Arana has finished in the top five in the points standings in each of his five seasons in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. To start 2016, though, he struggled out of the gate.
But he qualified No. 3 in Englishtown, N.J., and raced to the second round, and he followed that up with another top-half qualifying effort at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals this weekend at Summit Motorsports Park.
"I'm very pleased with this Lucas Oil Racing TV Buell," Arana said. "We're starting to make some progress. It's been a long road, but I feel like we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
"We're definitely on the right track. The bike is consistently leaving the line well."
Arana snared the No. 8 qualifying spot with a pass of 6.890 seconds at 193.27 mph, but he was especially proud of his run in the final session, 6.925 seconds at 193.24 mph, run in the heat of the day Saturday. That was the fourth-quickest run for the round, and with higher temperatures expected Sunday, it could bode well for him in eliminations.
"We stumbled on a couple of things right before the last session," Arana said. "Unfortunately, it was before the worst session of the day, weather-wise. The heat was there, so we were unable to run faster than the prior sessions because of the conditions. We're on the right track, though.
"It was a good run in the heat, and we found some stuff. My 60-foot was a little off, but it was still right there at No. 2. We'll work at it, go from there, and see what happens."
Arana will have to race his dad in the first round Sunday, as Hector Sr. qualified No. 9 with a pass of 6.897 seconds at 194.97 mph.
"We have to race each other in the first round, but it guarantees one bike going to the second round," Arana said. "We'll go from there. We're both going to work our hardest, and whoever has the best tune-up and is on their game will be the guy who wins."
The first two rounds of eliminations will air live on FOX Sports 1 beginning at noon, Sunday, with a three-hour recap later in the evening, starting at midnight.
Lucas Oil Racing TV is the first streaming TV network dedicated solely to the world of motorsports -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The new network is the world's premier motorsports destination. Programming includes live and pre-taped racing, expanded pre- and post-race action, behind-the-scenes content, unseen interviews, automobile build shows, and an extensive library of national and international motorsports content. The app is available through www.LucasOilRacing.TVfor viewing on smartphones and tablets, as well as Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Android Tablets, and Roku. Subscriptions are $59.99 with a one-year agreement, or $6.99 a month for a pay-as-you-go plan. Sign-ups are available now on www.LucasOilRacing.TV.
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| Lucas Oil Racing TV rider Hector Arana Jr. snared the No. 8 qualifying spot with a 6.890 at 193.27 mph and will face father Hector Sr. in round one at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. |
Visit LucasOil.com, LucasOilRacing.TV, and GeigerMediaGlobal.com for more information.
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