Dingodile and Tiny worked on their cars in their garage, heavy metal music blaring in the background. Each team spends the next couple of weeks test driving their cars and preparing for the qualifying race which was a week before the races began. No one was concerned about qualifying since they were going to be the only ones qualifying this year. They were icons on the islands; everybody had a poster of their favorite racer in their room.
The qualifying race was done on a basic track to make sure each car was safe and could keep up with others in order to ensure the races were efficient. They also determined starting positions for the first race. After that, the results of the races determine starting positions for the following ones.
Finally, qualifying day arrived and each team (or group in the bandicoots' case) loaded their race cars into their trailers and drove to the qualifying track. Usually there were about 100 spectators who came to watch the qualifies, but this year the stands were packed as if it was an actual race. This was an exciting year for the islands and the fans didn't want to miss a thing.
Each team pulled into their garage and began getting ready. While they were getting ready, officials came by to tell them the order of qualifies. First up were Coco, then N. Gin, Cortex, Dingodile, Crunch, Polar, Tiny, and Crash.
"Qualifies will begin in ten minutes," the announcer blared over the speakers. Coco was suited up and getting into her car to drive out to the track. Crash ran up to her and patted her on the back which she knew meant "Good luck".
"Thanks," she said smiling. Crunch gave her thumbs up, and Polar and Pura waved their paws as she drove onto the track.
She pulled up to the starting line as the announcer called her name, and the crowd went wild. She kept her focus and watched the starting lights blink from red to green, and she was off. The track started off pretty straight with a few slight turns, but she managed it fine. She could probably race this track with her eyes closed. She went up over a small hill and prepared herself for the sharp turn at the bottom. She pressed the brakes to slow up for the turn, but nothing happened. Keeping her cool she hit the emergency brake button, but still nothing happened. She hit the turn and cut her wheel hard. She felt a jerk as her car spun out of control. Everything was a blur, then nothing. The crowd fell silent and rose to their feet wondering over the fate of their beloved racer below.
Coco opened her eyes and saw that she was in the mud on her side. The med squad ran over to see if she was ok, then waved their blue flags to indicate to the officials and crowds that she was fine. Everybody cheered. The med squad pulled her out of her car and the tow truck came to pick up her racecar. Crash and Crunch ran out on the track to walk her back to the garage. Her qualifying time would be 90 minutes, which wasn't anywhere near possible, but that's what they gave to people who were unable to finish. Of course she would still get to race since there were only eight racers this year, but she had really wanted to qualify well this year.
When they got the track cleaned up, entered the track and began his qualify. Cortex watched with confidence that again this year they would dominate the tracks. Meanwhile Coco, Crash, and Crunch were trying to figure out why Coco's car malfunctioned.
"I don't understand. Your car was running just fine yesterday when we took it out," Crunch said as they gathered around her car after the tow truck brought it in their garage.
"I think somebody messed with our cars," Coco said. "We better look at everybody else's." They nodded and checked out the other cars, but everything seemed to be in check.
"Maybe something just went wrong," Crunch said. Coco looked at Crash; he shrugged and scratched his head. "The only person who would do that would be Cortex, and why wouldn't he sabotage Crash's car instead of yours?"
"Well, if there was something wrong with Crash's car, everyone would be pretty quick to point fingers at Cortex," Coco said. Crash nodded, and she continued. "If he sabotaged my car, he can first of all put me in the back for the starting race where it's harder to work my way up to the top and second of all get away with it since people will just assume I'm a stupid female who doesn't know anything about cars and that I just made a mistake." Pura meowed and rubbed up against Coco's leg and Crash patted her on the back.
"But that's ridiculous!" Crunch said. "You're the smartest person I know! Smarter than Cortex and put together! Surely people know that! And you're a great racer, way better than I am." Crash nodded and Coco smiled. At that moment they heard cheering and the announcer saying something.
"I guess just finished his qualify," Coco said. They stepped out the door of their garage to see what his time was.
"Definitely not his best time," Crunch said.
"No, I could've beaten that easily," Coco said shaking her head as she walked back into the garage.
Meanwhile, Cortex pulled out of the garage and onto the track as was driving back into the garage. " could have done much better than that," Cortex thought as he pulled up to the starting line. A mix of cheers and boos filled the stadium as he pulled up and his name was announced. "It will look less suspicious if we don't both do well at the start. Perhaps with the female bandicoot in last it will lower the morale of the bandicoot team and hinder their performance. Ah, six year champions. That will be glorious!" Cortex watched as the starting lights went from red to green, and he was off.
Dingodile was suited up and getting ready in the garage with Tiny. They were both shocked at Coco's wreck and 's poor qualify time. Something was definitely off this year.
"Well, at least I know I won't qualify last," Dingodile said getting into his car. Cortex was almost finished with his qualify.
"Dingo beat ," Tiny said giving a thumbs up.
"Yeah, that bloke didn't do well at all today. We'll see how Cortex does," Dingodile said. There was a massive sound of cheering and booing as the announcer called out Cortex's time.
"Look at that, folks, a new record for the qualify track," the announcer said. "Looks like this will be an exciting season for sure."
"Oh brother," said Dingodile. "Well, here I go, mate. Wish me luck." Dingodile drove onto the racetrack amid a wave of cheers and applause. He waved out his window at his fans as he sat at the starting line waiting for the lights to turn green. Then he was off speeding his way through the course and sliding through the turns coming dangerously close to the edge of the track. The crowd gasped and cheered as he flew over jumps and landed precariously before a turn which he barely maneuvered, loving every minute of it. When he crossed the finish line he purposely let his car spin out to show off for the crowd. He got a standing ovation and a five second penalty to his time.
"What an idiot," Cortex said to after watching Dingodile's qualifying. They waited for his time to come up. "He beat your qualify. That blundering fool beat your qualify even with all his antics and five second penalty he still beat you by two seconds." He looked at for an explanation, but just shrugged. "Well, you had better step it up, or you can find somebody else to race with. Maybe that polar bear might want to take a joy ride around the track with you. I'm here to win."
"Tiny wanted to spin," Tiny said frowning to Dingodile as he pulled in the garage.
"No worries, mate, you still can," Dingodile said getting out of his car. "They love that stuff no matter how many times it's done." Tiny scoffed at his reply and sulked around the garage.
Meanwhile, Crunch began his qualify. Coco, Crash, Polar, and Pura watched from their garage and cheered him on.
"It seems like he's doing really well," Coco said, and Crash nodded in agreement. "Polar, you better start getting ready; you're up next." The little polar bear who was more like a dog than a bear, barked and ran over to the wall where his helmet was hanging and grabbed it off the wall with his mouth and brought it over to Crash who helped him put it on. Then Polar hopped into his car and strapped in. The announcer read Crunch's time over the speakers and everybody cheered.
"Whoa!" Crash exclaimed (the only word he could say) and pointed to the time board.
"Hey! That's a new record for him!" Coco said. "And he placed better than that goofball, Dingodile." Polar drove out of the garage and barked congratulation to Crunch as he pulled in. Coco, Crash, and Pura bombarded him with congratulations as he got out of his car.
"I can't believe it! I was in the zone, man!" Crunch said. He high-fived Crash and picked up Pura, the tiny tiger to watch Polar's qualify. The crowd cheered and "awed" at the little polar bear who barked and waved as he pulled up to the starting line. He usually came in last in the qualifies (although he wouldn't this time), but everybody thought he was so cute that they didn't care. When Polar finished racing, everybody clapped and cheered even though he only qualified above Coco.
Next up was Tiny and there was thunderous applause and cheering for their other favorite speedster. Tiny roared and waved to the crowd as he pulled up. He was trying to think of ways he could show up Dingodile and still qualify well. He watched the lights change from red to green and spun his tires for a few seconds so that huge clouds of dust billowed around him then he roared loudly and shot through the dust like a rocket. It cost him a couple of seconds, but the crowd loved it and that was enough for Tiny.
"They are both a couple of blasted fools," Cortex said rolling his eyes. "We need to work hard in the first race to put them in the back where they belong."
"That will be easy to do from behind," said rectifying his poor placing in the qualifies.
"Good thinking, ," Cortex said. "I knew you were thinking ahead when you qualified. Then Coco will be stuck in the back with those two who blow things up and wreck all the time and all we'll have to do is get rid of the other two bandicoots. Then first place will be mine! Again! Hahaha!"
"You ready, Crash?" Crunch asked as Crash strapped himself into his car. He smiled and gave them thumbs up.
"Good luck, Big Brother," Coco said. Polar barked and Pura meowed as Crash drove out onto the track. The crowd went wild as he pulled up to the starting line and the announcer called his name. The lights turned from red to green and he was off. He hit each turn with grace and precision and sped down the straight-aways. The crowd stood and held their breath as he crossed the finish line waiting for the announcer to tell the final time as it flashed across the board. Would Crash qualify in first? Or was Cortex going to hold the first place spot? The announcer read the time and it appeared on the board. There was a thunderous cheering and stomping and clapping in the stadium as Crash's name was placed in the first place spot above Cortex's. They hugged and laughed and cheered in the bandicoot garage. Even Tiny and Dingodile were happy to see Crash's name above Cortex's. Cortex shook his fist at the board and he and loaded their belongings in silence except for the curses Cortex muttered under his breath.
"Here is the starting order for the first race which will begin one week from today in Tiny Arena: Crash, Cortex, Crunch, Tiny, Dingodile, , Polar, and Coco. See you all next week! Good luck racers!" the announcer said.