Aranas Looking for victory at Route 66

Defending race champion Hector Arana Jr. looking for repeat in Chicago

CHICAGO – Lucas Oil Pro Stock Motorcycle Buell rider Hector Arana Jr. has done almost everything during the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season: He has earned two No. 1 qualifiers, reached the final round in Charlotte, and made three semifinal appearances, but he has yet to win a race, a fact he’d love to end this weekend at the Lucas Oil Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.

Arana was the No. 1 qualifier in Norwalk, Ohio, a week ago and was ahead of Angie Smith in their first-round matchup before the transmission on his bike failed.

“We’ve got the bike running really well right now,” Arana said. “It was really consistent, which is something we’ve been looking for. That’s what you need to win races: consistency. We’ve got that going well now. Plus, we fixed the parts in the transmission that broke in Norwalk, so the transmission is good now.

“If the bike can hold together and I can do my job, we can definitely win the race; 100 percent we have the bike to win the race.”

Arana, a nine-time Pro Stock Motorcycle winner, is the defending champion of this race, beating his father in the final round in 2014.

“I’m looking forward to this race because of how well we did last year,” Arana said. “My father and I finally made our first final round together there, so it would be really awesome if we could repeat and do that again this year.”

Arana had the better bike that day, overcoming his father’s better reaction time as the two Lucas Oil Buells went head to head.

“That was one of our goals from the very beginning: To meet in the final,” Arana said. “We were finally able to accomplish that. Even if we’re never able to achieve that again, we were able to do it once.”

Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying sessions will be held at 4:30 and 7:15 p.m. ET, Friday, and 4:15 and 7:15 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at noon Sunday. ESPN2 will broadcast all the qualifying action from 10 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, and the elimination rounds from 2 to 5 p.m., Sunday.

Lucas Oil rider Hector Arana Sr. hopes for reversal of 2014 Chicago final

– For Lucas Oil Buell Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Hector Arana Sr., last year’s Lucas Oil Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway was perfect — almost.

Arana raced his son Hector Jr. in the final round last year and got the better of him on the Christmas Tree, but Hector Jr. had the better bike and got around his dad. Still, it was a wonderful day for Arana Racing.

“Everything was great except the outcome,” Arana said. with a laugh. “If it was switched to my side, that would be icing on the cake.”

Last year’s race was the first time father and son raced each other for a Wally, and for Arana the race was already won when the two Lucas Oil bikes pulled into the water box.

“I went to the final with no pressure,” Arana said. “It was a win for me already. I did have the better reaction, but he did come around me. I went for it. I just can’t wait to get to the final again with Hector. That’s what I would love to do.”

Arana has scored a victory this season, at Atlanta Dragway, and is fifth in the Pro Stock Motorcycle points standings. The 2009 champion has qualified seventh or better at four of the five races in 2015 and has also won at least one round in three races.

Arana holds a 2-1 record over his son this year, beating him in Gainesville, Fla., and Atlanta before falling in Englishtown, N.J.

Arana and the team tested in Norwalk, Ohio, on Monday, working on a new EBR body style, but despite making strides, he will continue to race the tried-and-true Lucas Oil bike.

“We’ve got the new EBR body style, so we’ve been working on that, trying to make sure it goes straight,” Arana said. “We have made some improvements, but it’s not perfect yet. Right at the 1,200-foot mark, it starts pulling hard again. There’s still work to be done there.

“We’re not going to make the same mistake that we did in Gainesville, bringing the new stuff out without being tested.”

Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying sessions will be held at 4:30 and 7:15 p.m. ET, Friday, and 4:15 and 7:15 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at noon Sunday. ESPN2 will broadcast all the qualifying action from 10 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, and the elimination rounds from 2 to 5 p.m., Sunday.