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NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

2017: Bo Butner goes from zero to hero with narrow seven-point title decision

Bo Butner came into the 2017 season without a win but exited the year as the world champion after his fourth and final win of the year — over future champ Tanner Gray in a weird final round — allowed him to eke past teammate Greg Anderson for the championship. Second in a series
25 Oct 2022
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
NHRA's Closest Championship Finishes (2007-21)
Bo Butner

Coming into the 2017 season, Bo Butner had won exactly zero Pro Stock races, but after a strong regular season that featured wins in Houston, Atlanta, and Norwalk, he entered the Countdown to the Championship as the No. 1 seed with KB Racing teammates Greg Anderson and Jason Line as well as rookie sensation Tanner Gray all nipping at his heels. 

Entering the season-ending Auto Club 91 Finals in Pomona, Butner, Anderson, and Line were all still very much in contention for the championship. Butner entered the event trailing Anderson by 40 points, meaning he’d need to win two more rounds than Anderson to clinch the title. Butner knocked off the first task in the semifinals when he topped Anderson in a thrilling 6.551 to 6.564 side-by-side race. 

“The semifinals, that was the way it should have been — me and Greg racing each other,” Butner said. “You have to put your destiny in your own hands, and I didn’t want to watch somebody else have to win for me. I had some butterflies going into that round, but we made a good run against Greg, then you have to get your game face back on for the final. I screwed that up in every way possible.” 

He completed the rout by beating rookie Gray in the final round. Butner had previously been winless in four races against Gray. In the pivotal final, Gray was visibly ahead but dropped back after his front tire went flat, and Butner drove to a 6.55 to eclipse Gray’s 6.653 run. 

“When you are a kid, you dream about hitting a free throw with no time on the clock, and that’s kind of what this deal was,” Butner said. “I don’t know what happened to Tanner’s car, but he’s tough. He’s going to be a champion one day [and he was, the very next year]. But this year, it’s ours; this year belongs to KB Racing, and I’m very proud of that.”

Final points
1. Bo Butner: 2,731
2. Greg Anderson: 2,724
3. Jason Line: 2,644

CLOSEST FINISHES IN NHRA HISTORY

Year

Class

Champion

Points margin

Second place

2012

Top Fuel

Antron Brown

7

Tony Schumacher

2017

Pro Stock

Bo Butner

7

Greg Anderson

2007

Pro Stock Motorcycle

Matt Smith

6

Andrew Hines

Eddie Krawiec

5

Chris Rivas

2010

Pro Stock Motorcycle

L.E. Tonglet

4

Andrew Hines

2016

Pro Stock

Jason Line

3

Greg Anderson

2019

Top Fuel

Steve Torrence

3

Doug Kalitta

2009

Pro Stock Motorcycle

Hector Arana Sr.

2

Eddie Krawiec

2009

Top Fuel

Tony Schumacher

2

Larry Dixon

2012

Funny Car

Jack Beckman

2

Ron Capps