Here's the next chapter for the story! Enjoy!
The next morning, Strip was back on the track for some practice laps. Roger had spent all morning coaching him, along with adjusting the strategy plan they had come up with before. They had just finished the first set of practice laps, when a familiar green hauler arrived. It was Chick Hicks.
"Well look who's here. If it isn't The King of all the Piston Cup racers." Chick laughed. Roger slightly rolled his eyes.
"What do you want Hicks?" Roger asked.
"Oh I thought I'd just come to see how you all are doing. Of course whether you spend all your time out on that track practicing, I'll still win the race."
Roger scoffed. "You seriously think last minute preparations will work? We've been here all week getting ready, and you show up with just two days to go until the tie breaker race? Get out of here!"
Chick smiled his greatest smile. "Relax, you all are treating this too seriously. It isn't even a surprise to me because you don't even spend time with your dear wife."
Strip scowled at this remark. "That's not true! I spend time with her. You wouldn't even last a day or two in your marriage if you had one because your wife wouldn't be able to tolerate the arrogant behavior you have!"
"What on earth is going on here?" A familiar voice shouted. Everyone turned around to see Tex approaching them.
"Nothing sir. We were just heading back to our tent." Roger said.
Tex frowned sternly. "I hope that is the case."
"Yes sir. We're going right now." And with that, Roger escorted his racer back to the Dinoco tent, while Tex focused his attention on Chick.
"You should be setting up your camp and preparing your own strategy for the race!" Tex growled. "And leave my team alone!"
Chick just snorted and laughed. "Whatever you say Dinoco. Come on boys. Let's leave this crazy Cadillac alone and get on with what we have to do." Chick and his pit crew immediately left, following the fiasco they had with Strip and Roger. Tex watched until they were out of sight. When Tex felt sure they were gone, he drove back to the Dinoco tent.
Inside the Dinoco tent, Strip and his crew were busy discussing plans they were going to do for the tie breaker race. Obviously Tex wanted them to do their very best, and the team was determined to win their last Piston Cup before Strip's retirement. Just then, one of the Piston Cup officials came inside.
"Ten minutes and we're starting the next practice session." He said. Roger nodded in acknowledgement, and the official left.
"Alright King, this is what we'll do. I'm sure Chick won't go lightly with this race, so I think we can do drafting and then I want you to try drifting. I know you've done this before throughout your career, but Tex wants us to try every method we can do in order to win our last Piston Cup before you leave. And I want to make sure this method will have some use to us."
"Ok. Do you want me to add anything else?"
"Let's see how our method goes out and if needed, we can add more."
Strip nodded in agreement and headed out onto the track. Chick had already been waiting for him to come out.
"Finally, you're ready to do practice laps." Chick said, as he rolled his eyes. Strip scowled, but didn't say a word. Instead, his crew chief escorted him away from Hicks, and had him focused on his pit area instead. Within a few minutes, the officials were ready to start the second session and the two racers thundered away on the track. Strip had managed to take the lead over Hicks. It had managed to stay this way for a period of time. Whenever Hicks had taken the lead away, Strip would always find a way to take it back from him. This would make Chick angry, as he was always the runner up behind Weathers.
"Hicks! You need to get past Weathers!" His crew chief barked angrily.
"I'm trying, but he's too fast! I swear one way or another, I'll make sure he doesn't finish the race in one piece!"
Strip had heard the threat Hicks had made, although he was too busy to worry about it at the moment. Roger had heard it though. Since he had access to hear Strip's radio, he was able to listen to what was said on the intercom. Whether it was Strip, or someone else. Roger made sure that the officials would know, but how wrong he would be.
By the time the practice sessions were done, Weathers had gained first place and poor Chick had been placed in second as usual.
"Not bad King!" Roger complimented. "Make sure you can do that again for the race."
"I will. Always have." Strip replied.
"Very good. Let's head back to our tent. Tex is probably waiting for us."
When the team arrived at their tent, Tex approached them. An eager smile across his front meant they had done well in their second practice session.
"You've done it again King. We've never had a racer as good as you. This is probably the 100th time you've held the lead in any practice session."
Strip smiled slightly at his long time sponsor and friend. "It was just a lot of hard work. That's all. Nothing that much anymore."
Tex turned from being friendly to be stern and serious. He wanted his long time racer to know that his work was always appreciated and that his legacy would be remembered for years to come.
"Listen, I know you've been humble ever since you announced your retirement. But, you at least need to realize this as an achievement. You can't let it go."
"I know. I always will consider it as my legacy. You know that."
Tex smiled. "Good."
Strip cleared his throat before speaking. "Hey, I was thinking the three of us could go out to dinner. You, me, and Lynda. It's been a while since we did that. Maybe it'll give us some time to relax and break free from the track for a bit."
"I think that'll be a great idea. But what about the pit crew?"
"Don't worry. I'll take care of that." Roger replied. "I've looked after the crew for a while now."
"If you're sure."
"Of course I'm sure. Now go and enjoy yourself. I'll stay here and we can get something to eat from the vendor truck."
Tex nodded in agreement and left the Dinoco tent. Later on in the early evening hours, Lynda, Strip, and Tex left the speedway to have dinner. Roger supervised the pit crew while he was away and had ordered a vendor truck to come and give them something to eat. Strip had decided to go somewhere close to the track, since no one wanted to travel far and there would be no issues coming back. As the three cars drove into the city a little more, a nearby diner soon appeared. Tired and exhausted, they agreed to have dinner there. It was also 10 minutes away from the track, so no long travel was needed.
When the three cars arrived at the diner, they were seated at a table and received their menus to order. It didn't take long for them to decide what they were going to have and the wait wasn't long.
"I'm hoping we'll be done quick. I want you to get some last minute laps in before tomorrow. We will be busy dealing with inspection and we will have a last minute session that will be used for qualifying."
"Ok. Is it necessary?"
"It won't hurt to do some later tonight. When we get back to the track after dinner, you'll be permitted to do so since I have already confirmed it with the officials."
"I suppose it won't hurt then. I'll do it."
After the orders were placed and the food arrived, the three cars ate their dinner. Tex wanted to hurry and get back to the track. Tomorrow would be a busy day, and he wanted Strip to do more laps before the tie breaker race.
The three cars finished their meals within 20 minutes. They were able to get back to the track within 10 minutes. Tex and Strip headed toward the Dinoco tent, assuming that the pit crew had finished eating by now. Tex frowned when he saw that the pit crew wasn't there.
"Where's the pit crew?" Strip asked.
"I have no idea. But they should be ready to go right away."
Strip glanced around the tent before Tex escorted him outside. They searched everywhere for the crew, but couldn't find them. Lynda saw them, and quickly approached them.
"There's food all over the pit area. I don't know which pit crew it belongs to, but I hope it's not us."
When the three cars headed over to their pit area, Strip glanced around, and noticed that something was missing. "Wait...my folder. I put a folder with strategy plans here and it's gone."
"Are you sure you put it out earlier?" Asked Tex.
"Yes I did. I would've known I didn't."
Suddenly, they heard glass breaking and clanging noises, along with voices speaking. One of the track officials came over to them.
"Mr. Dinoco and Weathers, you need to come with me."
Without speaking, Tex and Strip followed the official as he led them to a dumpster. When they got there, loads of garbage and food were on the floor and members of the Dinoco pit crew were digging around inside. Tex was the first one to speak, his voice stern.
"Excuse me."
The entire crew fell silent, realizing that the voice was no other than Tex. Two of them nervously turned around to find the oil tycoon glaring at them.
"Ricardo you should get out of the dumpster right now." One of the crew members whispered.
"Oh, you think." Tex replied, as he drove closer to where they were.
"We should've just told you both what happened." Luke replied.
"Yes, you should've- wait, what?"
"We accidentally threw out part of the strategy plan we had for the race. One of us must've put it down on our trays when we were eating and it went in the trash when we finished."
"Are you serious?!" Strip bellowed. "I was up all last night working on those!"
"I'm so sorry. I'll try and look for it quickly." Ricardo said, as he continued to go through the dumpster.
"No. Absolutely not! We have work to do." Tex ordered.
Roger sighed. "We'll have to do without it. I have some backup strategy plans on standby so we can just use that. It's still a plan. Better than having nothing.
"So I guess I contaminated a dumpster for no reason." Ricardo said, as his voice filled with sarcasm. He had hoped that this would make everyone forget what had just happened, but those plans were otherwise changed. Tex glared at him sternly.
"Out! Now!"
Immediately, Ricardo nearly flew out of the dumpster and landed back onto the asphalt. The race official glanced at him sternly.
"Next time you're caught, you'll pay a hefty fine."
Ricardo nodded. "Sorry."
The race official left and the entire pit crew found themselves with Tex and Strip. Tex wasn't happy about the situation. Neither was Strip. But they would have to work with what they still had.
"Lets get some final practice laps in. I know it's late, but a little more won't hurt." Tex said, as he headed for the pits.
Strip and his pit crew sighed softly. But thoroughly humbled, they followed him. Tomorrow would be the tiebreaker race.
I'm so sorry for the delay. And my apologies if the chapter is lengthy somewhat. I will try and keep the chapters a little less longer though. At least a thousand words or somewhere a little past that. I hope you like the story so far. And feel free to leave a review.
