Danny Rowe enters this weekend’s Toyota NHRA SuperNationals riding a wave of momentum. The Laguna Hills, Calif., native is coming off his first win of the season, is the current NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx points leader and the defending race winner at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
At the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in April, Rowe powered his Sterling Bridge ’67 Camaro to victory over Kenny Lang in the final round. This was the third career victory for Rowe and jump starts the beginning of the season for he and his team.
“Any time you get a win it puts confidence in the whole team,” Rowe said. “It also gives you an appreciation for all the hard work and dedication that my team has shown me, all of them: Jimmy, Junior, Karen, Darryl, Chop, Michael, and Donnie.”
In the first three races of the 2012 season, two different drivers have been No. 1 qualifiers and there have been three different winners. Rowe knows the field is wide open and success isn’t a guarantee each weekend.
“The NHRA Pro Mod Series has been crazy; every car that shows up has a shot at winning the race,” Rowe said. “You never know what is going to happen. The quality of the teams that are participating is world class. It seems every year different combinations have a little advantage. Last year it was the turbos; this year the nitrous cars have picked up and we are a little behind them. All we can do is keep working hard and try to stay competitive.”
Rowe has raced in the series since its inception in 2010 and in each of the two years he has finished just outside of the No. 1 position, including 31 points behind the champion last year. He enters the Toyota NHRA SuperNationals as the points leader by the narrowest of margins, one point, and the focus of the team is to continue racing each round as hard as they can.
“Every year we go out there with the goal of winning a championship, and this year is no different,” Rowe said. “We are dedicated to do whatever we can for us to make that happen.”
Ricke Smith, Leah Pruett, Jay Payne and 2010 Englishtown event winner Von Smith will all take to the track in their nearly high-horsepower Pro Mod machines that are some of the most exciting racecars on the planet.
Featuring the world’s fastest and most unique doorslammer cars with an extremely diverse collection of vehicles, including ’63 Corvettes, ’68 Camaros, ’67 Mustangs, ’68 Firebirds, as well as late model cars, the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx offers something for every kind of hot-rodding enthusiast.
• SCHEDULE: NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 3:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on June 1 and at 1:45 p.m. on June 2. The first round of Pro Mod eliminations begins on June 2 at 4:15 p.m. Pro Mod eliminations continue on June 3.
