“We all want to win, no question, and we’re definitely putting forth a winning effort, but as we go along, I think building a strong team is just as important as immediate success,” says Rowe. “We had a very strong outing in Gainesville, putting two cars in the top half of the field and Kirk made it to the semis. That showing, even though it was only our first outing as a team, is proof positive that having the right guys around us is crucial.”
Houston Raceway Park, home of the O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals, is a notoriously fast race track, sitting just 10 feet above sea level and right off the Gulf of Mexico, but the heat expected in Texas this weekend may prevent the record breaking performances seen here in the past.
“I think it’s going to be warm,” says Rowe, driver of the Hottinger Group ’67 Camaro. “I think a mid teen will qualify and we’ll definitely be down in the 6.0s, but I don’t know if we’ll see a whole lot of five-second passes. The track has what it takes, though.”
That elusive five-second pass is one other thing on the minds of anyone racing in Pro Modified right now, especially Danny Rowe and Kirk Kuhns. With the Jimmy Rector horsepower between the frame rails of both of the Hottinger Group hot rods, but it’s only a small portion of the championship-scale goals of Danny Rowe Racing.
“I’d like to run a five [second pass], of course, there are a lot of guys doing it and it’s an exclusive accomplishment,” says Rowe. “But the fact of the matter is that we’re looking to win a championship and that has to come first.It’s obviously a goal of ours and everyone out here wants to go fast, but our primary initiative is winning rounds and winning races. It’s early in the season, so it’s hard to gauge, I just feel that it’s going to take a consistently quick race car – our focus is on getting down the drag strip and going from A to B under power every lap.”
Crew chief Jimmy Rector is a big fan of having the fastest hot rod on the property, though. “Having the fastest car on the property makes going rounds a whole lot easier,” says Rector. “We’re going to Houston with intentions of getting after it. It’s up to us to make sure Danny and Kirk have everything they need to get the job done on Sunday. I know we’ll be doing our part.”
Information regarding Danny Rowe Racing can be found at www.dannyrowe.com
Visit Danny Rowe Racing Sponsors: www.gainsboroughcapital.com , www.weldracing.com, www.hottingergroup.com, www.impactracing.com, www.hoosiertire.com, www.redlineoil.com, www.ngk.com, www.weldracing.com, www.permatex.com, www.promodzone.com