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).

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.TV for 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.

Visit LucasOil.com, LucasOilRacing.TV, and GeigerMediaGlobal.com for more information.