Photos and interview by Dwight Drum
Web work by Gary Larsen
Introduction by Neal Fisher

Ken Butler III

"Everything has to go together."

Introduction by Neal Fisher, broadcast journalist and Cool Contributor for Zoomster.com

At the age of 23 he already has five years of racing experience, but Ken Butler III is a rookie in the Hooters Pro Cup Series and continues to the learn the ropes of motor sports racing. He drives for Michael Waltrip and currently sits in the nineteenth position in the point standings.

"It's a good training ground," Butler, who makes his home in Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, said during a mid-season interview. "It's teaching me how to drive stock cars. It's a learning curve, but so far I love it. I'd love it more if we started running good. "

At the top of that list of learning is what makes a good team tick. The answer is chemistry, working together and hard work. Butler acknowledged teamwork is the biggest thing about the sport of auto racing. Without teamwork there is no opportunity for everything to come together. Then there is the drive within a racer and Butler is no different. Basically every driver races to and wants to win every race, but it is different for every man behind the wheel. He views it as there being so much of a kick in all areas of the program when one wins. Drivers can't win every race so they shoot for the best finish, but at the same time he doesn't settle for second or third. When these things come together for Butler, racing becomes a rhythm, he gets in a zone, and doesn't need to think about it. You can feel how fast you are going, but you can't really describe it.

On the lighter side he compared his racing style to his driving style on public highways. "What's different about me? he asked. "Before I started racing I thought I was king of the highways. I can go 80 mph while someone is going 60 mph and just go by them. On the track everybody is going the same speed. You can't just go zooming in and out of traffic. It's more difficult. You've got to be patient. You've got to respect everybody. You've got to respect the speed you are going."

And, of course, it doesn't hurt a developing career when Michael Waltrip comes calling. Butler's dad is the president of Aaron's and sponsors Waltrip in his Busch Series venture. Knowing the Butler's were racers themselves, he contracted with him. They ran some ASA races with Waltrip's equipment and then decided to go Hooters Cup racing."

Time: Midseason 2005
Place: USA International Speedway Lakeland, Fla.

"I'm a third, KB3."

"Chemistry. Working together. Hard work. Everything has to go together. You've got to have teamwork. That's the biggest thing about this sport."

"I don't know what makes me different. I don't know. I think just think the need for speed. "

"Five years. This will be our fifth year racing. It's cool."

"My dad is the president of Aaron's and sponsors Michael. He knew that we race. We just contracted with him. We ran some ASA races and decided to go Hooters Cup racing."

"It's a good training ground. It's teaching me how to drive these stock cars. It's a learning curve for me and I love it so far. I guess I'd love it more if we start running good. "

"23."

"When you're in a car you're so focused, you can't really describe it when you're in that mode. You can feel how fast you are going, but you can't really describe it."

"Once you get in a rhythm, once you get in a zone, you don't want to think about it. You're just focused on doing what you're doing. It's not really I'm on focus, you're in a zone. You don't really think about it."

"What's different about me? Before I started racing I thought I was king of the highways. It's a different world once you get in a race car."

"You can't just go zooming in and out of traffic like you think you can. (On Highways) "It's more difficult. You've got to be patient. You've got to respect everybody. You've got to respect the speed you are going.

"Not really. I can go 80 mph while someone is going 60 mph and just go by them. When you're racing a car everybody is going about the same speed. "

"The will to win? Basically every racer is here to race every race. There's so much kick for you to win. You know you can't do that every race so just shooting for the best finish. You can't settle for second and you can't settle for third. If you're having a bad night the best you do is good I guess. I can't really describe it. "

As with USA International Speedway we urge all to drive safely on all highways.