GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 12) - The stress level for Lucas Oil Buell rider Hector Arana Sr. is usually pretty high this time of the year, as the Pro Stock Motorcycle season is set to begin with this weekend's 44th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Auto Plus Raceway.
Arana Sr. has been as busy as ever, preparing his Buell for the 2013 season. But this off-season has included the addition of a third rider to the Arana team, Hector's 21-year-old son Adam. He'll ride alongside his father and brother Hector Arana Jr.
"This off-season has been very busy, yes," Arana Sr. said. "We're going to be working hard right up until the first hit in Gainesville, too. But my focus is going to be on Adam and getting him ready for the race and the season."
Arana Sr., 54, has been through this before, putting oldest son Hector Jr. on a Pro Stock Motorcycle for the 2011 season. Arana Sr. has learned from that experience and hopes Adam has, too.
"I've been saying the same things," Arana Sr. said of his conversations with his two sons. "Adam already knows the mistakes Hector made, so he should learn a lot quicker and do well. He can think quickly, and I can see how he rides just like Hector, who did excellent."
Arana Jr. won the Auto Club Road to the Future Award as the NHRA's top rookie that year, and that is Adam's goal as well.
Arana Sr., meanwhile, is ready to get back to victory lane, too. Yes, his focus will be on Adam, but Arana Sr. still wants to do well after finishing fourth in the points standings a year ago.
"Overall. my focus point will be on my kid and making sure he is ready," Arana Sr. said. "Once I see he can handle the bike like I know he can, then I will be able to think about my bike."
That bike will be the same one Arana Sr. rode to the 2009 Pro Stock Motorcycle championship. A return to that bike has Arana Sr.'s confidence high.
"I'm going back to the champ," Arana Sr. said. "I think the bike was a little bit jealous. It gave me my first win, gave me a championship, and here I jump on another bike. I haven't done that well with the new bike, so maybe I was jinxed.
"The ultimate plan is to get all three of us running for race wins every weekend. We want to do all we can for Forrest and Charlotte Lucas and everyone at Lucas Oil."
From: Rob Geiger
More...
Arana Sr. has been as busy as ever, preparing his Buell for the 2013 season. But this off-season has included the addition of a third rider to the Arana team, Hector's 21-year-old son Adam. He'll ride alongside his father and brother Hector Arana Jr.
"This off-season has been very busy, yes," Arana Sr. said. "We're going to be working hard right up until the first hit in Gainesville, too. But my focus is going to be on Adam and getting him ready for the race and the season."
Arana Sr., 54, has been through this before, putting oldest son Hector Jr. on a Pro Stock Motorcycle for the 2011 season. Arana Sr. has learned from that experience and hopes Adam has, too.
"I've been saying the same things," Arana Sr. said of his conversations with his two sons. "Adam already knows the mistakes Hector made, so he should learn a lot quicker and do well. He can think quickly, and I can see how he rides just like Hector, who did excellent."
Arana Jr. won the Auto Club Road to the Future Award as the NHRA's top rookie that year, and that is Adam's goal as well.
Arana Sr., meanwhile, is ready to get back to victory lane, too. Yes, his focus will be on Adam, but Arana Sr. still wants to do well after finishing fourth in the points standings a year ago.
"Overall. my focus point will be on my kid and making sure he is ready," Arana Sr. said. "Once I see he can handle the bike like I know he can, then I will be able to think about my bike."
That bike will be the same one Arana Sr. rode to the 2009 Pro Stock Motorcycle championship. A return to that bike has Arana Sr.'s confidence high.
"I'm going back to the champ," Arana Sr. said. "I think the bike was a little bit jealous. It gave me my first win, gave me a championship, and here I jump on another bike. I haven't done that well with the new bike, so maybe I was jinxed.
"The ultimate plan is to get all three of us running for race wins every weekend. We want to do all we can for Forrest and Charlotte Lucas and everyone at Lucas Oil."
From: Rob Geiger
More...
