Before this all starts, I would like to say that I am going to keep this professional and realistic. If you are looking for something more funny or cartoonish, I would probably think you won't enjoy this. As I said in my profile, I like to write dramas. Anyway, the main character here is Jacob Carter, a third generation NASCAR driver. He is trying to win his first championship after thirteen years in the Cup series. Without further ado...
Chasing a Dream
"A dream is not achieved through your mind. It's not achieved through your heart or your soul. You cannot accomplish anything without ability, son. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are full of shit." - Drew Carter
"Racing is what ruined your dad. I want you to know that we both support you, but don't let it take over your life. Find a wife, have a kid. Enjoy yourself, live life the way it should be lived. Don't live your life behind the wheel." - Greg Carter
"I never really had anyone involved in my life since my Grandfather passed away. My mother divorced my father when I was around fifteen. She never re-entered my life. I went to my father's funeral at the age of twenty one without my mother being there. I was always told she passed away, mainly because everyone knew she was never going to re-enter my life. I guess you could say I was lucky, because after my father passed, I inherited his millions of dollars at the age of 22. I started my own Cup team a year later with the money. It was the only thing I knew, racing. I had been driving a stock car or some type of racing car since I was about three years old. My dad figured I would be the next Dale Earnhardt. Can't say he was right, either. Although I have a better career then my father statistically, I didn't start competing for championships until just a few years ago. But, it's all in the past. My father died fifteen years ago, and my grandfather thirteen. God rest their souls. While my grandfather was telling me not to let racing ruin my life on his death bed, I made a promise to him to put the Carter name back on top, like my father did with his 1984 championship.
My grandfather, Greg, died of old age. The age of 83 to be exact. He led a great life, and even though his name wasn't worth a dime in NASCAR, it was worth a million to me. My father, Drew, passed in a test session. I was at the track, but didn't go to the hospital. He was dead on impact. I watched him die in front of me, in person. It's a scary thought, but racing accidents happen. People die every year. It's the life we choose to live. And after it all, I have nothing to fall back on but an empty house in Mooresville, North Carolina. I could never hold a girlfriend for more then a couple months, not to mention a job. Racing was the only thing that kept me going. It still is the only thing. Hell, I guess I am just chasing the dream. My dream."
"I had this idea that this year would the year that I hoist the trophy above my arms. The year I finally have the wife I always wanted but never had the heart to look for. The year that I finally step out of my fathers shadow and accomplish everything I haven't already accomplished. I laid in bed, two weeks ago, contemplating the season. My small team just wasn't quite pulling in the sponsorship we needed to stay afloat. I thought about my age. I was turning 38 at the end of the year. Most drivers retire around 40. I thought about how my time was running out. We didn't have the money left to run the team the way I wanted to. Not to mention our personnel had dropped from roughly thirty crew members to twenty over the off season. Today, I lay on my bed in my RV at Daytona, contemplating my life choices. Contemplating my grandfather's words to me, that I promised him I would keep dearly. I hadn't done a good job of that. Either way, I knew in myself this would be the last season for me, and the team. I just didn't have the heart, or the courage to tell the team that.
The one thing I was happy about was the return of Matt Shingleton, my crew chief, and Nicole Miller, my public relations executive. She always kept me on track, as did Matt. Not to mention my hellacious and tenacious crew consisting of twelve men who showed up to the track each weekend and worked their asses off to make sure I had a winning car. I was grateful for everything we had achieved, but there was still one thing that was daunting me, the championship."