The husband-and-wife JHG Mountain Motor Pro Stock team of Bo and Randi Lyn (RL) Butner came into the first race of the six-event series with high hopes and good intentions, and so far, they’re hitting all the high points. Thus far this weekend at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at Charlotte’s zMAX Dragway, Bo claimed the No. 1 qualifying position, RL made an impressive transition from Stock Eliminator to a ferocious Mountain Motor Pro Stocker, and their twin Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Chevrolet Camaros were honored with NHRA’s Best Appearing award.
“First off, I have to thank Jason Johnson for sponsoring this series and Randi Lyn and I. He loves this class – it’s old school with big hood scoops, it just sounds cool,” said Butner, the 2017 world champion who campaigned a JHG Chevrolet Camaro in Pro Stock’s traditional 500-cid category in each of the most recent two seasons. “We’re having a lot of fun, and Jason has been great to us. He’s awesome for this sport. He loves it like we do.”
Bo, who was a 12-time low qualifier in 500-cid Pro Stock, earned the first pole of the 2024 Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock series with a very quick 6.205-second pass at 227.04 mph in his Frank Gugliotta-tuned JHG entry. RL drove her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage-branded Chevy to a pleasing 6.250, 224.92 to lock down the No. 5 position in the eight-car field.
“We’ve got a pretty good team here,” said Butner. “She’s driving way better than me; she’s really exceptional, and I’ve got a lot of confidence in her.
“As for this car, it’s always been awesome. You could put a lot of drivers in here and be No. 1, but I just want to turn win lights on. Randi Lyn was within five-thou’ of me out the back, and I’m really happy with that and just very proud of her.”
In a Chevy vs. Ford competition, Bo won the first round of eliminations on Saturday evening over No. 8 qualifier Alan Drinkwater. His pass of 6.220, 225.86 defeated his opponent’s 6.275, 222.80, and he’ll get to race on Sunday for the first JHG Mountain Motor Pro Stock trophy up for grabs. RL lost a good race with longtime Mountain Motor campaigner John DeFlorian, who utilized a 6.257, 224.36 to down her 6.297, 223.80.
No matter what happens on Sunday, the JHG Chevrolets will leave with a trophy – the NHRA Best Appearing Car award landed in their camp in honor of their stealthy and stunning black-matte and chromed red wrapped rides.
“When we decided that we were going to do this, Randi Lyn worked on designing the cars and showed Jason a couple of renderings, and he said he really liked flat black. So, we came back with this, and he loved it,” said Bo. “Everybody loves how they turned out. They’re cool wraps, and the [reverse designs] work together. Maybe if it was just one, it wouldn’t work – but together, they’re just awesome. We’re pretty excited to get that Best Appearing award. Now tomorrow we need to go get the Wally.”
Eliminations at the 14th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte are scheduled to begin at noon ET on Sunday, April 28.
This story was originally published on April 28, 2024. 
