Sophomore Pro Stock standout Camrie Caruso earned her first career NHRA national event crown Sunday in front of a sold-out, capacity crowd at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Motorsports Park, defeating former series champion Bo Butner in the finale.
Caruso won the event with a run of 6.592 at 210.31 in her Powerbuilt Tools Camaro to slip past Butner’s 6.593, becoming just the second female to win in Pro Stock in NHRA history. The second-year driver impressed throughout eliminations, also giving the new KB Titan Racing team its first victory.
She opened raceday by knocking off Deric Kramer, got past No. 1 qualifier Cristian Cuadra and then got past Matt Hartford on a holeshot. Caruso, who reached one final round a year ago en route to winning NHRA Rookie of the Year honors, was first off the line in the final round as well, securing a victory and a moment she won’t forget.
“It was so awesome to get the win,” Caruso said. “I just went out there like it was another round and tried my best to do my job because I knew the guys were going to do their job. I’m just excited and thankful. I was really hoping we’d start the year off with a really good bang. There’s just a whole bunch of people here that I couldn’t have done it without, especially my team and our partners. This new team, working with them has really been great and I just wanted to hold up my end of the bargain.”
Ironically, Caruso’s only other NHRA final round was in another venue’s final race, the 2022 SpringNationals in Houston, where she lost to Erica Enders.
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