It’s been twelve years in the making, but the 31st running of the NHRA SpringNationals last weekend in Houston was when it all finally came together for long-time racer Matt Hartford, as he collected his first career Pro Stock victory in a final round defeat of Erica Enders.

Hartford, the head of engineering and vice president of Total Seal Piston Rings, made his Pro Stock debut at Reading, Pennsylvania in 2006, following years of success in the sport compact drag racing arena. He later competed in Top Sportsman and Competition Eliminator with success at the divisional level, but still sought the taste of victory in the ultimate of doorslammer eliminators. When not developing the latest in racing piston ring technology back home in Arizona, he’s been toiling away on a part-time basis in Pro Stock, going rounds but never quite able to get over the hump and score that illusive victory.

Photo courtesy NHRA/National Dragster

In 2018, with power from Richard Freeman’s Elite Motorsports camp, Hartford and his Total Seal-emblazoned Camaro jumped right into contention; at Houston, he was not to be denied, qualifying 11th in the field and disposing of heavy-hitters Chris McGaha, Tanner Gray, Jeg Coughlin, and Enders in his first-ever professional finale. In doing so, he became just the 66th winner in the history of the factory hot rod eliminator.

“It’s been a long time coming. I started in Pro Stock in 2006 and it’s 2018. I’ve let the clutch out a few times and I’ve lost way more than I’ve won,” he said. “We struggled in qualifying and started in the back half of the field and had to work our way through. They asked me at the other end what I thought of the day and I said, ‘well they’ve always told me to be the best you’ve got to beat the best’ — Chis McGaha, Tanner Gray, Jeg Coughlin, Erica Enders … we earned this. And I didn’t leave on any of them. They all left on me, we just did a better job with our car today than the other teams.”

When you have horsepower, this is fun. When you struggle like I have for so many years and have carnage and don’t have power, the fun starts going away.

After struggling for so many years in arguably the sport’s most challenging of eliminators, one might question Hartford’s relentless drive to participate, and win.

“There’s a needle in my arm I keep trying to pull out called Pro Stock and every time I think I’m going to get away from this — and over the winter I was done, I said I’m not coming back, Richard Freeman called me and all but begged me to come back and said we need cars and you’ll have good power. — I get pulled back in. The biggest joke in our pits is I have his fifth-best motor; well his fifth-best motor is as good as his first-best one. When you have horsepower, this is fun. When you struggle like I have for so many years and have carnage and don’t have power, the fun starts going away. I still say I’m going to quit, but they all tell me I’m not, I’m just too stupid to quit. I’m going to race until the guys around me doe’t want to race anymore.”

Hartford credits his crew, all of whom are part-time and have day jobs through the week, for his success.

“We’re some of the closest-kit people that you can bring together. We have a good time out here, and to us this is not work. We have a great time, we go out and have a couple beers, we get up and we’re excited to be here. Without those guys working as hard as they do, I wouldn’t be here. My driving is not why we won — that is a fact.”

Photo courtesy NHRA/National Dragster

Snapping a more than decade-long winless streak — and an 0-7 skid against one of the class’ best — has Hartford brimming with confidence unlike any he’s experienced since his highly-competitive days in the sport compact realm.

“The next race we’re scheduled to go to is Topeka, but whenever it is, I know the next time we unload that car, that we can we have a car that can win. When I drove for David Nickens years ago, he told me you have to win the first round to know how to win the first round. He says take them round by round, and once you win your first race, you’ll know how to win.”

Hartford’s underdog-like victory was, in a sense, one for the ‘working man’, and following a well-earned celebration with his team, he was fittingly right back to work hammering out piston rings bright and early Monday morning. Only this time, with a little NHRA hardware to keep him company.