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Butler Finishes 4th in a HOT night in Florida. |
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Date: June 7, 2008 Series: Checkered Flag Sprint Series Location: Charlotte County Motorsports Park, Punta Gorda, FL Start/ Finish: 5th/4th (Running, completed 30 of 30 laps) Winner: David Slawiak This weekend The KJ Motorsports Team competed in a Checkered Flag Sprint Series sanctioned race at Charlotte County Motorsports Park in Punta Gorda, FL. As most of the eastern seaboard was in a heat wave, so was Punta Gorda. During practice and qualifying the pit area temperature was over 100 degrees and the track temperature topped out at 131 degrees. A total of 16 cars showed up to qualify. Keith started third in his heat race. Keith was able to pass the front row starters pulled away during the 8 lap heat race. His only challenge during the heat race was from David Slawiak in the #79. After holding off Slawiak, Keith took the heat race victory and won the product certificate from Leaf Racewear. As other heat races and the early main events were going on, the sun went down on the day and the temperatures began to change. By the start of the Sprint Car Feature event, the air temp was 85 degrees and the track temp lowered to 91 degrees. Keith had made some changes to the car to account for these changes, but he didn't know if his changes were enough or they had gone too far. As the cars lined up for the feature, Keith was positioned in the 5th spot. The green flag flew and Keith got a great start. By lap 2, Keith was already in the second position closing in on the leader Darrin Miller (who had won the second heat race of the night). Keith spent the next five laps feeling out Miller and found out that they were both strong coming off the corner. Keith had an advantage in the middle of the straight away and into the corner, but could not close the pass. On one outside pass attempt by Keith, David Slawiak was able to get on the inside of him. Keith, being held on the outside, lost the position to Slawiak. Slawiak also passed Miller in the next lap and was the new leader. Keith had used a lot tire matching strengths with Miller for 20 laps. Keith's next challenge was from Brian Gingras in the #99. Coming from an outside the top 8 starting position Gingras had physically came up to the 4th position and dove under Keith putting both left side tires into the infield grass. This move infuriated Keith, "We were told in the drivers meeting about dropping the tires into the infield grass. This kicked up debris onto track behind us. If I had pulled that move, I would have been penalized. That's not how I race, I can run nose to tail with another driver for 30 laps and we won't touch." Keith kept his composure and watched a similar move as #99 passed Darrin Miller to assume the second position. The 30 lap feature ended with no more incidents. David Slawiak took the win, for his third win of the season. Brian Gingras finished second and Darrin Miller finished third and Keith finished fourth. After the fifth points race of the Checkered Flag Sprint Series Season, Keith is 3rd in points with 4 top 10's and 3 top 5 finishes. Next Race: KJ Motorsports will next compete on July 4th back with the Checkered Flag Sprint Series at Charlotte County Motorsports Park in Punta Gorda, FL. Operation: Race for Freedom KJ Motorsports conducted its second event for the Operation: Race For Freedom program. Through this program Keith and Jennifer Butler are using the exposure of their racing team to collect and distribute needed items to United States Service Members in Iraq and Afghanistan. These items include razors, deodorant, shampoo, baby wipes, gum, baby powder, etc. They are also collecting monetary donations to defray the costs shipping these items overseas. Also names and addresses of family members and friends that are in Iraq and Afghanistan are being collected to receive future packages. To help promote the program, Keith displayed two of the team cars at the local Wal-Mart Supercenter in Punta Gorda, FL. The manager of this Wal-Mart is great supporter of motorsports and was very willing to support the efforts of Operation: Race for Freedom. The cars were on display from 9am-2pm that afternoon and a collection box was setup to collect donations. During the afternoon, several families came up to drop off donations. Many of them had heard the annoucments by CeCe Brooks on KIX Country 92.9 FM. After wrapping up at Wal-Mart, the team packed up and moved over to Charlotte County Motorsports Park to race that evening. As with last month, Charlotte County Motorsports Park went out of its way to help promote the program. Keith and David Slawiak collected donations after the feature race, the track announcer also made special mention of the program during the night. The fans and customers of Wal-Mart were very generous with donations. In products and cash collected the total for the weekend was over $200. To date the program has sent out over 110 pounds in care packages. KJ Motorsports will continue promoting this program at their Checkered Flag Sprint Series race on July 4th.. |
