NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Hector Arana Jr. was likely as happy as anyone to be heading to Route 66 Raceway for this weekend’s K&N Filters Route 66 NHRA Nationals.

The Pro Stock Motorcycle standout has won the last two races at the state-of-the-art facility on his Lucas Oil Buell and hopes those good vibes lead to a much-needed spark in what has been an otherwise frustrating start to his 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

Arana has just one round-win through five races this year, a far cry from the success the 11-time class winner has been accustomed to during his standout career. The good news is that there is still time to rectify the problems, and Arana, who sits 12th in points as the playoffs loom, hopes he can initiate a season turnaround this weekend at Route 66 Raceway.

“It has been extremely frustrating for me, especially since we’ve done so well in past years,” Arana said. “This year, I’m struggling, and I’m not even in the top 10 in points yet. We keep picking away at that, and I’ve been able to gain a position here and there, and I’m slowly sneaking up on the top 10. But for whatever reason, it’s been hard for me to go rounds and keep the bike consistent. We’ll have a fast run here and there, but just when we think it’s fast, others are able to go faster, and we haven’t been able to. That’s what we’re working on.”

Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car), and Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) were also last year’s winners of the event near Chicago that will for the first time be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1. The fan-favorite event is the sixth of 16 races during the 2016 Pro Stock Motorcycle season, and only four races follow it before the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship begins.

Arana, who has finished in the top five in points in all five years of his PSM career, is aware of that and knows something positive must take place in Chicago. But he is confident that will happen for a couple of reasons — the first is his previous success at Route 66 Raceway and secondly because of the strides that he saw at the most recent event in Norwalk. It didn’t lead to a round-win, as he lost to his father, Hector Sr., but Arana maintained it was a step in the right direction.

“[The first round of eliminations] in Norwalk, we made a big stride forward,” Arana. “We made a really good pass. It wasn’t our best e.t. because my 60-foot was a little off, but we had the best back half, the best mph all weekend in the worst air. Now, if we can continue that momentum and move forward with that, focus and go rounds.

“I’m very confident. We made that pass in Norwalk, and we’ve been able to build off that run. We went home, and everything looked good. Everything is settling in, and that’s when things get fast. We can really fine-tune the tune-up, and everything is good to go. Hopefully we can be consistent and fast.”

It’s been an uphill climb for Arana from the start of the year after two early first-round exits sandwiched around a DNQ. Couple those setbacks with an extremely deep and talented field of Pro Stock Motorcycle riders, and that puts an even bigger spotlight on this next stretch of races for Arana, starting in Chicago. But Arana has done well in big moments and knows how his bike is capable of performing.

“I’m not putting any extra pressure on myself because I know there’s still plenty of time, and the points are really close,” said Arana, who is 11 points out of 10th place. “I need to focus on doing my job as a rider and going rounds. As long as I’m able to do that, everything should all come together, and we should be good to go.”

Trying to keep Arana from a third consecutive win at Route 66 Raceway is points leader Eddie Krawiec, who already has a class-best three wins in 2016 on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson. Other top standouts include the likes of defending world champion Andrew Hines; two-time world champion Matt Smith, who lost to Arana in the final of the Chicago event last year; Jerry Savoie; three-time world champ Angelle Sampey, who won in Englishtown; LE Tonglet; Gainesville runner-up Hector Sr.; and Karen Stoffer.

But Arana feels extremely comfortable racing at Route 66 Raceway, which could be a major factor in starting his resurgence this year.

“Chicago is a nice track, a nice facility,” Arana said. “It’s a great group of guys who run the track. The fans are awesome, and we’ve been lucky and have had great success there. It’s a fun track. When we’re done working on the bikes, we’re fishing in that pond by the starting line. It’s a nice, relaxing, fun track for us.”

NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5:15 and 7:45 p.m. on Friday, July 8, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 9, at 3:15 and 6 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 10.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call 888-629-RACE (7223) or 815-722-5500. Tickets also are available online at www.route66raceway.com. Kids 12 and under are free in general-admission areas with a paid adult.