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2017 Pro Stock champion Bo Butner to return to competition in 2019

Bo Butner will race full Pro Stock season with K.B. Racing while also participating in SAM Tech Factory Stock Showdown.
29 Nov 2018
Jacob Sundstrom, NHRA National Dragster Associate Editor
News
Bo Butner

Bo Butner will compete in the full 18-race Pro Stock season with K.B. Racing, despite announcing his retirement from the doorslamming Mello Yello category at the end of the 2018 campaign. The shortening of the Pro Stock schedule, in addition to discussions with his family, led the 2017 Pro Stock world champion to return to the sport on a full-time basis. 

"I'm a glutton for punishment," joked Butner in a release sent out Thursday afternoon. 

Butner's son, JB, and his wife will welcome their first child into the world in April, Bo's first grandchild, which factored into his initial decision to step away from the sport. But a conversation with JB steered Butner back towards the sport.

"JB runs the dealership, so it was important to make sure he was on board with it," said Butner. "And of course, when his baby is born in April, I want to be there for that, even if I have to miss a race."

He also got positive encouragement from his mother, Dottie.

"She shocked me and said that maybe we should keep doing this, and I told her I thought it was time to move on; we'd already been successful with the best team out there," said Butner. "But I did say I'd think about it."

Butner won the season-opener in his title defense season as well as the second Las Vegas event. He boasts seven Wallys in 20 final round appearances. 

The season kicks off at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com [tickets]. The full schedule can be found here.