Ken Butler III

Ken Butler III
Butler in 2009
Born (1982-05-02) May 2, 1982 (age 42)
Lilburn, Georgia
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
25 races run over 2 years
2013 position46th
Best finish38th (2009)
First race2009 Stater Brothers 300 (Auto Club)
Last race2013 Dollar General 300 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
3 races run over 2 years
2010 position105th
Best finish84th (2007)
First race2007 Ohio 250 (Mansfield)
Last race2010 EnjoyIllinois.com 225 (Chicagoland)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of June 8, 2017.

Ken Butler III (born May 2, 1982) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is the older brother of Brett Butler and the son of Aaron's president Ken Butler.[1] Butler III has driven in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series, ARCA Racing Series, and the Pro Cup Series.[2]

Racing career

Pro Cup Series

Butler's interest in racing started when his father took younger brother Brett and Ken to a go-kart race when Ken was eighteen.[1] He took classes at the Richard Petty Driving Experience and Buddy Baker's Speed Tech.[3] Five years later, Butler ran his first season in the Pro Cup Series, recording a best finish of twelfth at Bristol Motor Speedway and finishing seventeenth in points.[4] He ran the following season, 2006, and recorded his first top ten and top five. He also failed to qualify for two races that season.[5] He ran a race at South Boston Speedway in 2007 while focusing on the ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.[6]

ARCA Racing Series

Butler ran a limited schedule in the 2007 ARCA Re/Max Series with Eddie Sharp Racing as part of its driver development program.[7] He scored his first career victory in only his fourth start, holding off Ken Schrader at Toledo Speedway.[8] However, a damper was put on Bulter's win as he bumped Michael McDowell out of the way in what some, including Schrader, called an unfair move.[9] Continuing to run as part of ESR and Michael Waltrip Racing's development program, he ran along teammates Justin Lofton and Scott Speed.[10] Butler was not victorious at all that year,[11] the only one of three cars on the team to do so. Despite that, he moved up to the NASCAR Nationwide Series for 2009. That year, Butler ran a limited schedule for Andy Belmont but struggled.[12]

Butler racing at Milwaukee in 2009.
Butler with R3 Motorsports at the Milwaukee Mile in 2009.

NASCAR

Balancing a part-time ARCA Racing Series schedule in 2007, Butler made two starts for Darrell Waltrip Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series, but failed to finish either of them.[13] Two years later, Butler signed with R3 Motorsports to run just about half the schedule in the Nationwide Series and named Aaron's as sponsor.[14] He ran well at intermediate tracks such as Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kentucky Speedway, recording top twenty results on those tracks, but struggled at short tracks like Richmond International Raceway, Dover International Speedway, Indianapolis Raceway Park and Iowa Speedway.[15] Out of a full-time ride in 2010, Butler ran one race for Rick Ware Racing in the Truck Series.[16] He did not return to NASCAR until 2013, when SR² Motorsports brought Butler back for an eight-race schedule, along with his brother Brett Butler for a few races.[17] Out of the eight races, Butler III failed to finish five but posted top-thirty finishes in all the races he finished.[18]

Personal life

Butler had his first child, Piper Shay, in 2009 with his wife Jamie.[19]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Nationwide Series

NASCAR Nationwide Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NNSC Pts Ref
2009 R3 Motorsports 23 Chevy DAY CAL
20 		LVS
17 		BRI TEX NSH
37 		PHO
28 		TAL RCH
35 		DAR CLT DOV
37 		NSH KEN
17 		MLW
26 		NHA
25 		DAY CHI GTY
25 		IRP
31 		IOW
33 		GLN
QL† 		MCH BRI
22 		CGV ATL RCH DOV
23 		KAN CAL CLT
35 		MEM TEX PHO
32 		HOM
27 		38th 1361 [20]
2013 SR² Motorsports 24 Toyota DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX RCH TAL DAR CLT DOV IOW
26 		KEN
24 		DAY NHA IND
32 		IOW GLN MOH BRI ATL
28 		RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN
32 		CLT
39 		TEX PHO HOM 46th 99 [21]
00 MCH
34 		ROA CHI
38
†- Qualified for Chris Cook.

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 NCWTC Pts Ref
2007 Darrell Waltrip Motorsports 00 Toyota DAY CAL ATL MAR KAN CLT MFD
36 		DOV TEX MCH MLW MEM
33 		KEN IRP NSH BRI GTW NHA LVS TAL MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 84th 119 [22]
2010 Rick Ware Racing 6 Chevy DAY ATL MAR NSH KAN DOV CLT TEX MCH IOW GTY IRP POC NSH DAR BRI CHI
27 		KEN NHA LVS MAR TAL TEX PHO HOM 105th 82 [23]

ARCA Re/Max Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Re/Max Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ARSC Pts Ref
2007 Eddie Sharp Racing 22 Dodge DAY USA
20 		NSH SLM
33 		KAN WIN TOL
1 		IOW
22 		POC BLN
9 		KEN POC MIL
32 		GTW DSF CHI SLM
11 		TAL TOL
14 		27th 1610 [24]
Toyota KEN
31 		MCH
7 		NSH
11 		ISF
2008 DAY
19 		SLM
20 		IOW
7 		KAN
7 		CAR
39 		KEN
4 		TOL
25 		POC
11 		MCH
7 		CAY
21 		KEN
28 		BLN
25 		POC
7 		NSH
6 		CHI
10 		SLM
19 		TAL
36 		TOL
11 		10th 4365 [25]
Dodge ISF
13 		DSF
19 		NJE
16
2009 Andy Belmont Racing 1 Ford DAY SLM CAR TAL KEN TOL POC MCH MFD IOW KEN BLN POC ISF
33 		CHI
28 		TOL
18 		DSF
22 		NJE
25 		SLM
10 		KAN CAR 41st 700 [26]

References

  1. ^ a b "Racin' Today » Lucky Dog My Paw: Racer Ken Butler III Says There's More To His Story Than A Powerful Papa". www.racintoday.com. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  2. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III Career Statistics - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  3. ^ "Featured Driver: Ken Butler III". ARCA Racing. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  4. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III 2005 Hooters Pro Cup Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  5. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III 2006 Hooters Pro Cup Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  6. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III 2007 Hooters Pro Cup Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  7. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III 2007 ARCA Re/Max Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  8. ^ "Ken Butler III Claims First Career ARCA RE/MAX Series Win". www.speed51archives.com. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  9. ^ "Butler's ARCA win tainted by bump". The Blade. 2007-05-21. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  10. ^ "Mid Season Grades: Ken Butler, III". ARCA Racing. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  11. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  12. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III 2009 ARCA Re/Max Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  13. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  14. ^ Panzariu, Ovidiu (2010-11-22). "Butler Secures Aaron Sponsoring Deal for 2009". autoevolution. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  15. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  16. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  17. ^ "SR2 Motorsports Announces Unique Driver Program with Butler Brothers". myemail.constantcontact.com. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  18. ^ "Driver Ken Butler III 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  19. ^ Bob, Jim. "Ken Butler III Ready for First Race As a Dad". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  20. ^ "Ken Butler III – 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  21. ^ "Ken Butler III – 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  22. ^ "Ken Butler III – 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  23. ^ "Ken Butler III – 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  24. ^ "Ken Butler III – 2007 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  25. ^ "Ken Butler III – 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  26. ^ "Ken Butler III – 2009 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.