Sat, 26 Sep 2009, 10:36 PM Nitro Fish News: Hartford qualifies 15th, Matt Smith 4th at Dallas

Courtesy of Joe Sherk

ENNIS, Tex. -- Matt Hartford, Eddie Guarnaccia and Kenny Koretsky's Nitro Fish Pro Stock Dodge team reached one of their goals Saturday -- qualifying for Sunday's O'Reilly Super Start Batteries Fall Nationals at hot, humid Texas Motorplex.

Hartford's elapsed time of 6.697 seconds at 206.16 mph on the day's first qualifying attempt put him 15th.

"We are very happy to be qualified," said Hartford, Phoenix, Ariz. "It doesn't really matter where you start, to win the race you have to be in the top 16 first. We will be racing Jason Line in the first round."

Line is the No. 2 starter after posting a time of 6.611 seconds at 209.33 mph.

"We are going to study real hard tonight and be ready for Jason," Hartford continued. "He obviously has more power than us, but we look at it as any car from 1 to 16 can win it. We want to get to the finish line first."

Matt Smith, riding the Nitro Fish Suzuki for Don Schumacher Racing, was fourth in Pro Stock Motorcycle, 6.944 at 191.21. His first-round foe is Junior Pippin, 7.904 at 188.12.

And Funny Car driver Tony Pedregon, who carries a Nitro Fish associate sponsorship on his Impala Funny Car, is 11th, 4.228 at 284.87 mph. He meets Bob Tasca III, No. 6, 4.188 at 291.26