Lucas Oil Racing TV rider Hector Arana Jr. hopes to hit 'curveball' out of the park

DENVER (July 23) -- The mile-high altitude has thrown Lucas Oil Racing TV rider Hector Arana Jr. a curveball, but the talented Pro Stock Motorcycle racer still hopes he can hit one out of the park during final eliminations at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals on Sunday at Bandimere Speedway.

Arana, a two-time Denver finalist and a two-time No. 1 qualifier here, qualified No. 10 for this race, but he's still optimistic.

"For whatever reason, we've been thrown a curveball on our tune-ups," Arana said. "We were able to get four runs down the track, and we're looking at every little thing and going back to runs from last year. I have a good feeling for tomorrow, so we'll see what happens."

Arana's best pass was 7.237 seconds at 183.44 mph, but that only tells part of the story. His bike is launching well, and his 60-foot times have been among the best this weekend.

"The bike's been running good," Arana said. "I've been blasting off the start line. I've been No. 1 three out of the four sessions, and I was No. 2 the last session. I just have to figure out how to get it to run down the back half."

If he can combine a good start with a good finish, Arana will be dangerous on Sunday. He'll start eliminations against No. 7 qualifier Chip Ellis, whose best pass was 7.226 seconds at 186.23 mph.

"Denver is one of my favorite tracks, and we've had great success," Arana said. "We didn't get the lotto tickets (for qualifying first), but maybe we can bring home the Wally."

Arana could use a good showing to help him climb the Pro Stock Motorcycle points standings. He's currently 12th, 30 points out of the 10th-place cutoff for the Countdown to the Championship, which begins in Charlotte in September.

Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations start at noon, Sunday, and will be broadcast live on FOX from 1 to 4 p.m. (All times listed in MDT).

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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.

Lucas Oil Racing TV rider Hector Arana Jr. qualified No. 10 with a 7.237 at 183.44 mph and is optimistic about his chances of winning the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver.

 
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