Jeff Arend posted a season-high runner-up finish during Sunday’s eliminations of the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park.
 
In the final round of eliminations, Arend paired up against Matt Hagan. On the hottest racing surface the NHRA has raced on so far this year (track temperature of 118 degrees), both flopper pilots struggled to get their machines to maintain traction, but it was Hagan who crossed the finish line first, 4.714 seconds, 231.20 mph to 4.390 sec., 247.57 mph, to get the win.
 
Arend, the No. 6 qualifier (4.095 seconds, 309.98 mph), defeated Jim Head, Robert Hight, and Del Worsham in his march through eliminations to the final round match-up with Hagan. The trip to the “money” round was the fourth of Arend’s 16-year Funny Car driving career and his first final since getting an emotional first win with Kalitta Motorsports at the Memphis event last fall.

 Jeff Arend posted a season-high runner-up finish during Sunday’s eliminations of the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park.
 
In the final round of eliminations, Arend paired up against Matt Hagan. On the hottest racing surface the NHRA has raced on so far this year (track temperature of 118 degrees), both flopper pilots struggled to get their machines to maintain traction, but it was Hagan who crossed the finish line first, 4.714 seconds, 231.20 mph to 4.390 sec., 247.57 mph, to get the win.
 
Arend, the No. 6 qualifier (4.095 seconds, 309.98 mph), defeated Jim Head, Robert Hight, and Del Worsham in his march through eliminations to the final round match-up with Hagan. The trip to the “money” round was the fourth of Arend’s 16-year Funny Car driving career and his first final since getting an emotional first win with Kalitta Motorsports at the Memphis event last fall.
 
Arend took over the driving duties of the DHL Funny Car in 2008 after the tragic death of drag racing legend Scott Kalitta, who died in a racing accident at an event in New Jersey in June of that year. Kalitta, who was a two-time NHRA World Champion in the Top Fuel class (1994-’95), got his one and only win in the Funny Car ranks at the Houston event in 1989.
 
“Man, it would’ve been great to get a win today for DHL and Team Kalitta and for Scott here in Houston,” Arend, a native Canadian and 47-year old resident of San Dimas, Calif., said. “Still though, we had a great breakout weekend for our team. We hadn’t even won a round this year, so to get three in one day was a big boost for everyone on our team, to say the least. I can’t say enough about how hard our DHL team works week in and week out. I’m really proud of all of our crew guys for keeping their heads up when we’ve been struggling. I can’t wait to get another win for those guys.”
 
Arend’s final round run today marks the fourth final-round appearance in five events for Kalitta Motorsports so far in the 2010 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

TRAILING IN THE FINAL, ARANA STILL LEADS - Defending world champion Hector Arana rode his Lucas Oil Buell V-Twin to his 11th career final round Sunday, padding his lead in the Full Throttle points to 40, or the equivalent of two full rounds of racing.

Arana's result at the 23rd annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park came at the expense of Steve Johnson, Jim Underdahl, and past series champion Matt Smith. Arana eliminated himself in the final by leaving before the green light, handing the trophy to Andrew Hines, who posted a beatable 6.998 at 196.02 mph.

"I did the best I could until the end," said Arana, visably upset with his -.102 second red light start in the final. "I just blew it; lost it.

"I was thinking about (his previous reaction times of .064 and .070 seconds) before the final round and I knew I wanted to improve a little bit. I just tried to relax and take the tree. I was very focused and I know I saw the (green) light. I guess I cut it too close.

"I'm going from one extreme to the other. I just haven't found my happy medium yet, but I will. It's still early in the year. We'll take this, go work on the bike to find more power, and go to the next race."