Jeff Dobbins might have been kidding when he spoke to newly crowned Extreme Pro Stock champion Matt Hartford, but then again, he may have been serious.

Hartford stood on the roof of the Billy Dingman Racing Chevrolet Cobalt, the same Wilson Manifolds-sponsored Extreme Pro Stocker celebrating his third career world championship.

Hartford won't drive the car next year, Dobbins will.

Jeff Dobbins might have been kidding when he spoke to newly crowned Extreme Pro Stock champion Matt Hartford, but then again, he may have been serious.

Hartford stood on the roof of the Billy Dingman Racing Chevrolet Cobalt, the same Wilson Manifolds-sponsored Extreme Pro Stocker celebrating his third career world championship.

Hartford won't drive the car next year, Dobbins will.

“Listen, you ever put a scratch on my car and we’ll have words. You don’t stand on my car,” said Dobbins, cracking his trademark smile. “You’re lucky you’re leaving because there’s a footprint on my roof.”

If serious, there’s a reason why Dobbins was being protective over his new territory. This ride is one that he’s wanted since becoming a Pro Stock driver, after wrapping up a successful sportsman career that yielded a Top Sportsman series championship.

Dobbins was scheduled to run in qualifying for the 2010 ADRL season-opener, but as the schedule was presented, the first qualifying session for that event was on Friday, hours before the championship-determining Battle for the Belts competition was to get underway. Instead of Dobbins getting a shot at qualifying for the event, the team elected to provide Hartford with an opportunity to get one more run in before gunning for the title.

“It was killing me to watch, but those guys have worked hard all year long and they had a lot to run for, so I was there to help and support them towards winning a championship,” Dobbins admitted.

Dobbins got his first shot in his new ride when he was inserted into the short field for the first 2010 event. His first run with the team was in the first round of Saturday’s eliminations.

Even though he lost in the first round, Dobbins knows a potential second championship for the Dingman Racing operation is a definite possibility.

Instead of wearing the Underdog suit, as he has in the past, Dobbins can take pride in the fact he’ll be racing for a team with a healthy share of resources to throw at a championship, and this time when he comes to race, he’s doing so as the primary driver.

“This is the ultimate job for me,” Dobbins confirmed. “We'll be able to race and funding won't be a problem, and you know we won't have to deal with two cars. Although, we might run two cars at a couple of races.”

If and when that time comes there’s a strong likelihood the driver of the second car will be Rob Mansfield, the team’s original driver.

Having the best parts a team can buy and a championship-dedicated crew should make life a little easier for Dobbins. Not having to worry about anything but driver, Dobbins can concentrate fully on his driving.

“We eat, sleep and drink drag racing, and you know I'm doing it somewhere every weekend,” Dobbins said. “So this, if anything, may ease it a little bit, just having everything we need to operate with.”

Including an Extreme Pro Stocker without any scratches on the roof.

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