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Sun, June 29th 2008
NORWALK, Oh. – Hector ‘The Hammer’ Arana brought his long-time sponsor, Lucas Oil Products to the winner’s circle for the first time at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in a NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle career that has spanned for 102 races dating back to 1990.
The Milltown, Indiana resident powered his way in the opening round of competition to defeat Matt Guidera, then he moved on to the quarterfinals in beating 2007 POWERade Champion, Matt Smith. In the semi-finals he knocked out the No. 1 Qualifier, Eddie Krawiec before coming home victorious for the first time against Craig Treble in the finals at the Summit Motorsports Park before a capacity packed crowd of over 30,000 boisterous fans.
Driving the Lucas Oil Buell Pro Stock motorcycle, he saved his best run of the weekend recording a time of 7.027 seconds at a speed of 187.60 mph in the finals against Treble.
“It’s an awesome, awesome feeling and it really hasn’t sunk it, yet, but it feels great.” said a smiling and relieved Arana. “I always wanted to win one of these and hand the trophy over to Forrest and Charlotte Lucas because without them, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.
“They believed in me and were so generous and it finally paid off. This ‘Wally’ is for them. They deserve it.”
In the 18 years it took to get Arana into victory lane, he made the most of it and his last time he made it to a final round was the 1997 Richmond race.
Hector qualified in the lucky No. 13 position with an elapsed time of 7.118 seconds, 184.72 mph in Saturday’s qualifying.
“It just goes to show, if you work hard enough at anything, you can accomplish your goal,” said Arana. “I was glad I was able to do it and it paid off. It paid off not to give up.
As he strolled back to his Lucas Oil pit area, fellow Pro Stock motorcyclists congratulated the 49-year old Arana and from this point onward they can all call him ‘The Conquistador’.