Danny Rowe and teammate Steve Matusek are sponsored by Agave Underground Tequila (a Burkster bench checked and approved Tequila).  (Steve Gruenwald photo)

Perennial NHRA hitter Danny Rowe was the number-one qualifier driving his Jimmy Rector-tuned supercharged’68 Chevy Camaro had Low ET and Top Speed of the meet (5.858/250.55). Rowe was consistently the quickest and fastest car in eliminations but was trailered in the semifinals by Rickie Smith who treed him by .044 with a .041 RT to Danny’s respectable for a supercharged car .085.
 
Castellana was consistent in his four runs to the win but did need a holeshot to beat supercharger racer Steven Whiteley in the quarter-finals, making a 5.96 ET stand up against a late Whitley who wasted a fine 5.91/246 effort. Castelland then had to overcome a .029 holeshot by Canadian star Ray Commisso to drive around him in the lights with a 6.08/238 to Commisso’s 6.15/240.   

Troy Coughlin  (Adam Cranmer photo)

Runner-up Rickie Smith, the No. 5 qualifier in his IDG ‘12 Chevy Camaro, was looking for his second victory at Gainesville, having defeated Castellana in the final here two years prior. The father of two-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle defending world champion Matt Smith, Smith took out Kevin Fiscus, Troy Coughlin and No. 1 qualifier Danny Rowe on the way to the final.