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Butler Finishes 3rd at a Hot Night in Punta Gorda |
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Date: April 19, 2008 Series: Checkered Flag Sprint Series Location: Charlotte County Motorsports Park, Punta Gorda, FL Start/ Finish: 2nd/3rd (Running, completed 30 of 30 laps) Winner: Mark Gimmler This weekend The KJ Motorsports Team competed in a Checkered Flag Sprint Series sanctioned race at Charlotte County Motorsports Park in Punta Gorda, FL. Keith started 4th in his heat race. The heat race was rather uneventful with only one caution and Keith end in the Third position. The day was very hot with a track temperature was over 119 degrees. But the problem was that the Sprint cars were scheduled to race second to last in the night. The track would change a lot between the heat and feature. Keith had to walk a tight rope to change the car to make it handle better without changing it too much. The decision was made to make a small change to the front suspension. As the cars lined up for the feature, Keith was positioned on the outside pole. Keith's best option was to beat the pole sitter to the turn one. The green flag flew and a drag race broke out for turn one. Keith was ahead into the turn, but only by a tire and could not complete the pass. Attempting to make that pass, going into one, forced Keith up the ace track and 4th place starter David Slawiak, who had won the heat race earlier in the night, was able to pass Keith for second. Finding the outside of the track was not the place to make any passes, Keith dropped back and set out to make his passes from the inside. It was a close one-two-three battle for most of the race. Keith's car developed a problem turning in the middle of the corner, but still trying to challenge the leaders. The three cars would be no more than 6 car lengths apart as they came down to the checkered flag. The cars finished just as they were running Mark Gimmler took the win, David Slawiak finished second and Keith finished third. Next Race: KJ Motorsports will next compete on May 17th back with the Checkered Flag Sprint Series at Charlotte County Motorsports Park in Punta Gorda, FL. Operation: Race for Freedom In addition to racing at Charlotte County Motorsports Park this week KJ Motorsports also started a new charitable initiative called Operation: Race For Freedom. 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. Leading up the race in Punta Gorda, the local media and the track itself showed amazing support to the program by providing radio mentions for the program and an email campaign conducted by track promoter Bobby Diehl and his staff at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park. Keith appeared on the Real Racin' USA's Monday night April 14th "Inside Florida Racing" Internet Radio Show. Additional radio mentions were provided on CeCe Brooks on KIX COUNTRY 92.9 in Port Charlotte, FL. On the day of the event April 19th, Charlotte County Motorsports Park rolled out the red carpet for the Operation: Race For Freedom allowing KJ Motorsports to promoting the program in ways no one could had not even imagined. The track set out collection locations at the pit and grandstand entrances. Charlotte County Motorsports Park has many employees and friends of the track that have ties to the military. One special member of the military was able to come to the track to help promote the Operation: Race for Freedom. During the parade lap, Keith rode in the back of a convertible with Brigadier General Jim Shelton, US Army (Ret.). This was quite an honor for Keith and he enjoyed his conversation with the General. The track announcer promoted the program throughout the night and after the feature Keith, David Slawiak and the CFSS flagman "Wild Child" went through the grandstands collecting donations. The fans of CCMP were very generous. When the donations we all collected and counted, the total value was well over $400. This first packages will be headed overseas as early as Tues April 22. KJ Motorsports will be promoting this program at their CFSS races on May 17th and June 7th |
