The Distance
Based on Cake's song The Distance.
Disclaimer: I own neither Cars nor The Distance.
I think this song really goes with how Lightning feels at the big Piston cup race at the end of the movie before the crew from Radiator Springs comes.
Here he was.
Reluctantly crouched at the starting line,
Engines pumping and thumping in time.
The green light flashes, the flags goes up,
Churning and burning, they yearn for the cup.
Lightning McQueen glanced over at the two race cars next to him. The King was positioned at the starting line in a peaceful manner. On the other hand, Chick Hicks was uneasy. His eyes darted around, like a nervous animal. Lightning could only think of those he left behind. Before he knew it, the race was on.
They deftly maneuver and muscle for rank,
Fuel burning fast on an empty tank,
Reckless and wild they pour through the turns,
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern.
There was a sharp pain in his stomach as he accelerated. The roar of the three cars' engines was mixing with the pounding in his head. What happened to me? he thought, What happened to the race car that focused only on the race? Something else occupied his mind now. Or perhaps someone.
He's going the distance.
He's going for speed.
She's all alone, all alone in her time of need.
Sally. The mere thought of the look on her face as he left only made the pain in his stomach worse and the pounding in his head louder. He had crushed the car that showed him that it was okay to take life at a slower pace, that had brought out a side of him that he didn't know of.
But he's driving and striving and hugging the turns,
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns.
He snapped back into the race. An engine roared behind him. Chick was right on his bumper. He had to keep going, but he couldn't. The pain he felt was just too intense.
Bowel shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse,
Assail him, impale him with monster truck force.
In his mind he's still driving, still making the grade.
She's hoping time that her memories will fade.
Lightning hoped that maybe someday Sally could forget him, move on with her life. She deserved a car that would be there for her and support her. He wished he could be that car, but he knew it would never be so.
Cause he's going the distance.
He's going for speed.
She's all alone, all alone in her time of need.
