After getting out of the car, Kiki felt like she could breathe again. Now, she could enjoy the kids' excitement as they talked non-stop while she and Mark got them all something cold to drink. Mark looked at his watch and said, "I hate to cut this short, but I've got a car to get to the other track."

Mr. Jones and a couple of the kids would stay with Kiki's car while the others went to the dirt track to watch the qualifying there. From the drag strip parking area you could see both Kiki's car and the dirt track, so they could watch from there.

Mark figured that Sammy should be busy enough with his job as jack man for Hamilton to be able to get to Kiki's car unnoticed.

Babara was anxiously awaiting Mark's return to the dirt track. She had out the magnetic numbers and team name, as well as Mark's name to put over the driver's door of the Coyote. Moments after the magnets were in place, the announcement was made for all Modifieds to line up to qualify. Mark noted that Hamilton's Late Model racer was on the jack for late minute adjustments, 'Good.' He thought, hoping that Sammy would be occupied while he was on the track. Mark put on his helmet, checked the safety harness, then, pulled over to the gate with several other cars who had parked waiting to be let down onto the track. Each car would get two caution laps and two laps under green; the best time of the green flag laps would determine the starting positions for the Saturday heat races. When the qualifying was over, Mark had qualified third fastest. He knew he hadn't run all out. He hadn't planned to run a hundred percent for the qualifying. He, like most of the others, had saved just a bit for the races. He also took great pleasure in the fact that not too many people knew him or the Coyote. Though it was several years old now, the Coyote was still an attention getter. When he'd raced here last, Mark had raced Trans Ams for Flip, but there were still a few drivers like 'Pig' who remembered him.

After getting the Coyote off the track, Mark unstrapped and went to the second car carrier. He knew there would not be much time while another class of cars qualified to get out the new car.

Hardcastle watched as Mark, Kiki, and Barbara worked getting the new car out of the trailer. If Mark had thought the Coyote was an attention getter, it didn't compare to the attention this new car was getting from the crowd, as well as the other teams.

Kiki looked at Mark. He looked like Christmas had come early. He was having fun. She smiled at him. Then, she couldn't help sneaking just a glance toward Sammy. When her eyes returned to Mark, they both caught each other. He too, had looked over to see Sammy's reaction to the new car and of course the fact that Mark was its driver. They both had to laugh. The others were now looking at them like they had both lost their minds.

Hardcastle, who had been standing back a bit, was the only one who had seen what had happened. Seeing the daggers that were being shot by Sammy at Mark,and Kiki for that matter, Hardcastle feared that this was going to be trouble.

Mark said to Barbara, "Don't worry. It'll run faster than I intend to run her. I'm just going to feel it out and hopefully make a good time."

Barbara nodded as he got in the car. Since he hadn't bothered to undo his coveralls, all Mark had to do to get ready was put on his helmet that Kiki was ready to hand him after giving him a kiss, which did not go unnoticed by her ex-husband. Mark tightened the safety belts and put on his gloves.

"Get the kids up in the bleachers. There's going to be a lot of traffic back here." Mark fired up the engine of the car as Kiki and Barbara were motioning the kids to the bleachers. The other racers were also starting up making hearing someone impossible.

Hardcastle walked toward a lawn chair near where Mark had parked the Coyote. He figured to be between Sammy and Kiki, and by the Coyote, while Mark was on the track. Kiki walked over to him and asked, after the cars had been let down to the track to line up in the infield, "Not going to watch?"

Hardcastle said, "Nah. I think I'll stay out here with the Coyote," he said with a nod toward Sammy.

"It might not be a bad idea. He's not happy at all." she said, then continued with a slight grin, "He was almost drooooling when that car came out."

Hardcastle replied, "I noticed. That's what worries me."

"Do you want some company?" Kiki asked.

Hardcastle smiled at her, "Nah, you go watch with Barbara so you two can give me the real details of the race. You know Mark will exaggerate them. Besides, I have company with me if he gets froggie.," he said patting his shoulder holster that was covered by the light jacket he wore.

Mark sat watching the qualifying times of the other cars while waiting his turn to qualify. He purposely had gotten near the back of the line so he could see what the competition had. When it was his turn, Mark pulled on to the dirt track that had now been worked in really well and was starting to dry out a bit. Mark took the first caution lap to work the car side to side in the straight aways to get the feel of it. In the turns, he needed to find out how it would slide on the banked turns. Going into the third turn, he knew when he turned it, the car was coming around on him, and it did. He let off the gas, geared back, eased on the brake and gathered it back up, getting control just before hitting the tires that made up the inside wall of the turn. When he knew he had control, he again gave it enough gas to bring it back around to complete the 360 degree turn and continued into turn four.

In the stands, Barbara's heart had skipped at least a couple beats seeing the car she'd put her life's savings into heading towards the tires. Beside her, Kiki saw the second Mark had regained control and assured her, "He's got it."

Barbara looked at Kiki, who had just a bit of a smile on her face, but had not taken her eyes off the red car on the track that was now steadily picking up speed. Mark was now pretty confident that he knew the car's limits and was speeding up to be ready to take the green flag on the next lap.

Barbara, Kiki, and the kids were standing on the bleachers between turns three and four. Though it had been a while since she had seen Mark race on a dirt track, she remembered something as he started down the back stretch and said, "I hope you all like dirt, and watch your eyes," Barbara cautioned.

This time, when Mark came in to turn three, he entered it much higher on the track, breaking just before he came into the curve, drifting up the track toward the guard rail and finally giving it enough fuel to power out of the turn, which threw dirt and dust from turn three to turn four. Kiki smiled as others near her started moving out of that area and away from the dust. Kiki had always said that 'if she couldn't taste the dirt she wasn't at the race'. She and Barbara never moved from their places in the bleachers.

Hardcastle heard the crowd. Some had gasped in surprise while others shrieked at getting dirty. Cars that had been parked close to the fence began to back up as the spectators in the stands moved up higher or to the sides of the curve. He could hear the car still gaining speed.

Mark took the green flag and proceeded to take lap one like he owned the track. Going into the second lap, he decided to push the car just a bit as he pushed the accelerator further down. Again, he took the lap like he'd never left racing. Coming out of turn four, he saw the checked flag out. Once past it. he took the next lap to slow down before going to the scales to be weighed and inspected.

Barbara was just glad he and the car were off the track. She felt like she had lost years off her life when Mark spun it. Mark would have to wait until the qualifying was over before he could bring the car up and across the track to the trailers.

At the end of qualifying Mark had qualified second fastest. He would start the heat race on the front outside row.

As Mark came on the track in turn three, he spotted both Kiki and Barbara waiting at the edge of the gate to the track. He swung wide to come up the banked track to the exit off of turn four.

Kiki pulled Barbara with her as she got closer to the gate, "Come on." Kiki knew that Barbara was just as comfortable at the track as she was but being more calm and lady like, Kiki also knew she would never do what she had in mind without a little push. Okay, so it was a pull.

Barbara had no idea what Kiki was up to but followed.

Mark knew what she was doing. He stopped at the gate. Kiki swung her legs into the passenger side of the car. "Come on." she said pulling Barbara in along with her to ride to the trailers.

This did not go unnoticed by Sammy.

Both Kiki and Barbara exited the car and waited for Mark to get his helmet off and unstrap before he joined them outside the car.

The Judge had watched the whole scene. He stood smiling as he watched the welcome Mark was getting from the girls and the kids, you would have thought he had won the Indy 500. As Mark walked toward Hardcastle, Milt said, "So, you did good kid?"

Mark gave him a surprised look. "You didn't watch?" he asked as he wiped the track dirt off his face with a towel.

Hardcastle said with a laugh then a slight nod in Sammy's direction, "Couldn't bear to."

Barbara informed Hardcastle, "Judge, he qualified second!"
Mark had that grin on his face that told Hardcastle he'd been holding back.

"You did good, kid." the Judge said simply.

Though Hamilton's car qualified a fair distance back in the pack, Sammy O'Connell from their trailer area said loud enough that Mark couldn't help but hear the remark, "Skid was never first at anything!"

Hardcastle saw the steam rising from Mark. "Now, Kid."

Mark had side stepped Milt and shouted back, "I can think of at least a couple things I've been first at. Firstly, I blew you off the track several times. Secondly," Mark raised his eyebrows, and continued, "well, secondly, I'll leave that up to your imagination," as he tilted his head in Kiki's direction. "And, like they say, first is always best!" Mark turned and walked before Sammy could push his buttons anymore.

Kiki looked at Hardcastle, who was about to follow Mark; she held up her hand for him to stop and simply said, "Let me?"

Hardcastle stopped. He wasn't used to Mark having a confidant other than himself. Letting the awkward moment pass, he said to Barbara and the kids as he rubbed his hands together, "So what's next?"

Barbara smiled warmly at the older man. She knew how much he cared about Mark. It sort of reminded her of the relationship Mark had once had with her own father. Yet, she couldn't help but remember that this was not always true. She remembered how upset her father had been after Mark had been sentenced by HC as the judge in his case" She also could not help but remember the two years of letters from Mark while he was in San Quentin. Her father had read her the parts Mark had written for her and the parts he had wanted her to hear. It was only after her father's death and Mark's help with the Coyote, that had almost put him back in prison, that she had found the letters and had read them in their entirety. With the hard feelings and almost hatred that had come out in those letters, it was hard to believe these two were now this close. She shook off those memories and said to the kids, "How about some of you start getting the mud off the cars?" Then to Hardcastle, "While you and I start the grill?"

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As Kiki entered the trailer where she and Mark had spent last night, she heard the shower running. Locking the door behind her, she walked over to where Mark was waiting for the water to get hot.

He turned to her and wrapped his arms around her, "Sorry about out there."

Using his own words to Sammy, Kiki said, "Well, first is best; that's why I came back."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice reminded him that she hadn't actually come back, that this time they had run into each other accidentally. He pushed that thought right out of his head as he leaned down to kiss her.

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