ARANA SR. PLANNED GATORNATIONALS AS HIS FAREWELL EVENT

by Tracy Renck    Fri, 2020-03-13 18:15

 

Veteran NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Hector Arana Sr. planned on racing with is son, Hector Arana Jr. at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals March 13-15 in Gainesville, Fla.

With one caveat – this was going to be Arana Sr.’s final race driving.

“I was going to run just this event,” said Arana Sr., who won a PSM world title in 2009. “We are going to focus on one motorcycle (with Hector Jr.) so we can start doing better and from there we can see what happens in the future if I can get back and ride. We need to focus on one bike. We have to get our performance back. I’m after the championship. I’m not after qualifying. We want to win races, but mainly if Hector Jr. can win a championship and that would be two for Team Arana. That’s what we want. That’s what we worked so hard for.”

Arana Sr.’s final race plan changed on March 12, when in consideration of the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic and in accordance with the recommendation of the Florida governor, NHRA officials postponed a portion of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. 

Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle, Pro Mod, Factory Stock Showdown, Top Alcohol Dragster, and Top Alcohol Funny Car were postponed and will be completed at a later date to be determined. 

A year ago, Arana Jr. placed sixth in the points and Arana Sr. was 10th.

“I will have to see (if I decide to run another race), the conditions and all that,” Arana Sr. said. “I wanted to run this event (the Gatornationals) because I have a lot of fans from Puerto Rico and my mother and brother were coming from Puerto Rico. This was my hometown racetrack at one time. I have a special connection with this track and that’s why I wanted to do it here and say ‘Goodbye.’”

Arana Jr. will once again be running an EBR (Erik Buell Racing) motorcycle sponsored by Lucas Oil.

Arana Sr. has competed in 326 NHRA national events and has seven wins and 16 runner-up finishes.

 

 

 

 
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