Hector Arana Jr. Is Three-For-Three In 2013
By Daryle Hier
In his short NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle career, Hector Arana Jr. has shown great promise including accomplishing a nearly impossible feat by winning the U.S. Nationals as a rookie. However, if the beginning of the 2013 season is any indication, Arana Jr. has bigger accomplishments in store … like winning a championship while making history.
Apr. 28, 2013; Baytown, TX, USA: NHRA pro stock motorcycle rider Hector Arana Jr celebrates after winning the Spring Nationals at Royal Purple Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The 24 year old driver is perfect so far in 2013, grabbing his third victory of the season at Houston (source: YourHoustonNews), which makes Arana Jr. three-for-three in races this season. The first three wins of the year ties the mark set by two of Pro Stock Motorcycles greatest riders, Dave Schultz(1991) and Matt Hines (1998).
The bikes have a five week layoff but when Arana Jr. heads to Englishtown, New Jersey, (May 30 – June2), he will try to tie the Pro Stock Motorcycle record for the most wins at the start of a season – Schultz holds the record at four.
Short but successful career so far
To be mentioning Hector’s name in the same sentence as Schultz, who is arguably the greatest rider in Pro Stock Motorcycle history (source: Yahoo! Sports), is quite an accomplishment but the young Arana has been quickly progressing towards great things since he started racing in 2011. In 2012 he was fourth overall and the year before in his first season of racing, all he did was garner three wins and Rookie of the Year honors while finishing second in the point standings.
Also of note, his father, Hector Arana Sr. (who actually is Jr. too but that’s a story for another day), has had a distinguished career himself, having raced bikes since the mid-90s with six race wins and winning the championship back in 2009.
Arana Jr. hasn’t been exactly dominating but between having a very good bike (Buell) and being quick on the lights, it’s kept him in front of his competitors when it counts. Not to say Hector Jr. has been lucky this year. He qualified second at the first bike race in Florida (the Arana’s home state), then took the number one qualifying spot at the Four-Wides in Charlotte last week. He was on the pole again at Houston.
Strong year so far, but there are others
Everything seems to be going Arana’s way pushing his lead to 119 points over second place with seven meets left before the Countdown (playoffs). Sovereign-Star Racing’s Scotty Pollacheck looks extremely competitive and just because the rules changed to slow down the Harleys, don‘t expect three-time champions Eddie Krawiec and Andrew Hines to be down for long. In fact, the whole bike series appears to be as competitive as it’s been in awhile.
With his younger brother Adam joining the team this year, the Aranas are now a three-bike team, giving them more information to decipher how to go faster each round. Regardless, Hector Arana Jr. appears to be the man to beat in 2013 and there’s no telling how many more great accomplishments the young Pro Stock Motorcycle rider will gain. But one thing is for certain – his name is now etched in the NHRA history books alongside two other greats with his three wins. And, if Arana wins his next time out at Englishtown, he alone will sit alongside the great Dave Schultz. Heady stuff for a 24 year old.
Additional source: NHRA
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