KB3 embarks on his NNS series career with start at Auto Club Speedway

FONTANA, Cali (Feb. 21, 2009) The anticipation of making his first NASCAR Nationwide Series race was weighing heavily on the mind of young 26-year old Ken Butler III. Taking on a two-mile monster like Auto Club Speedway is one thing on any day; completing your first race there is another.

KB3 did both driving the No. 23 Aaron's Lucky Dog Dream Machine to a top-20 finish in Saturdays Stater Bros 200. Starting 24th, Butler would break into the top-20 by lap 35, of 150, and pretty much stayed right around there for the entire race.

Utilizing chassis and air pressure adjustments from the crew on pit stops, Butler would remain a top-20 car only dropping down the order via green-flag stops. The crew busted off some quick stops keeping their driver and team competitive all night. Strategic calls by Tom Brewer, crew chief, made the difference as Butler fought tight handling conditions for much of the race.

Visiting the track today was Divisional Vice President, West Coast Kevin Hrvatin as he had a large contingency from Aaron's - including some of his top performers - who were all in attendance taking part in a meet and greet with their driver, taking photos and getting autographs. It was a great day at Auto Club Speedway for Aaron's at the track and on it, too.

In the end, the Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender didn't mark up the car, irk any of his fellow competitors and learned much valuable information to use another time.
Ken Butler III, driver

How does it feel to get that first one under your belt: Sometimes we were real tight and sometimes we weren't as tight. Its kind of frustrating because I've never done a green-flag pit stop before today. I'm really happy that I finished the race. This is definitely a huge learning curve and I learned something on every lap tonight. I'm pretty happy; you always want to run well, but every time I got near the green car (No. 89 Morgan Shepherd) I couldn't get by him there at the end to gain another position.

My parents (Ken Butler, CEO Aaron's Rents and wife, Julia) were here tonight and they had some people from Aaron's here tonight, too. He seemed pretty pleased with how we did and that makes me happy. I think everyone at Aaron's has been kind of following along to see how I did in my first race. I hope they're happy as I am that we finished with a top-20.
Ken Butler, KB3s dad: I am very happy and pleased with how KB3 today. He finished the race and brought it home in one piece; this was a great day for him and everyone at Aaron's. Were all looking forward to Las Vegas to see him race again in the Aaron's Lucky Dog Dream Machine.

What did you (KB3) learn that surprised you: In the beginning of a run, I was trying to learn what I needed for the car to be good at the end of that run. At the start, wed be tight and then wed get loose later in the run. Wed make adjustments and get free, but be good in a long run. Just trying to figure out what the car wanted on a long run was something I was trying to figure out.

How about racing against your competitors: I was pretty much racing by myself for quite awhile. Once we got down on a lap during those initial green-flag runs; it was tough to get back on the lead lap. Some of those other drivers would haul down into a turn a lot deeper than I would. They would just be gone when they left those turns leaving me there. Sometimes, wed be real tight and sometimes we weren't as tight. I'm just going to take a couple of days to figure out what happened and let this race soak into my brain. These R3 Motorsports cars are capable of top-10 and top-15 finishes. But, for this being my first race I cant complain too much about how it all ended.

Feel better now than you did before the race: I feel worse because I wanted a better finish! (Laughs)