Hector Arana has competed in so many races since 1990 with a minimal amount of success, so when the day finally arrived, he didn’t exactly know how to react.

The veteran Pro Stock Motorcycle rider, running in only his fourth final round appearance in 18 years, rode his Buell to victory at the expense of Craig Treble.

“It’s awesome, awesome feeling,” Arana said. “It hasn't sunk in yet, but it feels great to accomplish what I have been working for all these years.”

Arana defeated a score of heavy hitters such as Gatornationals winner Matt Guidera, defending POWERade champ Matt Smith and No. 1 qualifier Eddie Krawiec, before beating veteran Treble in the final.

He’ll quickly tell anyone who will listen his qualifying first run provided no indication of the great fortunes the weekend would produce.

“I had one of them bronco rides, it almost threw me off,” Arana explained. “I am glad it happened in qualifying because we figured out the problem and it shows. It showed here today in first round and from there on we just kept doing minor tune ups and the outcome, I'm here, a finalist.”

The problem was a faulty switch that caused the bike to lose and gain power during the course of a run.

“As soon as I went into second gear it started revving up and got to about 8700 rpms and then it just shut the bike down,” Arana said. “It dropped all the way to 300 rpms and then it kicks back on and it throws you back, this is the first g-force pulling you back and then it cuts off, throws you forward, so now you have negative g-force and it comes back on and then back off and I am trying to turn the bike off I couldn't. Finally my hand came off the handlebar and as soon as it did that it gave me a chance to grab the handlebar but also I grabbed the clutch and then I gained control.” 

Arana continued, “As soon as I was able to get control of the bike, I'm going down the quarter mile but I'm looking for my electrical, picking the wires and there it was standing up by itself and I said, 'I got you now.' 

Arana now serves as the example of persistence.

“I have never given up,” Arana said. “I really have to give a lot of credit to Forest and Charlie Lucas who believed in me. It paid off. It paid off not to give up.”

As for the resting place for his first trophy, one is just not enough for Arana.

“I want to get duplicates,” Arana added. “I want to have them everywhere.”