Team Arana Heads to Englishtown
Lucas Oil’s Hector Arana Sr. gunning for two in a row in Englishtown
ENGLISHTOWN, NJ – Lucas Oil Buell Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Hector Arana Sr. ended a long drought at Atlanta 
Dragway, but he has no intentions of slowing down at this weekend’s Toyota NHRA Summernationals.
Arana won in Atlanta on May 17 in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class’ most recent event, snapping a losing streak that dated to 2009, but the patriarch of the Arana Racing team isn’t ready to rest on his laurels.
“Why not make it two in a row?” Arana said. “We are looking forward to getting more wins, especially consecutively.”
Plus, he has another goal in mind: Racing son Hector Jr. in a final round. They raced each other in the final in Chicago last year with Hector Jr. getting the victory, and Arana would love a measure of revenge.
“I can’t wait until it’s Hector and I in the final,” Arana said, “with me winning this time.”
Arana had been to 11 final rounds in the time between his victory in Las Vegas in 2009 and in Atlanta last month. The drought lasted 86 races, but it probably seemed longer to the 2009 Pro Stock Motorcycle champion. The Atlanta win, though, changed all of that.
“I’m looking forward to Englishtown, for sure,” Arana said. “That win in Atlanta was just what I needed. It gives me the confidence, the boost I need to keep going and work hard. You start doubting yourself a little bit, so I’m very pleased with the win and I’m looking forward to going to my next race.”
Englishtown is often a place where national records are set, and PSM riders are still chasing the 200-mph barrier. Hector Jr. holds the speed record at 199.88 mph, set in Charlotte this year, but conditions aren’t likely to be conducive for a record this weekend.
“We want to be the ones who break the 200-mph barrier,” Arana said. “But let’s be realistic: We’re not going to have the conditions that we had in Charlotte when Hector went 199 mph. Still, we’re going to give it our best.
“I know we haven’t made that kind of horsepower to go 200 mph with regular conditions, but we need to continue to work hard and focus on going one round at a time, and maybe we can get that second win in a row.”
Qualifying for the Toyota NHRA Summernationals takes place at 3:45 and 6:15 p.m. ET, Friday, and 1:15 and 3:45 p.m., Saturday. Elimination racing begins at noon, Sunday. ESPN2 will carry all of the action.
Lucas Oil’s Hector Arana Jr. adds Englishtown to his list of home tracks
– Lucas Oil Buell Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Hector Arana Jr. already has two home tracks, Gainesville and Indianapolis, but since moving to the New York area last year, he has a third: Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, site of this weekend’s Toyota NHRA Summernationals.
“It’s another racetrack to add to the hometown list,” Arana said. “I’ve got a few of those now. I’ve got Gainesville, Fla., because I was born in Florida and that will always be a home track. Of course, Indiana was my home for 10 years, and now that I’ve recently moved to New York, I’ve added another one to the list.”
Arana moved from Milltown, Ind., to New York late last year to start a new job with Curtiss-Wright. Old Bridge Township Raceway Park is within driving distance of his current home, and he’ll have new friends and co-workers in attendance this weekend.
“It’s pretty cool to have tracks that are special tracks,” Arana said. “I like that. I’ve got some friends and some co-workers that are going to be coming out to the race, so it’s going to be exciting for them to see in person what I do.
“I always have the drive to win, but I want to win that much more, having more people there.”
Arana has the fastest Pro Stock Motorcycle in NHRA history, as he set the national speed record in Charlotte at 199.88 mph. He currently sits fourth in the PSM points standings after falling to his father — and eventual race winner — in the semifinals in Atlanta.
“We definitely have a really fast bike,” Arana said. “We hurt my good motor in Atlanta in the first qualifying run, and we had to go to a different motor. Everything has gotten fixed, and she’s back in the bike. I’m definitely excited to see what’s in store for Englishtown.”
Qualifying for the Toyota NHRA Summernationals takes place at 3:45 and 6:15 p.m. ET, Friday, and 1:15 and 3:45 p.m., Saturday. Elimination racing begins at noon, Sunday. ESPN2 will carry all of the action.
