Atlanta performance has Lucas Oil Racing TV rider Hector Arana Jr. on right track

 

ATLANTA (May 15) -- Lucas Oil Racing TV rider Hector Arana Jr. saw the big picture after falling in the first round of the 36th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals on Sunday at Atlanta Dragway.

 

For starters, Arana knows his team took big strides with his Pro Stock Motorcycle in Atlanta, giving him encouragement for the rest of the season. And though he lost to his dad in the first round, he knew one of the Arana Racing bikes was advancing.

 

"It's fun to race him in the finals, but even then it's bittersweet," Arana said. "But you know what? It guaranteed one of the bikes to go to the second round."

 

Arana qualified No. 9 in Atlanta, his best effort this season, and he was making a terrific pass in the first round Sunday before sitting up because his bike wouldn't shift.

 

"We're definitely on the right track," Arana said. "The bike was running good, and I was on a killer pass. I got a great light off the line, but we just had issues."

 

Arana had a .019-second reaction time and was quickly moving down the track before hitting some bumps.

 

"It didn't want to shift into 5th gear," Arana said. "We'll go back and pull all that out and check it out. It could've just been the fact that this track is really bumpy and there's a bump right there in 4th gear. That could've thrown everything off because the gears in these transmissions are very finicky. If they don't line up just right, it won't shift. Sometimes when you hit a big bump, it knocks the alignment off in the gears and it doesn't want to shift."

 

Both father and son were ready for the first round as Hector Sr.'s light was .016-second.

 

"Him and I have been doing a good job on the Tree and racing," Arana said. "Now we've just got to get some bikes ready to go some rounds because we are. We'll move forward. We're definitely on the right track. We'll be ready."

 

Today's race will air from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET. on FOX Sports 1.

Hector Arana Jr. qualified No. 9 in Atlanta, his best effort this season, and he was making a
terrific pass in the first round Sunday before sitting up because his bike wouldn't shift.

Visit LucasOil.com for info and GeigerMediaGlobal.com for images.