I've decided to dedicate this story to the Fox Network and the Fox Kids people. As another reviewer pointed out, the COMMUNISTS took the X-Men cartoon series reruns off for NASCAR racers. Fox, EAT YOUR HEART OUT!!
Ch. 2 – Organizing X-Motorsports
"NASCAR?" They all cried in unison (except Rogue).
"Yeah. Gambit tink we need a break from dis training. All X-Men foes been defeated time an' time again. Dey all gone underground or not reared der ugle faces in so long. Gambit tink we can show de world what mutants can do." They all just had a puzzled look on their faces. "And we be in a better spot dan most teams. Dey gotta hunt for a sponsor. Xavier's billions can fund the team, and he don even need to pay us, because we all room here and such. But, we'll need as many as ex-X-Men as possible to run dis team. Takes at least 20 to fabricate, paint, produce and race dees cars. But Gambit tink we can do it. And it be fun too." There was still a look of reservation on their faces, but they agreed to at least build a test car, and take it to a NASCAR speedway. Xavier dismissed everyone except Gambit and Rogue to help make personnel moves. After a few hours, Xavier posted the list they had come up with and contacted various mutants and former X-Men.
Xavier – Owner and General Manager
Jubilee – Business Manager and Equipment Specialist
Cyclops – Driver
Gambit – Crew Chief
Forge – Car chief and Engine Specialist
Jean – Windshield Cleaner and Driver Morale
Wolverine – Truck Driver and Damage Control Mechanic
Iceman – Research and Development
Storm – Catch Can and Crew Coach
Beast – Tire Changer and Team Physician
Shadowcat – Tire Changer and Engine mechanic
Thunderbird – Jackman and Tire Specialist
Nightcrawler – Tire Carrier and Mechanic
Rogue – Tire Carrier and Mechanic
Colossus – Gas Can Man and Fuel Specialist
Phoenix (Rachel Summers) – Spotter
Psylocke - Scorer
Bishop – Head Mechanic
Cable – Chief Fabricator
Marrow – Fabricator/Mechanic
Archangel – Fabricator/Mechanic
Banshee – Fabricator/Mechanic
Polaris – Fabricator/Mechanic
Havok – Fabricator/Mechanic
There was a general consensus that their jobs were OK, except for Wolverine.
"Why'd you put me on the truck? And what in the world is Damage Control Mechanic?" Xavier tried to calm him down.
"Logan, your enhanced healing allows you a certain advantage over the rest of us. Theoretically, you do not need sleep, correct?"
"Yeah." He scowled.
"Well, you can drive a truck and not need sleep. And your claws give you an advantage say if Scott wrecks the car. Instead of getting saws as the other teams do, we just send you over the wall, and have the damaged sheet metal removed faster than any of them. Now, that was Gambit and my reasoning." Wolverine just shot in his claws, and went off.
The next few weeks were very busy for X-Motorsports. The team assembled the "missing" mutants and go to work on a test car. Cable headed up the building of the test car and the fabricators and mechanics quickly picked up the ropes of their new responsibilities. Within a few weeks, right as the racing season was winding down, Cable and his crew managed to get two test cars ready for testing at the closest Winston Cup track at Dover Downs. Forge had built multiple engines built for qualifying and race conditions. Storm led the "over the wall" pit crew and got them skilled at changing four tires and got them fast and good at their trade. Wolverine drove the hauler with the racecars into and the entire crew flew down to Dover and they readied everything for the test. Xavier wanted them to test the car under race conditions first, and the other mechanics would ready the other car for qualifying conditions.
Everyone unloaded the car, as yet unnumbered. They wheeled it out onto pit road and they got the pit box and all the equipment setup before Cyclops unleashed the "Blackbird" as the test car was dubbed. They were ready and Cyke got in the car. Shadowcat made one last internal inspection to insure that the engine was A-OK. When she phased out of the car, Cyclops fired up the Blackbird. It purred to perfection. Gambit took his place on top of the pit box, with Psylocke who was charting Cyke's laps. He rolled down pit road, as the team scurried to make sure they could see Cyke come across the line. Cyclops was cautious as he got the speed up on the backstretch. He had been watching hours of races to know what the best line around Dover was. Cyclops came across the line with the X-Men cheering. Gambit looked at the speeds.
"Uhh, Cyke, dat speed wasn't to good. How bout you turn up de wick?"
"Just trying to get a feel for this baby," as Cyclops picked up the speed going into turn one. Cyclops made many more laps before Xavier came on the radio.
"Gambit, how about we not keep speed with this part of the practice? Cyclops is trying to learn the ropes of the car." Gambit turned off the stop watch.
"Good idea Prof." Cyclops drove around 70 laps with a very consistent line. He pulled into pit road, and readied for a pit stop. Gambit radioed the crew.
"Alrighty crew. Dis is de first 'hot' pit stop. Do yo best…" Cyclops approached.
"Tree, two, one…" Beast, Rogue and Thunderbird were ready to change the front tires. Nightcrawler was ready to teleport with the rear tire. Shadowcat ran across the pit box, holding the hose over her head. Cyclops actually ran into her, but she just phased right through the car. As Cyclops squeeled to a halt, the front crew went to work changing the tires and Shadowcat was changing the tires on the rear of the car, and Nightcrawler BAMFed over with his rear tire. Storm and Colossus came over the wall, and began fueling the car. Jean telekinetically flew in a container of Gatorade. As their jobs were done, Rogue flew over the car and back over to the wall to get the left side tire; Nightcrawler BAMFed back to the wall to get his tire. Beast summersaulted over the hood, doing no damage to the hood, and making sure the air gun hose was out from in front of the car. Shadowcat ran back through the car and through the fuel tank, close to full of gas. Thunderbird dropped the car off the jack as they finished the right side tires, and they went to work on the left side. On the clock, Gambit had them on the clock, and they were quicker than a regular Winston Cup pit crew. They finished the job; Thunderbird dropped the jack; Cyclops smoked the tires, and pulled out of the pits. Gambit dropped his jaw at their time.
"13.1. Dats one whole second off a normal team pit crew…" Cyclops brought the speed back up as he did 30 more laps on the track. Meanwhile, Cable and Bishop readied the second car to try qualifying speeds. Cyclops dropped "Blackbird" onto pit road, and behind the pit wall. He stopped the car, and quickly got out and ran over to the other car. Before getting in, he spoke to the crew.
"I've never felt more alive…Wow!" He got in, and fired up the qualifying car. He pulled off pit road and this time got the car quickly warmed up. Gambit got on the radio.
"Alright Cyke, Gambit want you to put de hammer down. Forge ask me to ask you how dat engine feel and how fast it run. Do it!" The normal cautious Cyclops responded.
"That first 100 lap run has made me more comfortable. Ready to see some speed…" He floored the car and flew around the race track. He ran three or four laps under qualifying conditions. He finished the run and slowed down on the backstretch. The radio was dead silent. "Will someone tell me what I've run?" A shocked Gambit came on the radio.
"160.12. That's over one mile per hour over de current fastest speed at Dover." He paused. "Gambit tink de X-Motorsports have a good team. They loaded everything up, and headed back to analyze the data they had learned from their test.