Red-light a surprising end to Lucas Oil rider Hector Arana Sr.'s Four-Wide race

CHARLOTTE (April 24) -- The last thing Lucas Oil Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Hector Arana Sr. expected was a red-light, but that's what the 2009 champion saw as he left in the semifinal round of the seventh annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals presented by Lowes Foods on Sunday at zMax Dragway, ending his second race of the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

"I don't know what happened; I really don't," Arana said. "I know I saw the light and I reacted, but to my surprise it was a red-light."

Arana left .015-second too soon, joining past Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Angelle Sampey on the sidelines after they both red-it in the semifinals.

Arana had ridden well at the season opener in Gainesville, Fla., leaving first on his final three opponents. His .073-second light in the first round here was second-best, and he won that quad with a pass of 6.836 seconds at 196.56 mph, but he and Sampey were out early in the semifinals.

"It surprised me, too," Arana said. "Sometimes I don't know what it is. Things seem to be going my way this year. I hope I keep doing well through the whole year and finish where I want to finish at the end of the year."

Arana has had a fast start to the season, reaching the final in Gainesville and standing third in the Pro Stock Motorcycle points race. In Charlotte, he qualified sixth and had a fast, consistent bike all weekend.

"That's one less bike I have to worry about," Arana said. "It ran good and had good mile an hour. So far everything looks good, so it's just minor work when we get back to the shop. I can take my time and find out what's going on with Hector (Arana Jr.'s) motor so he can be up to speed."

Hector Jr. failed to qualify for the Charlotte race.

Lucas Oil rider Hector Arana Sr. reached the semifinals of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte,
leaving the event in third place in the Pro Stock Motorcycle standings.

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One streak continues, one streak ends for Lucas Oil Pro Stock Motorcycle team

CHARLOTTE (April 23) -- While one big qualifying streak continued for Arana Racing, another came to an unexpected end.

Lucas Oil Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Hector Arana Sr. qualified for his 140th consecutive race, which is the seventh-longest active streak in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, but son Hector Arana Jr. couldn't get his Lucas Oil Racing TV Buell into the field of the seventh annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals presented by Lowes Foods, ending a streak of 80 races that dated back to his debut in 2011.

Arana Sr., coming off a runner-up finish at the season opener in Gainesville, Fla., qualified No. 6 with a pass of 6.842 seconds at 196.16 mph. He'll be in the quad with No. 3 Angelle Sampey, No. 11 Karen Stoffer, and No. 14 Shawn Gann.

"My bike is doing well," Arana Sr. said. "We made some little changes and it's responding, so that's good. It's gratifying because you can see the changes, and that way you can know which way to go to improve."

Still, Arana Sr. is disappointed that his son won't be able to race on Sunday.

"No, it's not easy at all," Arana Sr. said. "If I could go back, I'd give him my engine. It is what it is. We just have to go back home, and I'll put that motor back on the dyno and see where the problem is. We've got to find it, whether it's in the engine or the wiring or the chassis. We're going to find it."

Arana Jr., who holds the elapsed time and speed records here, vows to fight on after ending up No. 18 for the 16-bike field.

"Never give up, never quit," Arana Jr. said. "This is only going to make us stronger. When we figure out the problem, we're going to be good to go. It might take another race; hopefully it doesn't. I prefer to have this happen now than this happen at the end of the season.

"In past years, we've done great in the beginning and struggled at the end. Hopefully, this is a turn."

Arana Jr. is confident his team will pinpoint the issue and be better in the long run.

"We've got a lot of things going on that hopefully here shortly they all come together," Arana Jr. said. "Hopefully we'll be having everybody crying and hating us."

Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations begin around 1 p.m., Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will air qualifying action from 10 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, and elimination racing from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., Sunday. All times are listed in Eastern time zone.

Lucas Oil Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Hector Arana Sr. (above) qualified for his 140th consecutive race, which is the seventh-longest active streak in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, but son Hector Arana Jr. (below) couldn't get his Lucas Oil Racing TV Buell into the field in Charlotte.

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Past Four-Wide winner Hector Arana Jr. ready for more Charlotte success

CHARLOTTE (April 19) -- While some racers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series may look at the seventh annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals presented by Lowes Foods this weekend with apprehension and dismay, Lucas Oil Racing TV rider Hector Arana Jr. welcomes the unique race.

Instead of two opponents going at it like at every other national event, four racers do battle at the same time this weekend. It often takes extra focus and preparation, and attitude can take a racer a long way.

"I've been very successful at the Four-Wide," Arana said. "The first time I raced it, I won, and then last year I went to the final. I just focus on what I do at a regular race, and you just have some extra lights. You have to pay a little more attention to the other two riders who are racing with you."

Arana won the Four-Wide Nationals in 2013 and raced to the final round a year ago, setting the track record for elapsed time (6.794 seconds) and speed (199.88 mph) along the way.

Another unique feature of the Four-Wide event is that a racer can lose in a quad, yet still advance by being second across the finish line.

"In a way, it's almost like you have an extra chance," Arana said. "If someone beats you, you can still go to the next round. It's neat, and it's cool to be a part of the Four-Wide experience. I'm excited for it."

Arana is also ready to put the season-opening race in Gainesville, Fla., behind him. After struggling with some parts issues, he qualified for the race in the final session, but then lost in the first round of eliminations.

"We've worked hard since Gainesville," Arana said. "We feel like we figured out some issues we had, so hopefully we'll be back on top and running strong. We'll do our best and see what happens this weekend.

"We definitely have what it takes. We just had a little mishap with some parts. That's just part of racing. Hopefully, we've been able to fix everything that was wrong, and we'll be good to go. We feel pretty confident."

Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying sessions are scheduled for 4:30 and 6:30 p.m., Friday, and 2 and 4 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at 1 p.m., Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will air qualifying action from 10 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, and elimination racing from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., Sunday. All times are listed in Eastern Time zone.

Hector Arana Jr. won the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in 2013 and raced to the final round a year ago, setting the track record for elapsed time (6.794 seconds) and speed (199.88 mph) along the way.

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Lucas Oil rider Hector Arana Sr. primed for big weekend in Charlotte

 CHARLOTTE (April 19) -- The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season has started well for Lucas Oil rider Hector Arana Sr., and now he heads to a track where his team holds the record for elapsed time and speed.

Son Hector Jr. set the zMax Dragway e.t. and speed marks last season, and Arana raced to the final round at the 2016 season opener in Gainesville, Fla., and he is in line for a solid race at the seventh annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals presented by Lowes Foods this weekend.

"We're all excited and looking forward to the Four-Wide," Arana said. "Hector ran a fast speed and e.t. there last year, so we'll try and stay focused and hopefully make some more good laps. We're focusing on Hector Jr."

As the team owner and father, Arana wants to make sure his son is in his best position to succeed, especially after struggling in Gainesville, where Hector Jr. made it into the field in the final qualifying session before losing in the first round.

"I definitely want to keep the momentum going," Arana said. "But my biggest concentration is on Hector Jr. so his bike can run as well as mine or even better. That's what I want. If he does well, then that's less stress for me and I can concentrate on my program."

Hector Jr.'s speed of 199.88 mph in Charlotte last March is also the NHRA record, meaning the elusive 200-mph barrier could be within reach, but Arana isn't worried about chasing it.

"We want it; we want it really bad," Arana said. "I don't think it's going to happen this weekend, but I can't think about it because I don't want to lose focus on the big picture."

Arana has a sparkling record in Charlotte, winning in 2009 and going to the final round in 2010 and 2013. The 2010 race was the first Four-Wide event, and he finished as the runner-up. That experience has him relaxed when facing the unique four-wide format.

"I try not to think about it," Arana said. "I just go at it and do what we know what to do. That's the state of mind that I'm going to stay in. I'm going to stay focused and see what happens. It is what it is, so I'll do my best and hope that it's good enough."

Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying sessions are schedule for 4:30 and 6:30 p.m., Friday, and 2 and 4 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at 1 p.m., Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will air qualifying action from 10 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, and elimination racing from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., Sunday. All times are listed in Eastern Time zone.

Lucas Oil rider Hector Arana Sr. raced to the final round at the 2016 season opener in Gainesville, Fla., and is in line for a solid weekend at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte.

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