August 25, 2005 (Bristol, TN)

Ken Butler III had his best qualifying effort of the season in the USAR Hooters ProCup Series Wednesday, breaking the track record with a time of 15.753 seconds around the ½-mile, high-banked Bristol Motor Speedway and starting the race on the outside of the second row in the fourth position. There was a strong contingent of Aaron’s VP’s and RM’s attending from the annual RM meeting in Knoxville and the excitement of KBIII’s season-best qualifying effort had everyone in their seats early anticipating a strong Aaron’s Dream Machine finish.

Shane Wallace led the 37-car field to the green in front of approximately 75,000 fans and KBIII didn’t waste any time keeping pace. The tires were hardly warmed up before the top-two cars spun on lap-5 bringing out the first caution of the evening. Crew Chief Danny Crafton told Butler to follow the leaders and “if they pit, you pit.” Drivers only needed to make one pit stop during the race to make the distance to the checkered flag of the 150-lap event.

KBIII was in the third position at that point and he followed the leaders as they came down pit road for service. Crafton ordered two new right-side tires and a slight track bar adjustment and topped off the fuel tank. Knowing the Dream Machine could make it to the end of race from there, KBIII proceeded to carefully move his way to the front on the restart from the 19th position.

Toward the front of the pack, Steve Wallace spun Joel Kauffman on lap-17 making everyone get on the brakes and Butler got hit from behind causing left-rear damage. Crafton brought Ken back down pit road to work on the crumpled sheet metal and be sure the suspension was not affected.

Butler restarted 20th on lap-27 and started working his way to the front avoiding two more spins and the debris from those crashes and had moved up to the 8th spot at lap 90. It was obvious Butler had a very fast race car and on another restart on lap 99, Ken was on the bumper of the #22 car of Jay Fogleman as Fogleman was trying to pass a lap-car and touched him coming out of turn two sending the #22 into the backstretch wall and bringing out the fifth caution flag of the race.

USAR officials penalized KBIII for the incident and ordered the #99 to the back of the longest line for the restart on lap 110.

The penalty didn’t slow Butler at all as he proceeded to move his way back toward the front and within the next 20 laps, Ken was in the 11th position. However on lap 130, the #40 car slowed in turn one and while trying to duck under him, KBIII touched his left rear and sent him spinning close to the turn-two wall. Butler locked up the brakes and avoided hitting him in the drivers-side door.

USAR official sent him to the back of the longest line again and KBIII had his work cut out for him to get back toward the top-ten. But Ken was determined and knew he had a fast car. He restarted 17th, dodged two more incidents and worked his way through traffic to finish 12th. It was his best finish of the season.

While the official results are not in yet, KBIII should have picked up on position in the both the championship standing and the rookie of the year race. Congratulations to KBIII!

You can catch the race on SPEED channel Saturday, September 3 at 10:00 PM.