Rowe & Matusek Looking to Handle Unfinished Business at NHRA Summernationals
ENGLISHTOWN, NJ – Danny Rowe and the Agave Underground Tequila Pro Mod team have been anticipating their return to Old 
Bridge Township Raceway Park for the NHRA Summernationals since they left the fabled facility exactly one year ago.
After qualifying number one amongst a who’s who of Pro Mod contenders, Rowe and wife, Val, caught an early flight home to attend the high school graduation of their youngest daughter, Cassidy. As hard as it was to leave the quickest and fastest car on the property in the trailer on race day, it was a decision that Rowe doesn’t regret.
“That was definitely a tough one,” says Rowe, “but I wouldn’t change it. Cassidy is the youngest of our three girls and I’m not even thinking about missing her graduation day. We knew we’d have another chance at Englishtown; we knew we’d have another chance to qualify number one and another chance to try and win the Summernationals. And, matter of fact, that next chance comes this weekend.
“This team has had a lot of good luck over there years in Englishtown,” continues Rowe, who along with having qualified number one in 2013 won the race in 2012. “Jimmy [Rector, crew chief] has a handle on the track and – believe me – he’s excited about this weekend. These Agave Underground hot rods have consistently been two of the best cars in the field all year, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. We’ve just got to do our thing – go out and put both the cars solidly in the show and take it round-by-round. The nitrous cars may had gotten all the attention coming out of the last race in Atlanta, but with Jimmy in our corner, I think we’ve got something for them.”
Matusek, who’s last trip to Old Bridge Township Raceway Park saw him behind the wheel of his twin-turbocharged Ford Mustang, is excited about seeing the historic quarter-mile from a new perspective – behind a supercharged, methanol-burnings Hemi.
“Honestly, it’s hard not to be excited,” says Matusek. “With the progress we’ve made at each race thus far, you get a little bit up on the tire just thinking about what will happen next. Right from the start, I think we had some pretty high expectations for this team and I’m proud that we’ve been able to live up to a lot of them. That said, coming into a race like Englishtown – a track that Jimmy Rector has had a lot of success at – I think, collectively, you simply expect to do well.
“Like I’ve said before, there’s an extremely competitive spirit amongst this group,” he continues. “We all love this and we enjoy it, but it’s also serious business – we’re going to every single one of these races with the intention of winning. We’re in a good place points-wise right now and all it’d take to make a big move is to put both these cars in the final, so that’s the plan.”
Qualifying for the 45th annual Toyota NHRA Summernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey starts at 3:30 PM EST on May 30th with a second session scheduled for 5:45 PM. Qualifying continues with a final session at 2:30 PM EST on Saturday, May 31st, and the opening round of eliminations at 5:00 PM. Final eliminations begin at 12:45 PM EST on Sunday, June 1st.
