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Reigning drag racing champion Arana has a point to prove in 2010
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 4) -- Hector Arana finally is the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Motorcycle champion, but it doesn't mean he's run out of things to prove.
"The target is on my back now, so I've got to keep concentrating on what I'm going to do this year," said Arana, a native Puerto Rico. "I feel great because I know everyone is gauging their performance on what I was running at the end of last year. Now they are trying to catch me."
Arana, driver of the Lucas Oil Buell V-Twin, won last year's championship by just two points over 2008 champ Eddie Krawiec, but it was no fluke. Arana earned every point in his title run.
"I’ve read where people have said I got lucky," Arana said. "I set the national record, I won five races, and I had to overcome the 34-point lead Eddie had on me at the start of the Countdown.
"The championship was earned with hard work and dedication."
Looking back, Arana, who was winless through the first 18 years of his career, has been able to revel in his 2009 success before refocusing on the upcoming bike season, which starts March 11-14 at the 41st annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
"It was an awesome year," Arana said. "I won some races, set the national record, and qualified on the pole eight times. I'm not going to worry about matching that; I'm going to just give it my best.
"I want to repeat as champion but I know everyone else is working very hard to keep that from happening. It will be a challenge."
Arana can't wait to get his bike ready to go and start a season that will offer one significant change for the 20-year veteran.
"Forrest Lucas, who owns Lucas Oil, talked to me and he wants to add my son to the team as a second rider at some point this year, so I’ll have a teammate," Arana said. "I’ve also got another new crew member, Charlie Sanders, who’s going to be working with me. There are a lot of things going on. It might be rough at the beginning, but I now we’re going to do great.
"My bike is pretty much exactly as I left it last year in Pomona. I just drained the oil and checked the valve springs. We did so much work in the back half of the season that got us to where we were and we're comfortable with the set-up that won us the championship.
"We had the bike on display at the PRI show in Orlando, in Cincinnati at another deal, and at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, so we've not had much of a chance to work on it, but it's going to run great, just like it was at the end of last year.
"We're excited to get back out there and defend our title. We'll be ready for everyone."
