BO
BUTNER
It’s not your only example of some off-the-
cuff action. You’ve had the Nitro Fish trailer for
almost a year now. That’s a very recognizable
name in the sport and you’ve added some rac-
ers to it and done some unique things. What
was the plan behind all of that?
Kenny (Koretsky) and I are kind of partners on
it. I took it over and I kind of acquired it, but if
it were ever to sell and go big nationwide, Kenny
and I would have to write up a big contract or
something like that. As of now, it’s just kind of a
verbal agreement. He’s happy, we’re happy and
it’s fun to do.
I actually had a couple of vendors, where they
would have some of my shirts, I would pay for
them and give them the shirts and never get any
money back. As I’m talking to other racers, they’re
all getting the same deal. I’ve known Kenny a
while, and I called him up right before the U.S.
Nationals and I said, “Hey, I know you still have
the Nitro Fish trailer. Is there any way I could
rent or borrow that from you for Indy?” I had
a lot of inventory of shirts left and Indy is our
home track, so I thought I’m just going to pay
for a spot and sell some shirts.
Before I could get that out of my mouth, he’s
like, “Let’s bring back Nitro Fish.” He said you
just take it over and do it. He had some old in-
ventory we moved, and it’s actually worked out
great because it is one of the iconic names in drag
some of my good times, which is good. She’s a
car girl and I could probably just leave it that.
She has a passion for cars as much or more than
me. She’s been by my side pretty much every day
and if I tell her, “Pack a bag, we’re going to go to
California tomorrow,” she would say, “OK, let’s
go.” It’s tough to find that.
racing. We’re going to do some neat stuff with that
coming up, maybe wrap the car old-school style
like Kenny used to have. It’s cool, but everybody
remembers Nitro Fish.
I just really planned to do it for one race in Indy.
But all the drivers, they’re all happy, and they all
sell a lot of product, and that’s good. If we can
just get them a little bit more money, the whole
goal is to keep everybody racing.
I’m not sure the other vendors are real happy,
but Kenny was around a long time and put a lot
of people out there. He’s helped a lot of racers.
I understand Randi Lyn handles all the on-
line orders for the Nitro Fish deal, too. But your
relationship with her seems to be so important
in a lot of aspects. How has that impacted your
career?
She was with me through all my bad times,
and now she’s starting to be with me through
Through all the ups and downs, you’ve man-
aged to end up in a pretty good place. You’re
10-plus years sober and have enjoyed a lot of
success racing and in business. Looking back
at the journey you’ve been on, what sticks out
about how you managed to pull through?
I went away to rehab for 16 weeks and I had to
learn a lot. A lot of stuff has stuck in my head, but
it only works if it comes from you. I was locked
up before for drunk driving, a lot of different
things that should have made me quit drinking,
but nothing did. Eventually something clicked
in (me) and some people never get it, and that’s
the sad part. I get so many AA members and
people who are one-day sober or 40 years sober
who come up and talk to me, and I love to hear
their stories.
I still get a lot of parents who will send me
messages, and even some kids who have some
struggles, and, again, all I can tell you is what
works for me. The first thing I had to do was be
honest with myself, and I have to do it every day
because it would be very easy to jump right back
in. I know how I was before and what it did to
me before, so it’s not an option. I tell them you
have to like the person you look at in the mirror
every morning. That’s where it starts. If you’re
not happy there, you’re not going to be happy
anywhere.
DI DI DI
DI DI DI DI
DI DI DI
90 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
Issue 134
probably bought 10 or so the last couple years
from this d eal. So in some ways, (being recogniz-
able) helps every once in a while. I hate to say it,
but some people might want to sell a Pro Stock
world champion a car over somebody they don’t
know. It’s a good conversation piece.