Arana Racing: October 2016

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Vegas a "turnaround" race for Lucas Oil Racing TV's Hector Arana Jr.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 30) - Lucas Oil Racing TV racer Hector Arana Jr. has had an un-Arana Jr.-like season in 2016, but he was back to normal at the NHRA Toyota Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Arana Jr. rode well during eliminations Sunday, cutting two good lights and leaving first on both competitors he faced.

"This weekend was a big turnaround weekend for me," Arana Jr. said. "I felt really good today as a rider, calm and relaxed. I got back in my groove. I felt like I did when I was winning races back-to-back. I was really calm and focused, took my time on the starting line and I felt like I did a really good job out there today: .013 first round, .024 second round, left on both opponents."

His dad, Lucas Oil Buell racer Hector Arana Sr., didn't fare as well, losing in the first round to Angie Smith.

Arana Jr. sits 10th in the Pro Stock Motorcycle points standings after a tough season, but he rebounded well in Vegas, qualifying No. 7 and racing to the second round. He beat Karen Stoffer in the first round with a .013-second reaction time and a 6.995-second pass at 192.36 mph. Stoffer trailed with a pass of 7.035 seconds at 191.65 mph.

Arana Jr. faced No. 2 qualifier Eddie Krawiec in the second round and left first again, with an .024 light. But Arana's pass of 7.027 seconds at 191.16 mph wasn't enough to hold off Krawiec's 6.948-second run at 193.18 mph.

"Unfortunately we slowed down," Arana Jr. said. "We are going to go through the motor and try to figure out why because nothing shows a definite reason for it to slow down, so we have to look into the motor because it slowed down quite a bit in the middle. Hopefully we will get all of that figured out, and we'll have one more shot at Pomona."

Arana Sr. didn't have the same kind of luck as his son, as the No. 6 qualifier lost on a holeshot in the first round. Arana made a solid pass, 6.968 seconds at 192.77 mph, but he couldn't catch Smith's slower 7.052-second run at 187.86 mph.

The reason Smith's .021 light was way ahead of Arana Sr.'s .116-second reaction time?

"You hear that hesitation?" Arana Sr. said after a slight pause. "That's what happened in my brain. It was slow and I had a bad reaction so she sent me home. But the bike ran good. I made a small change and it responded to that change so I'm going to keep playing that direction and see if we can pick up the pace for Pomona."

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Saturday, October 29, 2016

Top-half qualifying spot has Lucas Oil Racing TV's Hector Arana Jr. pumped for Vegas eliminations

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 29) -The last three times Lucas Oil Racing TV racer Hector Arana Jr. qualified in the top half of the field - and didn't have to face his dad in the first round - he went to final once and the semifinals twice.

Arana Jr. qualified No. 7 for the NHRA Toyota Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway - and he won't have to race his dad, Hector Arana Sr., in the first round.

"The bike is good," Arana Jr. said. "We were consistent, and with the exception of those couple of guys that were really, really fast, we were right there. We were consistent and able to get everything out of the bike I feel. Tomorrow, we'll just do the best that we can and see what happens."

Arana Jr. qualified No. 5 at the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis and raced to the final round. He was No. 3 in Brainerd, Minn., and made it to the semifinals, and was No. 7 at Sonoma, Calif., where he also made the semis.

The 2016 season has been un-Arana Jr.-like, as his streak of five consecutive seasons in the top five of the final points standings appears to be coming to an end. He vowed to use Vegas and the season-finale in Pomona, Calif., as test sessions for 2017, and things seem to be going well.

"I tried a couple of things and we were able to stay pretty consistent," Arana Jr. said. "Now we know what the bike likes and doesn't like, that's for sure. Hopefully we can find something for Pomona but right now, we are just going to focus on the rest of Las Vegas and go one round at a time."

Arana Jr. starts with No. 11 qualifier Karen Stoffer, whose best pass was 6.991 seconds at 191.67 mph. Arana Jr.'s top run was 6.979 seconds at 191.08 mph.

Pro Stock eliminations start at noon, Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast the action live from 4-7 p.m., Sunday. (All times listed in ET).

Bright smile for Lucas Oil's Hector Arana Sr. shows his confidence in Vegas

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 29) - Lucas Oil Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Hector Arana Sr. often wears a smile on his face, as no one enjoys racing in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series as much as the 2009 series champion.

But his smile was especially bright during the NHRA Toyota Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as his Lucas Oil Buell has performed about as well as it has all season.

Arana Sr. qualified No. 6, his best performance since the second race of the season in Charlotte, where he was also No. 6. His pass of 6.974 seconds at 192.06 mph came in the third qualifying session, on Saturday, and will put him against No. 11 qualifier Angie Smith in final eliminations.

"I'm feeling great going into tomorrow," Arana Sr. said with a smile. "Pretty much better than I have all this year."

Arana Sr. was in the top seven in each of the first three qualifying sessions, showing speed and consistency with his Lucas Oil bike.

"We were consistent, and for Q4, I tried something different to see what it was going to do," Arana Sr. said. "I needed to know either way, because that way we don't have to worry about it tomorrow. Overall, I'm happy with the way we ran this weekend."

It started with good runs in the first two qualifying sessions on Friday, where Arana Sr. was fourth and seventh, respectively. With a fast bike, Arana Sr. had the confidence to continue working to get better, knowing he had made a good start.

"Getting off to a fast start yesterday was definitely important," Arana Sr. said. "It gives you an opportunity now to be able to be able to tune, improve a little bit and then try something a little out of the ordinary."

Smith's best pass of the weekend was 7.003 seconds at 187.29 mph. Arana Sr.'s slowest pass, by comparison, was 7.003 seconds at 191.67 mph in Q4.

Pro Stock eliminations start at noon, Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast the action live from 4-7 p.m., Sunday. (All times listed in ET).

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Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Lucas Oil's Hector Arana Sr. looking for answers in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 26) - Drag racing is Hector Arana Sr.'s lifeblood, and when the Lucas Oil Buell Pro Stock Motorcycle doesn't go as fast as he thinks it should, the 2009 series champion scratches his head while looking for answers.

Arana Sr. reached the Countdown to the Championship - the NHRA's version of the playoffs - for the eighth consecutive season in 2016. After a fast start to the year, Arana sat in the top five in points after six races.

But heading into the NHRA Toyota Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Arana Sr. isn't worried about where he is in the points standings and is instead trying to get his bike better.

"Right now, it has not been fun because we're not doing well," Arana Sr. said. "It's so hard to get into the spirit and enjoy. But we'll do the best we can."

Arana Sr. is one of the friendliest racers in NHRA, always taking time for fans, young and old. That part of his personality has not changed - and never will.

"Trust me, we love going to the races," Arana Sr. said. "We love participating with the fans and having a good time with them, just like we did one night in Dallas. We went back to the campground and we had a good time with the fans there. They appreciate that and we appreciate the fans.

"That's why I go over there because without the fans there's no show. It is more fun when you are doing great than the way we are doing right now."

Arana Sr. and his Arana Racing team usually participate in the Pro Stock Motorcycle tradition of wearing costumes during the final qualifying session in Vegas. But his mind has been elsewhere lately.

"Right now, that is my least concern," Arana Sr. said. "I don't even think about it and have not thought about it. All I can think about is why this is happening. Something is going on with the bike, and we'll keeping work in it until we figure it out. That's what matters most."

Pro Stock qualifying sessions will run at 11:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., Friday, and 11:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations start at noon, Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast qualifying action live from 6-7 p.m., Friday and Sunday from 10-11 a.m. Eliminations will air live from 4-7 p.m., Sunday.
(All times listed in ET).

The 2017 season begins now for Lucas Oil Racing TV's Hector Arana Jr.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 26) - For Lucas Oil Racing TV pro Hector Arana Jr., the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series has already begun, even though the official start to the Pro Stock Motorcycle portion of next year's schedule isn't until March.

Arana Jr. is treating the final two races of 2016, starting with the NHRA Toyota Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as a test session.

"We're using the rest of this season for testing some different ideas and some things we normally wouldn't have done in the Countdown or at a race," Arana Jr. said. "But at this point, I'm going to test some new ideas and try some off-hand things that we normally would never try and see if we can learn some stuff for next year."

Arana Jr. has finished fifth or better in the final points standings in each of his five seasons as a professional racer. That streak will likely come to an end this year, as he's 10th in the Countdown to the Championship after a tough first four races to the Countdown.

"Unfortunately, it's been one of those years," Arana Jr. said. "We've been struggling, but I guess everybody goes through that. This is our year. Hopefully, we'll get all this out of our system, and we'll be good for next year."

Arana Jr. has won 11 races and 18 No. 1 qualifiers in his young career, so he knows the way to the winner's circle. A win is not out of the question in one of these final races, and Arana Jr. looks forward to competing.

"I'm not looking forward to the season being over because I love racing, so when it's over, I'm like, 'Now, we've got to wait,'" Arana Jr. said. "I'm looking forward to a new start. I'm excited for what's to come for next year because we're working on a lot of stuff, and we should be in good shape."

Pro Stock qualifying sessions will run at 11:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., Friday, and 11:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations start at noon, Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast qualifying action live from 6-7 p.m., Friday and Sunday from 10-11 a.m. Eliminations will air live from 4-7 p.m., Sunday. (All times listed in ET).

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Lucas Oil's Hector Arana Sr. finds it hard to celebrate Dallas win over son

DALLAS (Oct. 16) - Lucas Oil Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Hector Arana Sr. takes no pride in improving to 5-1 against one of the best riders in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Arana Sr. beat son Hector Arana Jr. in the first round of the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals Sunday at Texas Motorplex, winning for the fifth time in six first-round races this season against his talented son.

"Racing him again is not a good thing for me," Arana Sr. said. "But anyway, I have to put that to the side and I'm always going to give it my best shot. I'm here to win, just like he feels the same way. We don't cut slack to each other. We're going to run and the better bike is going to cross the finish line, or the better driver at that moment.

"For some reason this year we're just struggling, and we're just lining up against each other. That's not a good thing. It is what it is when the ladder happens. Nothing we can do but go for the best."

This time, it was father who mastered his son. Neither rider was sharp on the Christmas Tree, but Arana Jr.'s bike stumbled early, and Arana Sr. made a clean, winning pass of 6.879 seconds at 194.94 mph. Arana Jr. trailed with a run of 6.958 seconds at 193.85 mph.

"The same issue that got my dad in the second round got me in the first," Arana Jr. said. "We just don't understand why. We'll get it figured out, no doubt, but I wish we'd get it figured out sooner."

As Arana Jr. said, Arana Sr. struggled off the line against Eddie Krawiec in the second round, and his pass of 6.976 at 194.16 mph wasn't enough against Krawiec's 6.873-second run at 195.62 mph.

"We're puzzled because there's something happening here," Arana Sr. said. "I don't think it's just us. Some of the bikes with Buell are struggling same thing, with the 60-foot. It should not have gone to a bog at the start line. I have more rpm going in there and yet the bike bogged instead of taking off.

"That's the same thing that happened to Hector against me. We need to figure this thing out so we can start winning races again."

Hector Jr. (left) was bettered by his father, Hector Sr., once again Sunday.

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Lucas Oil Racing TV's Hector Arana Jr. qualifies No. 6, races dad again

DALLAS (Oct. 15) - Lucas Oil Racing TV racer Hector Arana Jr. is taking a philosophical approach to another first-round matchup with his dad.

Arana Jr. qualified No. 6 for the AAA Texas FallNationals on Saturday at Texas Motorplex, and since his father Hector Arana Sr. qualified No. 11, they'll battle in the first round of eliminations for the sixth time in the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

"You know what, I'm out here racing with my dad, my family's here, and I'm here doing what I love to do," Arana Jr. said. "I guarantee one of us goes to the second round. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, let's flip a coin and do our best job. May the best man move forward and hopefully win the race."

Arana Jr. has won only one of the previous five matchups against his dad, including a first-round loss at Reading, Pa., two weekends ago, but Arana Jr. isn't worried about his 1-4 record against his father.

"I don't even think about that," Arana Jr. said. "Let's see what happens. Hopefully I can change that."

Arana Jr. has had the better performing motorcycle this weekend, making a top pass of 6.863 seconds at 193.99 mph, while Arana Sr.'s best run was 6.905 seconds at 193.40 mph. Arana Jr. also carries some momentum, posting the fifth-best qualifying time in the final session 6.885 seconds at 194.83 mph.

"The Lucas bike is not bad," Arana Jr. said. "We're trying some different things. At this point we're kind of in a test mode. We want to do well, but unfortunately, we're still off a little bit. This whole season we're just doing what we can to be as fast as we've can with what we got."

Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations start at noon, Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast all of the elimination action live from 2-5 p.m., Sunday. (All times listed in ET).

Lucas Oil's Hector Arana Sr. on first-round match with son: 'I would bet on Hector'

DALLAS (Oct. 15) - For the sixth time in this 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, father and son will square off in the first round.

Lucas Oil Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Hector Arana Sr. qualified No. 11 Saturday, with son Hector Arana Jr. qualifying No. 6 for the AAA Texas FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. That means they'll race each other in the first round of eliminations Sunday. Again.

"I can't believe it," Arana Sr. said. "I guess this year it's Arana vs. Arana. It's a shame - but one thing is for sure, one of the Lucas Oil bikes is going to the second round, so I would bet on Hector."

Arana Sr. smiled, but didn't say which Hector he preferred. Arana Sr., however, is 4-1 against his son this season, including a victory over his son in the most recent race, in Reading, Pa. They qualified 5-12 that race and have also qualified 8-9 twice and 7-11 once before this year.

Arana Sr.'s top pass was 6.905 seconds at 193.40 mph, and his other three qualifying runs have been consistent.

"My bike is running OK," Arana Sr. said. "I'm trying to figure a couple of little things out, and if it works we are going to be fast. Not just on my bike, but also on Hector's. We focused in on that area and we're going to find it and we're going to be running strong up to the top like we used to. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, and we'll see what happens."

Arana Sr. believes he can run much faster if he can solve some issues early in his runs. Arana Sr.'s back-half times have been good, so if he can match that with his starts, Arana Sr. will be a contender Sunday.

"We are only struggling on the 60-foot and the 60- to the 330-foot," Arana Sr. said. "That's where we are struggling right now. We'll fix that and we are going to be running better."

Arana Jr.'s best pass was 6.863 at 193.99 mph.

Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations start at noon, Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast all of the elimina tion action live from 2-5 p.m., Sunday. (All times listed in ET).

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Lucas Oil pro Hector Arana Sr. sets goals high for Dallas and beyond

DALLAS (Oct. 13) - There are three races left in the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, beginning with this weekend's 31st annual AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals at Texas Motorplex, and Lucas Oil racer Hector Arana Sr. has a simple goal: Win them all.

"Hector (Arana Jr., son and teammate) and I have talked, and we know we've got three races left so we decided we want to make a statement," Arana Sr. said. "We're going to stay positive and go one run at a time and see if we can get to the finals and get a win or two or three.

"I am hungry for a win, and I really want to get a win. There are three left, so I want to see if I can go grab the three left. That's my goal, and I know Hector feels the same way."

Arana Sr. already has a victory in Dallas, winning there in 2009 in his Pro Stock Motorcycle championship season. He hasn't won this season, however, and sits eight in the points standings at the halfway point of the Countdown to the Championship. The Countdown is the six-race portion of the season that crowns the champion in NHRA's four professional classes.

Making some progress, Arana Sr. has raced to the second round in each of the last two races, beating his son in the first round at Reading two weeks ago. That was the fifth time in 2016 that father and son have battled in the first round, with father winning four of those.

Although Arana Sr. doesn't mind racing his son - it's bound to happen from time to time -- he wishes it took place in the final round, not the first. They've battled in the final round twice in their career, with Arana Jr. winning both times.

"It'd be nice in these last three races if it was Hector and I in the finals," Arana Sr. said. "I know we've faced each other a lot this year in the first round, but we've also raced in the finals two times in the past and those are much more fun. It would be awesome to do that again.

"Both of these Lucas Oil Buells are ready to go. We have the power and we have the experience to compete against anyone out here."

Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying sessions are scheduled for 4:15 and 7:15 p.m., Friday, and 12:45 and 3:45 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations start at noon, Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast qualifying action live from 7:30-8:30 p.m., Friday. Eliminations will air live from 2-5 p.m., Sunday. (All times listed in ET).

Pro Stock Motorcycle star Hector Arana Jr. working on personal improvement

DALLAS (Oct. 13) - Lucas Oil Racing TV racer Hector Arana Jr. spent the days before the AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals this weekend at Texas Motorplex in quiet reflection.

No, Arana Jr. wasn't thinking about his stellar career, which includes 11 victories and finishing in the top five in the final Pro Stock Motorcycle points standings all five years he's been racing.

Instead, Arana was thinking about ways to get better.

"I feel really good," Arana Jr. said. "I've been going over the last few races, wondering what's been going on with me and these red lights. I feel like I've gotten over the red lights, and I feel really focused and ready to go racing this weekend."

Red lights have popped up a few times during Arana Jr.'s 2016 campaign, especially lately, and they've been difficult to explain.

"It's definitely a mental battle," Arana Jr. said. "I don't know if it's the pressure of the Countdown (to the Championship) and you feel like you need to catch up. It's not like I go in there thinking about red-lighting. I feel like I've been trying too hard and trying to prove myself too much.

"You've really got to be focused and relaxed when it comes to trying to cut a good light because you're dealing with thousandths of a second. It's a tough game at this level when you're trying to be good and cut good lights. I've got to relax, get back in the zone and be more focused."

Arana Jr.'s loss to his father, Hector Arana Sr., in the first round at Reading dropped him to 10th in the points standings after three races of the six-race Countdown. But Arana Jr. isn't worried about the standings at this point, preferring to focus on going one round at a time. He's performed well under pressure plenty of times in his career, and he knows he can repeat hi s previous success.

"I know I can do it," Arana Jr. said. "I know what I'm doing. I've been good in qualifying, and I've just got to go back to my old routine on race day."

Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying sessions are scheduled for 4:15 and 7:15 p.m., Friday, and 12:45 and 3:45 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations start at noon, Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast qualifying action live from 7:30-8:30 p.m., Friday. Eliminations will air live from 2-5 p.m., Sunday. (All times listed in ET).

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Father beats son in battle of Lucas Oil Pro Stock Motorcycle riders

READING, Pa. (Oct. 2) -- Lucas Oil rider Hector Arana Sr. improved to 4-1 this season against one of the top Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Unfortunately, it's his son, Lucas Oil Racing TV rider Hector Arana Jr.

Father beat son in the opening round of the Dodge NHRA Nationals on Sunday at Maple Grove Raceway in the fifth first-round matchup between the Aranas in 2016, and if not for a broken oil-pump belt in the race in Charlotte, Arana Sr. could be 5-0 against his son.

"4-1: stinks for him, great for me, and the only win he has on me was due to a technicality, so it could have been 5-0, but we'll never know," Arana Sr. said. "Overall, it wasn't a bad weekend. Got to see my son, Adam. He came up from New York to support us and we at least went two rounds for him."

Adam Arana is a member of the United States Coast Guard, and he and his fiancée Jessica Outten drove to Maple Grove for the race. They watched father and son both drop the clutch too soon in the first round, but since Arana Jr.'s red-light came first, dad got the win. Officially, Arana Jr. went .056-second too soon, with Arana Sr. leaving. 045 early, but according to NHRA rules, the first red-light is the only one that counts.

"E1 was rough," Arana Jr. said. "Had to race my dad again, which was a bummer because we both want to progress forward in the points, and there are only three races left to do so. Each round really counts, so it sucks to have to race him. On the plus side, where it could have been a double negative and us both going out, at least one person got to proceed forward and gain some points."

Arana Sr. did move around his son into eighth in the standings at the halfway point of the six-race Countdown to the Championship.

Arana Sr. lost in the second round to eventual finalist Cory Reed, as Reed used a holeshot to get the victory. Arana made a pass of 6.899 seconds at 195.25 mph, but Reed's .028 light and run of 6.913 seconds at 188.73 mph was enough for him to move to the semifinals.

"The performance is there," Arana Sr. said. "We improved on the second round and we are going to look over the data and get ready for the next race. We'll have a weekend off to go to the shop and try to find some more power because those Harleys are really hauling the mail. We need to start to gain some ground on them and start to step up our level of performance."

Father beat son in the opening round of the Dodge NHRA Nationals on
Sunday at Maple Grove Raceway in the fifth first-round matchup
between the Aranas this season.

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Saturday, October 1, 2016

Reading brings all-Arana first round for fifth time in 2016 season

READING, Pa. (Oct. 1) -- For the fifth time this season, father and son will have to race each other in the first round of Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Hector Arana Jr. qualified his Lucas Oil Racing TV bike in the No. 5 spot, and father Hector Arana Sr. qualified his Lucas Oil Buell in the No. 12 position for the Dodge NHRA Nationals on Saturday at Maple Grove Raceway. That means they'll battle in the first round of eliminations Sunday.

"We'll both go up there and do the best we can," Arana Jr. said. "It's all we can do. It's frustrating, really frustrating, but it is what it is. At least we both qualified and one of us is in the second round. I'm not sure what to expect for tomorrow, but we'll do our best, and that's all we can do."

The first two scheduled rounds of qualifying were rained out Friday, and Arana Jr. made a solid pass of 6.880 seconds at 193.02 mph in the first session Saturday. The final session was rained out.

Arana Sr.'s bike hopped at the hit in his qualifying run, slowing his bike to a 7.175 at 194.91 mph. He would have loved to have had a second chance to improve his qualifying spot.

"Yes, I definitely hate to race my son," Arana Sr. said. "Look at the qualifying sheet. Trust me: I'm not the only one who wanted this (final) run. It is what it is. Tomorrow I'll do my job, Hector Jr, will do his, and we'll see what happens."

Father has beaten son in three of the previous four matches between the two this year, but Arana Jr. got the better of his dad in their most recent battle, in Charlotte. They do know they'll have one Arana Racing bike in the second round on Sunday.

"That's how it goes sometimes," Arana Sr. said. "We've been blessed before that this hasn't happened, but this year it seems to go in that direction. Nothing we can do. Let the better rider and bike tomorrow take the win. Keep taking the torch and hopefully we can move up in the standings with the Lucas Oil Pro Stock Bike."

Arana Jr. is seventh and his dad eighth in the standings after two races of the six-race Countdown to the Championship.

Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations start at 1 p.m., Sunday. FOX Sports 1 will broadcast the action live from 2 to 5 p.m., Sunday. (All times listed in ET).

Hector Arana Jr. qualified his Lucas Oil Racing TV bike in the No. 5 spot, and father Hector Arana Sr. qualified his Lucas Oil Buell in the No. 12 position for the Dodge NHRA Nationals.