Lucas Oil’s Hector Arana Jr. ready to defend Chicago race victory

CHICAGO – Lucas Oil Buell Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Hector Arana Jr. begins his defense of the Lucas Oil Route 66 NHRA Nationals on Sunday at Route 66 Raceway from the No. 6 qualifying position.

Arana raced to the final round last year in Chicago before defeating his father Hector Sr. for his eighth career victory.

“We are ready,” Arana said. “We definitely could’ve used that last qualifying session to at least make a hit and see if we were going to be good as far as our clutch goes, but I have enough faith in my team, my crew chief that come Sunday we’ll be really good.”

Arana’s best lap was 6.903 seconds at a track-record 195.90 mph. He hoped to get in the final qualifying session, but rain delayed Q4 before NHRA had to cancel it with Arana in the staging lanes.

The No. 6 spot marked the fourth time in five races this season that he has been sixth or better.

“It’s not where I wanted it, but the bike still has really good power,” Arana said. “We’re No. 1 in the back half and we set the speed record for the track, so the bike is good. As long as we get the bike to leave the line — and I’m pretty sure we’ve got it figured out — we should be golden.”

Arana has nine victories in his young career– he closed out the 2014 season by winning in Pomona — but has yet to visit the winner’s circle this year. He has qualified No. 1 twice and raced to the final in Charlotte and to the semifinals two other times.

Arana can’t meet his dad in the Chicago final in 2015 because they are on the same side of the ladder, but they can race in the semifinals.

“That’d be great,” Arana said. “That would guarantee one of us would be going to the finals.”