"Speed.. I am.. Speed. Faster than fast, quicker than quick.. I am Lightning." "What?" Asked Harv. Lightning opened his eyes and looked over from the cockpit of the car to see Harv. "Oh.. Um.. Nothing. Just a little.. Self motivation." Lightning explained as he gripped the wheel of the Bolt. Harv's brows lowered. "Yeah, yeah kid.. Just drive around the track so we can get a good shot and get this add moving. I can't begin to explain how tight your schedule is today alright?" "Yeah.. I know.. I'm just a little nervous about the race." "You're Lightning McQueen kid! You'll do fine." Harv brushed it off. Lightning frowned.
The piston cup was huge and he had the chance not only to win, to be the first rookie to win the cup, but to also Tex, the owner of Dinico announced that winner of the Piston cup, if it not be Strip, gets to sign with his team! So now, Lightning had the chance to have Dinico! DINICO! "Alright kid, just do what you do best." Harv said into the radio. Lightning sighed and put on the helmet before peeling out and racing a few laps alone. It did feel good to get some laps out before heading to the race. It was giving Lightning a little time to relax his mind and take it easy. Or so he thought. Harv had a busy day planned ahead for the star.
Lightning parked the Bolt back in the pits where his team began washing it down and tuning back up and replacing tires before Lightning's Rusteze shoot. "Alright kid, go with Mackenzie here and she'll get you all suited up for the add. Hurry up to, don't have all day." Mackanzie grabbed Lightning and pretty much pulled him along. SHe did hair and make up while another person grabbed out the new rusteze suit for Lightning to put on. "A new suit?" Asked Lightning. Mackenzie nodded explaining. "Yep. Rusty and Dusty and mostly Harv, wanted you to look al new and spiffy for the shoot." "Oh.. Well I won't be needing this long." Lightning joked.
Mackenzie raised a brow. Lightning snickered and further explained. "Because I'm going to win the cup this weekend. Dinico is a done deal." Mackenzie sighed and just remained silent as she finished his hair. "Done." She announced. Lightning quickly changed into the new Rusteze suit and rushed out to the track where the cameramen and Harv and props were already. Some guy handed Lightning a sheet of paper saying "Your script. Follow it." "Oh.. Thanks, but.. I"-"Harv had it written up. Here, says act excited." The man pointed out then went and stood next to the camera man. Lightning sighed and walked over to the car. "Okay, let's start with you leaning on the car." Said Harv. So Lightning leaned against the car. "This is a practice run people!" Announced the director. "Go ahead kid."
Lightning looked down at the paper and cleared his throat before reading, "Yes.. Yes, yes... Lightning McQueen here and I use Rusteze medicated bumper ointment, new rear end.. Formula.. Really?" he asked. Harv sighed saying "Know what, you're right. Why don't we shoot you from coming out of the window of the car THEN start talking. Perfect! Let's go again." The director nodded then shouted "Another practice run!" Lightning really hated this. Not only did he strongly dislike his sponsors logo and brand name, but now he had to say he used this stuff. GROSS!...
Lightning shut the apartment door and let out a sigh of relief. He was exhausted. He walked over to the kitchen where he opened the freezer to grab out a small microwave dinner for himself. Always so busy. Always working. Always exhausted and always alone at the end of it all. But he was afraid. If he let up at all, he could lose everything he had ever worked for, ever wanted. He watched the food turn in circles as it heated up. It was really quiet. He grabbed the tv remote and turned it on, it was already on RSN. The channel was running re runs of last week's race and reading the statistics. Who was most likely to win and such and other blah blah blah. Lightning sighed as he watched two old race fans and car lovers debate who would win.
"No, no. You got it all wrong man." Said Calvin. "This is Chick Hick's race to win. The rookie will burn mid race." "But Chick hasn't won over the rookie in so long. Might I remind you that this rookie is always seconds behind The King." Said Russel. Calvin nodded then said "True. But taking a look at the rookie's previous races, it's evidence. That kid is going to be all excited and nervous and he's going to run himself dry out there. Not to mention that thing with tires. I think the kid hates them." "I don't know, I think we all have one heck of a race this weekend to look forward to. Gonna be one of the greatest years yet!." Lightning shut it off. What if that one man was right? What if he ran himself out of energy and couldn't sleep again? What if he lost? To Chick!? What would become of him then? Would his fans leave him? What about his fame? Needless to say, Lightning was widely overthinking...
Lightning sat in his trailer on the couch. One of his legs shaking from the anxiousness inside him. He hadn't slept very well. Had a horrible dream where Chick won and left Lightning in the dust. Lightning got dressed and opened the door to find Mack looking at his watch. "Morning Lightning!" "AHH!" Lightning shouted and jumped back. "Relax kid. Harv sent me to pick you up. This is it! The Piston cup!" Lightning's brows lowered as he shut and locked the door. "Great.. Can we just go already. I want to get there and set up before Chick starts anything." "You got it Boss!" Mack said with a smile...
The Rusteze trailer waited in line behind a few other trailers at the entrance for racers, crews and track employees and officials. Lightning sighed and stared ahead. "Why did everyone decide to show up at the same time. I'm usually the only person who ever shows up so early." Mack snickered explaining "Well it's the Piston Cup kid. It's your first one and you've given everyone a run for their money." He joked. Lightning leaned in the seat as slowly, they moved up one by one slowly. "UUUHGGGGG This is taking forever!" Lightning complained. Mack nodded replying "Won't be too long." The trucks started moving shortly and Lightning really fell more and more nervous as he scrunched down into the seat swallowing hard and his heart beating hard and fast.
Lightning exited the truck once Mack parked. He felt as if everyone was staring at him. "Better get suited up kid." Mack said. Lightning looked at his driver and smiled. "Duh.. I was.. Just headed that way." He smirked then walked to the trailer door and said "I'll be in the trailer getting ready um.. Can you just come get me when the racers are lining up?" "You got it Boss!" Mack said with a wink before walking away and saying "Right now, ole Mack is need of one those famous hot dogs." Lightning snickered and reached for the door when "Good luck today kid." Lightning turned to see none other than Chick Hicks. Lightning smiled slyly replying "Oh please.. I don't need luck. I'm Lightning McQueen."
Chick walked up with a chuckle to that. "Yeah.. And that's all you'll ever be." "...What?.." Lightning muttered with a slight frown." Chick smiled wide! "Woah ho! Do I spy a little fear there McQueen? Or should I go ahead and start calling you Mcloser?" Lightning glared replying "Ha ha.. Very funny Chick.. I gotta prepare.." "Prepare for what!? Oh.. Right! Your loser's speech." The green suited man joked and laughed! Lightning shook his head. "Gonna put on quite a show out there Chick." "Oh of course! Gotta make it interesting for the fans." Chick agreed. Lightning sighed and walked into his trailer, slamming the door shut. Chick snickered with confidence. He was not losing this one. He was determined to win the Piston cup, Dinico, and to throw that rookie where he belonged. Off the track.
So once alone, Lightning sat on his couch in the dim lighted trailer. The Bolt still parked inside. "You got this McQueen.. I got this. Totally.." He was nervous, but didn't want anyone to see it. He walked over to his tool box after some quiet time and opened the bottom drawer. He moved some junk around where he pulled out an old photo. He stared at it a second there before walking back to the couch and sitting down. It was a photo of Chad and Robert outside that car shop back home with Robert's race car that the brother's built. Lightning was only thirteen when Robert crashed Robert never made it into the Piston cup. Lightning stared at the photo and thought of the old and great memories he shared with Robert and Chad really. The fun he had helping with the cars and some on the race car. Robert taught Lightning a lot about cars. Robert and Chad kind of helped Lightning get into racing from a young age.
Lightning closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had this in the bag. He was going to win this race. He would put his entire spirit into this race. Everything he wanted was at his fingertips! He couldn't let it go now. He was going to give it one hundred and ten percent! Lightning was going to give it his all, his everything, more than one hundred and ten percent! He was KNOCK, KNOCK! Lightning was snapped out of concentration and set down the photo. Knock,knock,knock. Again. Lightning opened the trailer's door to find his crew chief.
The kid sighed with annoyance. "Ugh.. What? I'm trying to relax." "Relax!? Are you kidding me right now McQueen? We gotta get the car to the pits and get it ready." Bolt. The car's name is Bolt. How many times I gotta tell you that?" Lightning snapped. The man's brows lowered. "Just get it to the pits." He began to walk away when Lightning continued, "You should really respect me Chuck." The man stopped and took a deep breath before turning back around to Lightning. "Thanks. I'll remember that next time, for now.. PLEASE GET THAT CAR TO THE PITS!" He yelled! "This is no time to be playing games and meditating!" I'ts not meditation.." Lightning growled.
His crew chief had enough. "Whatever! This is the piston cup kid. The entire team is in panic because you gotta still fuel up and we have to make sure the tires are one hundred. Because some one doesn't like to stop for tires or fill up!' "Doesn't matter anyway. Because after today, I'll be smoozing it with the Dinico crew." "Excuse me?" "You heard me. I won't be dealing with bossy coaches like you anymore. I'm the boss! Or have you forgotten who the real start is here Chuck?" Lighting smile. That was it. The crew chief snapped and began a lecture.
"Blah, blah, blah! BLahblahblahblha. Blahblahblahblah blah blah. Blahblahblah, blahblah. Blah? BLah blah blah. Blah! Bla"-"Alright! That's plenty of great information there pal, but I have this all in the bag. I don't need to hear this." Lightning snapped. "I'm the perfect racer. The youngest, best looking, most talented and smartest driver. I can out maneuver every other driver here! Know what, I don't need this kind of distraction. Today, I claim my spot and take my place as a champion of the legends. I am going to beat The King and Chick and EVERY racer out there because I deserve this. And YOU will not hold me back with your be part of the team speech. You are fired! Get lost!" Lightning then slammed the door in the man's face!
The kid took a deep breath as he leaned on the door of the trailer. He had to get rid of him. He needed to focus and clear his mind of all distractions and stress. His crew chief would only hold him back anyway. This was Lightning's time to really shine and take what he believed he so deserved. Lightning suited up and got into the Bolt. Time was crunching. Mack would be here anytime to get him. With one more deep breath to clear his mind, Lightning began his little ritual. "Okay.. Here we go. Focus.. Speed.. I am speed.. One winner.. Forty two losers, I eat losers for breakfast. Breakfast? Did I?.. How could I forget about breakfast? Breaki could be good for me-No, no, no.. Focus.. Speed. I. Am. Speed. Faster than fast, quicker than quick. I am Lighting."
Knock, knock, knock. "Hey Lightning? You ready?" Mack called. Lightning nodded with a proud and ready smile. "Oh yeah, Lightning's ready." With a press of a button, the hatch opened and as Lightning revved and pulled the Bolt out of the trailer, the press and some fans surrounded him and the Rusteze trailer! Lightning was ready for today. Today, everything would change for him!...
As Lightning pulled up to the pits, one of the crew members asked him "Hey, where's coach?" Lightning hopped out andd another team mate handed the kid his helmet. "I fired him." Lighting explained. "WHAT!?" Asked the team mate. Lightning rolled his eyes and quickly explained "I don't need him guys, he was a distraction." "A what?" "Are you for real?" Asked the crew. Lightning sighed continuing "Look, you want me to win, right? So just do what I say when I say it and I'll be fine." "Really?" Asked one team mate. Chick walked by and laughed. "AHAH! No crew chief today kid? What happened this time? This one actually realize what a loser you are?" Lightning glared replying "That's not even clever Chick.." "I don't have to be clever, I just gotta beat you. HEY! Good luck out there really." "RACERS! LINE UP TIME!" Shouted a crew chief. With that everyone was getting ready to start!
"Racers! Start your engines!"...
All the racers gained speed at a pace, Lightning started near the rear of the pack, moving up quickly. He was cocky and knew he would win today. Nothing was going to stop him. Lighting weaved through the pack easily, all the way up to the leaders, Chick and The kind. Lightning even flashed a smile at Chick as he passed him. Second already! YES! Then Chick bumped Lightning's fender, spinning the kid into the dirt. "HAHA! Chick exclaimed in victory. Lightning quickly began gunning it, spinning dirt out as he raced back onto the track. Chick's crew chief warned him that Lightning was back in. Chick snickered and looked over to the car coming up his side. "Dinico is all mine." THen slammed into the racer! This quickly caused a HUGE accident behind him. Most, if not all, the racers were taken out by this crash! "GET THROUGH THAT MCQUEEN!" CHick laughed!
"OH a huge crash behind the leaders!" Shouted the announcers. " Cars crashed and banged together, hitting the walls. "Wait a minute Darrel, McQueen is in the wreckage!" "There's no way the Rookie can make it through! NOt in one piece that is." But Lightning maneuvered through each wrecked car. Still ahead, one car was upside down and another in front. Lightning had no other choice! The rookie gunned it and with such chance, he drove over it and jumped over the final barrier!
"LOOK AT THAT! I don't believe it! MCQUEEN MADE IT THROUGH!" Shouted Darrel! "And he's not going into the pits! He stays put to take the lead!" "That's right, No tires again!" "You know the kid just fired his crew chief!"
Chick's crew chief looked at the track at Lightning then warned Chick. "McQueen's not pitting." "WHAT!? Come on you gotta get me back out there! Come on, come on, come on!"
Lighting took the lead as the race re started. So far ahead, he kept that lead up to almost a full lap! "Checkered flag here I come!" BAM! "OH! McQueen's blown a tire!" Announced Darrell! Everyone gasped in shock! The rusteze pit crew through a bit of a fit! They knew Lightning needed tires, but Lightning did things his way despite the warning. BAM! "MCQUEEN'S BLOWN ANOTHER TIRE!!!" "I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I'M WATCHING POP! MCQUEEN IS A HUNDRED FEET FROM HIS PISTON CUP!" "The King and Chick rounding turn four!" "IT'S GONNA BE CLOSE! AND IT'S, AND IT'S!.."
All three passed the line at the same time!
"IT'S TOO CLOSE TO CALL! TOO CLOSE TO CALL!" "ANSUDBDUSBR SKHRHEBD OSHDUDHD!!!! AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO WON!?"