September 3, 2005 (Lakeland, FL)
After last weeks Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Ken Butler III and the #99 Aaron’s Dream Machine were geared up for the Southern Division season finale this weekend in Lakeland, FL for the “Lucas Oil 250” at USA International Speedway.
Hoping to improve on his career best 4th place starting position and lead-lap 12th place finish in Bristol, KBIII was looking forward to hitting the .75-mile track for practice. As the two hour practice came to a close and all the practice times were posted, Ken posted his fastest lap at 22.877 / 118.022 which put him 22nd fastest on the track. No need to panic, KBIII felt god about his car. “My car is fast, we’re going to make a gear change which should help, but it feels good”.
Once the adjustments were made, the Dream Machine was ready to make its qualifying run. The track record for the .75-mile oval is 21.472, which stayed in tacked this time. Shane Huffman posted the fastest time, the 23rd pole of his career, breaking an all time record for poles in a career at 21.934 / 123.097. Ken Butler III posted a 22.526 / 119.861, which meant the Dream Machine would be starting in the 23rd position.
Ken and the Aaron’s Dream Machine are a fan favorite during the autograph session held before the start of every USAR Hooters ProCup race. This is an opportunity for all fans to meet and greet their favorite driver and KBIII always is up to meeting his fans!
It’s RACE TIME….this being the Southern Division season finale, there was a lot a stake. Shane Huffman was shooting for his 2nd Southern Division Championship in 3 years and we can’t forget about the Miller Lite Rookie of the year battle, all of which would be decided at the end of the race.
KBIII started the race in the 23rd position and moved quickly into the 21st position before the 1st of many cautions of the night. Early into the race, Butler reported that his car was “tight in, loose out” which caused him to go a lap down by lap 87. The crew decided to used a little pit strategy, pit early, make the proper adjustments, and hope for an early caution. If a caution were to come out soon after his pit stop, Ken and the Aaron’s Dream Machine would find themselves back on the lead lap. The strategy worked as planned. At lap 112 the caution flag flew and when all the lead lap cars pitted, KBIII stayed out for track position. The Aaron’s Dream Machine was back on the lead lap and would stay on the lead lap for the reminder of the race.
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On lap 121, the race was red flagged for an incident that took place between turns 1 and 2 where a three-car pile up sparked a wall of flames from a gas line break. All were safe and the race resumed under yellow for a few laps. This was when many took advantage of what would be the last pit stop of the night. The Dream Machine took its final pit stop and restarted in the 16th position (last car on the lead lap). KBIII would pick up a few more positions before the checkered flag fell on lap 250.
Ken did a great job all night; he raced a clean race tying his best-career finish with a lead-lap 12th place finish.
Other notables, Bobby Gill won the Lucas Oil 250 his 2nd win of the 2005 season, 41st of his career. Shane Huffman finished 8th and won his 2nd Southern Division Championship, and Michael Faulk finished 3rd posting his best-career finish to take the Southern Division Miller Lite Rookie of the Year.
Ken Butler III finished 4th in the Southern Division Miller Lite Rookie of the Year points and 17th overall in the Southern Division Championship.
This was the last race before the five-race championship series, which kicks off on September 24 in Jennerstown, PA. These races match up the best of the best USAR Hooters ProCup drivers and teams from both the Southern and Northern Divisions.
9/24 Jennerstown Speedway Jennerstown, PA
10/8 Mansfield Motorsports Park Mansfield, OH’
10/22 Myrtle Beach Speedway Myrtle Beach, SC
11/6 Motor Mile Speedway Radford, VA
11/26 USA International Speedway Lakeland, FL
Don’t forget to vote for the Hooters ProCup Series Most Popular Driver Award! Speed51.com ….GOOOOO KBIII !!!!
You can watch the Lakeland, FL race Saturday, September 10 at 10:00 PM on the SPEED channel. If you missed the Bristol race featuring KBIII’s best starting and finishing positions, you can watch a replay Friday, September 9 at noon ET on SPEED.
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