pro Stock eliminations than any other active driver. He is in pursuit of his 800th Pro Stock round win
• Heading into Gainesville, Anderson has participated in 1199 rounds of racing – the most of any active Pro Stock driver
• Anderson made the fastest run in the history of NHRA’s Electronic Fuel Injected Pro Stock category in 2017 in Gainesville with a 214.59 mph pass
• The first-ever round win for Anderson came at the 1998 Gatornationals. Allen Johnson was in the other lane, and unbeknownst to Anderson, his opponent lost control of his Pro Stock car and crashed behind him. Johnson was uninjured.
• Anderson and Summit Racing teammate Jason Line are tied as the second-most winning Pro Stock drivers at the Gatornationals (they each have four wins there)
• 2019 is Anderson’s 21st season as a Pro Stock driver. He began his career as a crew member and then was crew chief for championship winning driver Warren Johnson before taking the reins of his own Pro Stock car.
• Las Vegas-based Ken Black selected Anderson to drive for KB Racing in 1998. They have been racing together for more than two decades and have, along with crew chief Rob Downing, built a team that now owns 150 national event wins and eight championships
• Anderson is a four-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion (2003-05, 2010)
• Anderson is the most decorated Pro Stock driver on the current tour. He has 91 national event wins and is the second-most winning driver of all time in the category (W. Johnson has 97)

Quotes
“Gainesville Raceway has always been a special place for me. It has a kind of magic feel to it, a lot like Indy. It’s a great track for Pro Stock, and the fans there are just awesome. For me, it’s one of the most special places on the whole tour because my father, Rod, used to take us down there for family vacations. We’d go to Disneyworld and spend time with my dad’s brother, but the best part was that we’d get to go to the race. That was something you just don’t forget.”

Anderson on his first milestone 21 years ago at this race:
“The first round win I ever got in a Pro Stock car was there at the Gatornationals in 1998. I was driving for my father-in-law, Troy Humphrey. I didn’t qualify as well as AJ [Allen Johnson], but somehow, I beat him. I got to the finish line, made the turnoff, and saw that the Safety Safari trucks were rushing past me. I was all excited and didn’t know what happened, but it turned out that AJ had tumbled like 10 times and went over the wall. It was definitely a memorable race, both good and bad. AJ was okay, but he definitely destroyed his racecar.”

Anderson on the loss of his father, Rod Anderson (85 years old), on Sunday, May 10, 2019:
“My dad was my hero, and the one who got me started in racing. He was a man that never had an enemy – a great man loved by all. He will be greatly missed.”

Anderson in Gainesville
4 wins in 7 Gainesville final rounds
Runner-up 2017 (Shane Gray)
Won 2016 (defeated Jason Line)
Won 2015 (defeated Line)
Runner-up 2012 (Mike Edwards)
Runner-up 2011 (Line)
Won 2007 (defeated Larry Morgan)
Won 2004 (defeated Jeg Coughlin)
No. 1 in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
In 2018: Qualified No. 1, second round

Anderson’s Career Stats
(through 2019 NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix)
4-time NHRA Pro Stock series champion (2003-05, 2010)
No. 13 in 2019 Pro Stock standings
454 Pro Stock races
91 wins
61 runner-up finishes
152 overall final rounds
102 No. 1 qualifier awards
Career best e.t.: 6.457
Career best speed: 215.48

Bo Butner
KB Racing, Jim Butner Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro
Car No.: PS8

Story Lines:
• Bo Butner, the 2017 NHRA Pro Stock world champion, won the first race of the 2019 season and enters Gainesville as the points leader
• Butner’s victory in Pomona was the 150th Pro Stock win for KB Racing, the acclaimed group racing out of Ken Black’s race shop in Mooresville, North Carolina
• He was the No. 1 qualifier in Phoenix
• Butner, flying the Summit Racing colors, will compete in the SAM Tech Factory Stock Showdown at the Gatornationals in his 2019 Cobra Jet Mustang. Butner was the winner of the very first Factory Stock Showdown, which took placed in Indy at the U.S. Nationals in 2012. He has four total previous FSS wins, including the 2015 trophy in Gainesville.
• Last October, Butner decided to hang up his Pro driving gloves and return to his Sportsman racing roots to focus on the Jim Butner Auto Group family business and his growing family (his first grandchild will be born in April). When the schedule was shortened to 18 races, though, he was encouraged by his mom, Dottie, to reconsider.
• An accomplished NHRA Sportsman racer, Butner earned the Comp Eliminator championship in 2006 and has four Division 3 season titles
• He has one national event win in Gainesville, which he earned in 2013 with a final-round defeat of Charley Downing in Stock Eliminator
• Butner has eight career Pro Stock wins
• The Floyds Knobs, Indiana-based driver is engaged to Randi Lyn Shipp, a Stock Eliminator competitor who will also race at the Gatornationals

Quotes
“It’s going to be a fun weekend. I’ll be racing in the Factory Stock Showdown, if all goes as planned, but I’m ready to hop back in the Pro Stock car. My Jim Butner Auto Group Chevy is a great car, and I still feel like it might be the best car out there. Of course, you want to win this deal. I won Stock Eliminator in Gainesville a few years back, and that was just a great feeling. Any win in Gainesville is big – it’s always a trophy you want, but even more so this year because it’s their 50th anniversary. I’m looking forward to it.”

Butner in Gainesville
Won Stock Eliminator in 2013 (defeated Charley Downing)
Won Factory Stock Showdown in 2015 (defeated Bruno Massel)
Runner-up in Pro Stock in 2018 (Tanner Gray)
In 2018: Qualified No. 5, final round

Butner’s Career Stats
(through 2019 NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix)
2017 NHRA Pro Stock champion
2006 Competition Eliminator champion
No. 1 in 2019 Pro Stock standings
91 races
8 wins
13 runner-up finishes
21 overall Pro Stock final rounds
9 Pro Stock No. 1 qualifier awards
23 overall wins, including NHRA Sportsman competition
(8 Pro stock, 6 Comp Eliminator, 3 Super Stock, 5 Stock Eliminator, 1 Super Street)
48 overall final rounds, including NHRA Sportsman and Professional competition
(21 Pro Stock, 13 Comp Eliminator, 6 Super Stock, 7 Stock Eliminator, 1 Super Street)
Career best e.t.: 6.475
Career best speed: 214.28

2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Standings
(following the NHRA Arizona Nationals, race 2 of 18)

1. Bo Butner (1), 181
2. Jason Line, 157
3. Erica Enders, 152
4. Matt Hartford, 147
5. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (1), 145
6. Alex Laughlin, 136
7. Deric Kramer, 110
8. Rodger Brogdon, 100
9. Chris McGaha, 84
10t. Steve Graham, 82
10t. Val Smeland, 82
12. Kenny Delco, 69
13. Greg Anderson, 67

Race Info
50th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.
March 14-17, 2019

Run Schedule (all times local)
Thursday, March 14
8:30 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman qualifying

Friday, March 15
8:30 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations
11:45 a.m. – SAM Tech Factory Stock Showdown qualifying
1:15 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 1
3:50 p.m. – SAM Tech Factory Stock Showdown qualifying
5:00 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 2

Saturday, March 16
8:30 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations
10:30 a.m. – SAM Tech Factory Stock Showdown qualifying
12:00 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 3
2:30 p.m. – SAM Tech Factory Stock Showdown round 1
3:30 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 4

Sunday, March 17
8:30 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations
11:00 a.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro eliminations begin
eliminations for all categories continue

#NHRAonFOX Television Schedule (all times ET)
Qualifying / Friday – 11:30 PM-12:30 AM ET / FS1
Qualifying / Saturday – 9-10 PM ET / FS1
Finals / Sunday – 7:30-11 PM ET / FS1

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Tuesday, February 26, 2019) — Tonight, and for the first time in the history of NHRA on FOX, FS1 will air exclusive coverage of Pro Stock in an hour-long format beginning at 9pm ET. The telecast will include special features, interviews with drivers, and racing action from the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals.

“This show, dedicated solely to Pro Stock, is something that has been a long time coming, and we couldn’t be more excited to have a whole hour dedicated to the class that means so much to us,” said Greg Anderson, driver of the red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro Pro Stocker.

“Pro Stock is our life, and it’s a Pro category that the diehard fans who love really competitive side-by-side racing can appreciate. You’re going to get a behind-the-scenes look at our KB Racing shop and the Summit Racing team on tonight’s broadcast, some really cool content other than that, plus what happened at the race. We’ve asked for more television coverage, hoped for it, dreamed of it, and now we’re getting it. We feel like this is a big step in the right direction, and we can’t wait to sit down and watch tonight on FS1.”

Join the #ProStockWatchParty by tuning in to FS1 at 9pm ET and posting on Twitter throughout the broadcast. Interact with drivers and teams using the hashtag #ProStockWatchParty.

Encore airings of the show will be broadcast Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 1am on FS2 and again at 5am on FS1, as well as Thursday, Feb. 28, at 11:30pm on FS2 (all times Eastern).

CHANDLER, Ariz. (February 24, 2019) – Team Summit made a series of powerful passes during qualifying for the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals, and on raceday the silver Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Jason Line, was again capable of standing out amongst the competition. The KB Racing team had a shorter day than planned, but that only means more time to prepare for the upcoming event at Gainesville Raceway.

Line, qualified in the No. 3 position, scored a round win over Alan Prusiensky in the first act. His 6.548-second pass at 211.10 mph was the third quickest and fastest pass of the round, and it eliminated his opponent’s 6.637, 206.13. On the other side of the ladder, KB Racing-powered Bo Butner, the No. 1 qualifier, defeated Joey Grose with a 6.551, 211.06 to a 6.698, 206.42, setting up for a potential rematch of the final in Pomona two weeks ago.

In the second round, however, both drivers came up short. Butner remained in the points lead despite being turned away by KB Racing teammate Deric Kramer, 6.567, 209.69 to 6.582, 210.80 – the second fastest pass of the round. Line was stopped by Erica Enders, 6.552, 210.28 to 6.605, 190.67.

“The second round didn’t go as planned, obviously, but we’re still really happy with the silver Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro,” said Line. “It’s already been a good car for us, and it’s getting better. There were challenges this weekend for us here, but the good news is that we can put those behind us and focus on the next race. We’ve got a lot of work to do before Gainesville, so it’s good that we’ve got a little bit of time to work on things.”

The challenges faced in Pomona by Greg Anderson, driver of the red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, followed him to Phoenix. He looks to shake the bad luck quickly.

“We’ve had our share of bad breaks and stupid stuff, and hopefully we’ve gotten that all out of the way,” said Anderson, who shook the tires in the first round as Jeg Coughlin Jr. pulled away. “We will certainly be testing before Gainesville and making sure we have everything right. I’m just going to have to forget about the first two races, put them out of my mind, and better days will come.”

What’s Next
The 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will continue at Gainesville Raceway with the 50th annual NHRA Gatornationals, March 14-17.

JASON LINE
KB Racing, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro
Position in standings following event: No. 2

Line’s results:
R1: Jason Line defeated Alan Prusiensky, 6.548-second at 211.10 mph to 6.637, 206.13
R2: Erica Enders def. Line, 6.552, 210.28 to 6.605, 190.67

GREG ANDERSON
KB Racing, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro
Position in standings following event: No. 13

Anderson’s results:
R1: Jeg Coughlin Jr. defeated Greg Anderson, 6.568-second at 210.90 mph to 20.633, 48.17

BO BUTNER
Jim Butner Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro
Position in standings following event: No. 1

Butner’s results:
R1: Bo Butner defeated Joey Grose, 6.551-second at 211.06 mph to 6.698, 206.42
R2: Deric Kramer def. Butner, 6.567, 209.69 to 6.582, 210.80

2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Standings
(following the NHRA Arizona Nationals, race 2 of 18)

1. Bo Butner (1), 181
2. Jason Line, 157
3. Erica Enders, 152
4. Matt Hartford, 147
5. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (1), 145
6. Alex Laughlin, 136
7. Deric Kramer, 110
8. Rodger Brogdon, 100
9. Chris McGaha, 84
10t. Steve Graham, 82
10t. Val Smeland, 82
12. Kenny Delco, 69
13. Greg Anderson, 67

#NHRAonFOX Television Schedule (all times ET)
Pro Stock Finals / Tuesday, February 26 – 9-10 PM ET / FS1

*Find event results at DragRaceCentral.com*