Lucas Oil Riders Head to Denver for their two race Western Swing

Lucas Oil rider Hector Arana Sr. says preparation is key to Western Swing

DENVER – For Lucas Oil Buell racer Hector Arana Sr., the winners of the Pro Stock Motorcycle Western Swing races in Denver and Sonoma have already been determined. That’s because preparation for the two-race swing, which begins with the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals this weekend at Bandimere Speedway, is crucial to any racer’s success.

“You have to have things ready,” Arana said. “You go to Denver and then you go straight to Sonoma. You don’t have much time to convert everything to sea level, so you have to have another engine just for that.”

Racing in Denver is a challenge for all NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series teams because the thin air at the mile-high altitude robs engines of oxygen and therefore horsepower, but the race in Sonoma is near sea level, which takes a completely different engine.

“You take a motor dedicated just for Denver,” Arana said. “You change everything you can to compensate for the altitude, and that’s where we’re at. By the same token, we have to prepare another one for Sonoma because it’s back to sea level.”

The 2009 series champion has raced in Denver numerous times, so he knows what to expect on the mountain.

“Everything seems to be slower, so there might be a mistake made when we anticipate a shift or something like that,” Arana said. “But we adjust very quickly.”

Arana and his team have been preparing for the two-race stretch for several weeks, building a primary and backup engine for Denver and for Sonoma. Plus, the team has been preparing motorcycles for Hector Arana Jr. and Anthony Vanetti, who will make his debut on a MAVTV/Protect The Harvest/Lucas Oil Buell in Denver.

Arana is sixth in the Pro Stock Motorcycle points standings with one victory and two quarterfinal finishes in six races. Plus, he has qualified in the top half of the field at five events.

Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying sessions will be held at 5 and 7:30 p.m. MDT, Friday, and 4 and 6:30 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at noon Sunday. ESPN2 will broadcast all the qualifying action from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET, Saturday, and the elimination rounds from 9 p.m. to midnight, Sunday.

‘One round at a time’ a successful theme for Lucas Oil pro Hector Arana Jr.

– Lucas Oil Buell rider Hector Arana Jr. received a big shot in the arm with his victory at the most recent Pro Stock Motorcycle race in Chicago, and now he carries momentum and confidence into this weekend’s Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.

“I needed that win,” Arana said. “I felt like I had a lot of pressure built up, and I was finally able to get the monkey off my back. I knew we were going to win, but sometimes, for whatever reason, you push yourself too hard and put too much pressure on yourself.

“In Chicago I tried to lay back and relax, and it worked. I went back to what I used to always say, ‘One round at a time,’ and it paid off.”

Arana had a fine start to the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, with two No. 1 qualifiers and three semifinal appearances, but until Chicago he hadn’t won a race. Now, though, he is ready to get on a roll.

“When you start doing well, your confidence increases,” Arana said. “You’re able to relax a little more and focus on your riding so you can get better lights. I was a little more relaxed in Chicago and I hope to be even more relaxed in Denver.”

Of course, Arana wants to continue the same mindset he had in Chicago: One round at a time. He’s not thinking about the two-race Western Swing, nor is he worried about the points standings, where he’s second after six races.

Arana is a two-time No. 1 qualifier in Denver, and he raced to the final round there in 2013.

“Now it’s off to Denver, and we’re going to start with Q1,” Arana said. “We’ve had great success there, and we think we have a good combination for the mountain. I’m looking forward to sealing the deal there because we’ve done really well and reached to the finals before. We just haven’t been able to close the deal, so hopefully this year we can do that.”

Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying sessions will be held at 5 and 7:30 p.m. MDT, Friday, and 4 and 6:30 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at noon Sunday. ESPN2 will broadcast all the qualifying action from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET, Saturday, and the elimination rounds from 9 p.m. to midnight, Sunday.