Lucas Oil veteran Hector Arana Sr. looking for answers after Sonoma exit

SONOMA, CA – A frustrated Hector Arana Sr. vows to return his Lucas Oil Buell to prominence after a difficult NHRA Sonoma Nationals this weekend at Sonoma Raceway.

Arana has performed well this season, winning in Atlanta and qualifying in the top half of the field in seven of the eight NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Motorcycle races in 2015.

He certainly didn’t expect to struggle in Sonoma, even after qualifying No. 7.

“We did well in Denver,” Arana said, “so we came here with high hopes to do even better.”

But Arana wasn’t able to dip into the 6.80-second zone in Sonoma, and it cost him in the first round against Jim Underdahl.

Arana made a pass of 6.926 seconds at 193.32 mph, but Underdahl’s 6.869 at 195.76 mph ended Arana’s day.

“I know this bike should be able to run in the .80s,” Arana said. “I struggled here all weekend. No matter what I do, it doesn’t seem to respond to my tune-ups. We’ll just have to go back and look at something else. The problem’s got to be somewhere: Harness, software, something. It doesn’t respond. It shouldn’t be running like this.”

The Pro Stock Motorcycle class gets a couple of weekends off before returning for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals on Aug. 21-23 at Brainerd International Raceway.

“We haven’t been to Brainerd for a couple years, so everyone will be on the same level there,” Arana said. “We need to get back to work and figure this bike out so we can do well for Forrest and Charlotte Lucas and everyone at Lucas Oil. It’s an important race for them and for us, too.”