October 13th, 2002, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
It is the XXVIII Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix, and Lincoln Loud is making his final start of his rookie season. His road to the crown jewel of motorsport was unlikely from the outset, he only started racing at eighteen years old. He only started to race as a hobby and as an advertising opportunity for Lynn Sr's restaurant in Formula Atlantic Series with the car provided by Lynn's Sr's friend. To everyone's surprise he did amazingly well winning the series in his rookie season, in the years after Lincoln competed in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship for three years nearly winning the championship. Next, he competed in the Formula Nippon, in which British American Racing took note and signed him to a test driver role in 2000, and in the year before entering Formula One he finally won the Formula Nippon championship.
Now his entry into Formula One wasn't without pushback his sisters raised concerns about the safety of the sport, he brushed off the concerns saying that he'll wear the relatively new HANS device for the season. He's currently having an excellent rookie year with the unreliable equipment handed to him constantly beating teammate Jacques Villeneuve, with his best finish is at the United States Grand Prix in front of family and friends he qualified in second and finished in third place and on the podium for the second time in his career. (First time is in Canada)
With his newfound success found, his popularity soured in Japan and especially in the US, where the media and late-night shows were grasping at the straws to get a time slot for him. Unfortunately, some of the consequences of all of the media attention was the intrusion into his private life and the reemergence of two relationships that somehow made it's way to the tabloids. Still through, Lincoln's personality made him a favorite in the paddock and with fans all around the world with him being compared to the next Mario Andretti.
The weather was beautiful for racing, sunny and seventy-nine degrees just the way Lincoln wanted it to be. The weekend started ok for Lincoln, in the first practice session he finished in the bottom half in eighteenth but subsequently improved in later sessions with his best place being sixth. Then in qualifying he felt the car was still not set up the right way and finished in eleventh, and then in a somewhat embarrassing moment for him and the team. He spun off at turn thirteen when his brakes failed the team was able to replace them before the race.
On race day he was mostly in the garage all day looking on as the team works on the two cars, he decided to walk around the paddock which invited a lot of press members who want an interview. The first one was from ESPN.
"So with a third-place finish at Indy looking back at it now how did you spend it with your family?"
"It was great I spent a great deal of time with my family and my friends who I knew for a long time and they help me through this journey a lot. I never knew in the first place when I started racing that I'll get this far to the pinnacle of motorsport," Lincoln said almost getting emotional again like he did at Indianapolis.
"So we're here in another special place at Suzuka where you spent most of your racing career. Your popularity has also grown especially here as well in America, what does mean to you if you get another excellent result or even a podium?"
"I don't know exactly, maybe I'll cry again!" Lincoln said smiling.
"Lincoln there were rumors of family members worried about your arrival into Formula One and you convinced them with the HANS device. What do you think of the safety of the sport at the current stage?" An interviewer from The Sun said.
"I think now the sport is at a really good stage in terms of safety and I think these are safer than the ones six years ago."
"Also one more thing before you go Lincoln, do you have a comment about your previous relationships and how did they breakdown so bad!?" Another American interviewer said.
"All I can say is I'm a better man now, and I learn from my mistakes and the past is the past." Lincoln said before he abruptly left with the PR assistant turning people away.
All the press that gathered around scoffed at the man who asked the question who quickly got away from them as well.
As the minutes ticked down to the moment has to get into his car and dive it to the grid, Lincoln in his dark white Lucky Strike sponsored fire suit and black pants, put on his Arai helmet colored with orange, white, and black streaks. With the words LUCKY STRIKE painted solidly white on the black colored sides and the red Honda logo on the chin of his helmet. The crew attached his wheel and his drink bottle and strapped his seatbelts, after they started the engine Lincoln revved it little by little, he prayed earlier that his engine will survive the final race of the season. He retired several times in the season due to reliability problems.
"Radio check, radio check. Can you hear me Linc?" His engineer barked over the radio.
"I can hear you Jeff!"
"Alright crew ready on to the grid!" Jeff ordered.
Lincoln rolled out of the garage for the parade lap.
"Engine feels good, car feels good!" Lincoln reported to his engineer.
"Copy that."
After he lined up on the grid with his pit crew surrounding him, Lincoln shut off the engine and got out of his car and took off his helmet and put on his black Lucky Strike branded hat again.
He did some more interviews mostly with the Japanese media and as soon as Lincoln knew it, it was time for him to climb back into the car again to start the formation lap. The Honda V10 RA002E roared to life as Lincoln's crew started it Lincoln put on his gloves again as well as his helmet, the constructors and drivers' championship were dominated by Ferrari and Michael Schumacher. So for Lincoln this race was just for fun and he can finally go back to Michigan and be with his family. Next year is supposed to be the year where Lincoln was supposed to break out.
When the red lights turned to green, the drivers launched off their grid slots and started their formation lap.
Starting Grid
Michael Schumacher-Ferrari
Rubens Barrichello- Ferrari
David Coulthard-McLaren-Mercedes
Kimi Raikkonen-McLaren-Mercedes
Ralf Schumacher-Williams-BMW
Juan Pablo Montoya-Williams-BMW
Takuma Sato-Jordan-Honda
Giancarlo Fisichella-Jordan-Honda
Jacques Villeneuve-BAR-Honda
Jensen Button-Renault
Lincoln Loud-BAR-Honda
Jarno Trulli-Renault
Nick Heidfield-Sauber-Petronas
Capeta Taira-Toyota
Mika Salo-Toyota
Eddie Irvine-Jaguar-Cosworth
Felipe Massa-Sauber-Petronas
Pedro de la Rosa-Jaguar-Cosworth
Mark Webber-Minardi-Asiatech
Alex Yoong-Minardi-Asiatech
Jensen Button splitting the BAR's in tenth, the American Lincoln Loud in eleventh who enjoyed an excellent rookie season with the equipment he has to deal with. Trulli in twelfth, Heidfeld in thirteenth and making his third start Capeta Taira replacing the dropped Alan McNish. The nineteen-year-old Japanese driver has an interesting road to the top as Loud does, a true rags to riches story and is here to make his countrymen proud and continue the rivalry between him and Loud. The two competed in last year's Formula Nippon series with Lincoln eventually coming out on top.
Clyde McBride is currently listening to the radio for the race, he decided to head to work early to listen to the race, he now works in Chicago after he graduated from the University of Michigan. Working as a financial advisor for people wanting to trade on the NYSE and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
"And rounding out the field in twentieth is Alex Yoong which could be his final year and race in Formula One… Michael Schumacher lining up to take his spot on the grid we're wondering for next year if anyone going to catch Ferrari and it could be Williams could be McLaren. Maybe it could be BAR if they can ever make a good car."
"It possible for BAR if they make a good car, a reliable one at least. Honda is getting more involved with the team it's likely going to be its sole supplier for 2003, Lincoln Loud is a future race winner and maybe champion and maybe Takuma Sato could be lined up for 2003 if Villeneuve is patient enough for another year," The co commentator said.
"The two Minardis now lining up to their final grid slots with the medical car right behind them, and now we wait for the lights! The lights are now on and the revs build! Five red lights! And there're off for the Japanese Grand Prix, and what a start for Kimi Raikkonen as Barrichello defends his position into the first corner and… OH what a dive bomb by Taira as he gain several positions from the off."
"Yeah a good start for Taira and equally good start for Schumacher as he pulls away from the field as he usually does for several years now."
"There was some contact between Taira and… as we look at the replay… just avoided Loud looks like slight contact with Sato!"
"The good thing is it looks like there is no damage on Taira's car."
"As the cars go through 130R let's look at the positions."
Lincoln got off to an okay start as he lost no positions the race was already decided as Schumacher essentially drove away from the rest of the field. Villeneuve went off at the end of 130R, Lincoln passed several cars and due to Fisichella being in a test car not set up and with a slower engine and now in eighth place. On lap three rookie Felipe Massa spun off the track and hit the wall ending his race.
"OH and Massa spins out at the Denger Curve! Hits the wall and it looks like he's out of the Japanese Grand Prix and a bad end to his rookie season!"
"Yeah, it seems like he's never fully in control of his Sauber during the season and it shows here, and it looks like he's not gonna be in Formula One next year maybe he'll be in a Ferrari test seat next year but definitely not in a Sauber.
"Alright Lincoln, Massa is out of the race. Keep pushing Taira behind, we must get past Sato." Jeff barked over the radio.
Fortunately for Lincoln and Sato, David Coulthard had a problem with his car and was forced to retire from the race. Lincoln was able to get past Jensen Button who got past him and Fisichella on the start, Capeta was able to get Button as well two laps later. On lap fourteen, Alex Yoong spun out of the race ending his season as well as his career in Formula One.
"Alright Linc, box this lap, box this lap," Jeff ordered over the radio.
"Copy pit confirmed!" Lincoln replied
On lap twenty Lincoln boxed in for tires and fuel, in an attempt to undercut Sato and attempt to exit ahead of Button who pitted several laps earlier. Lincoln entered the pits on the limiter with the fuel load flap automatically when the pit limiter is activated. One of the BAR pit members hold out the lollipop for Lincoln to see where his pit box is
"Loud now coming in for his stop, Taira right behind him. Good tire change and the jacks drop now waiting for the fuel… and off he goes 9.1 seconds. Taira car is still being fueled and off he goes 11.8 seconds."
Lincoln failed to come out ahead of the Renaults and Sato. To make things worse his teammate Jacques Villeneuve is out of the race due to an engine failure.
"Okay Lincoln be aware Jacques is out of the race."
"Don't tell me it is the engine!" Lincoln barked.
"It is."
Button pitted again and was unlucky as the cars behind him were on a better strategy.
Capeta began to drop back due to a heavier fuel load. On the next pitstop Capeta jumped Lincoln as he took on less fuel and thus a faster pitstop. Trulli dropped out at the back straight with Fisichella Honda engine expiring on the same section. With De la Rosa spinning out of the race with a transmission issue.
Clyde sat back and sink into his chair, the whole race was a bore fest with the race already decided and Button not being able to compete with Capeta, Lincoln, and Sato. As the laps ticked down Lincoln's faster BAR is catching up to the fledgling Toyota. The radio commentators were talking about the state of Formula One and how many of the teams were struggling for cash and how to make the racing better as Ferrari and Michael Schumacher seemed unstoppable.
"Oh and Ralf Schumacher Williams pulling off the road and it looks like is out of the race and it looks like another engine has expired."
Schumacher lapped the two drivers and proceeded to set his sights on the finish.
Lap 49/53
"Four laps to go Lincoln you can do it," Jeff encouraged over the radio.
"Alright not much left to go I need to get past this guy," Lincoln thought in his mind.
On lap fifty he attempted to make moves on Capeta in an attempt to make it into the points. First, he tried to overtake at first corner and at the second at spoon curve.
"I need to get him at 130R or maybe I don't have another chance!" Lincoln thought in his mind.
Lincoln lined up his car in the slipstream agenst Capeta's and started to close the gap and at close at the end of 130R slightly moved his steering wheel to the left to make the pass.
Capeta's steering wheel turned hard left on its own!
"What the hell?" Capeta thought in his mind.
The Toyota rear left suspension failed swinging the rear off the car to the left side revealing the right side of the car inviting Lincoln's BAR for a direct impact, but he wasn't able to see the spinning Toyota as his eyes were focus on the upcoming turn.
"What the- oh my go-!" Lincoln thought, as the front section of the BAR hit the Toyota, it's side pods acting as a ramp launched the BAR into the air tumbling destroying the bodywork, suspensions, wheels as well as puncturing it's fuel tank in the process. The car kept tumbling until it hit the tire wall with the car upside down leaning on the tire barrier and caught on fire with Lincoln knocked unconscious.
The Toyota kept spinning with its rear wing hanging off until the rear of the car hit the tire wall nearly mounting it.
"Agh! Oh god what the hell happened!?" Capeta whispered to himself.
"Cap… are you okay!?" His engineer checked in.
"Yeah I'm fine I got the wind knocked out of me," Capeta replied.
He unhooked his belts and climbed out of the car immediately grabbing his neck, along as feeling some back pain. But that was the least of his worries when he saw the car that was racing him engulfed in flames with the driver still inside. The pain got to him through and he bent down in agony with one of the marshals guiding him off the track.
"Oh my goodness that's the BAR and it's on fire!"
"Yes, it is, they need to get over there and put it out!"
"There is a Toyota that's crashed into the wall and it seems to be involved as well!"
"Who is it, it's not Salo he's far away from the two of them… Capeta Taira and Lincoln Loud the two rookies involved in what seems to be a horrible accident… safety car deployed!" The main commentator said.
"Here comes the medical car out of the pits, and it looks like Taira is shaken up by the incident… grasping his neck and back."
"My god, what the hell happened Lincoln?" Clyde muttered and shook his head.
"そこに立つだけでなく、その火を消しなさい!" One of the marshals yelled in the distance.
After extensive use of the fire extinguishers, the marshals attempted to lift the car back up from its upside-down position on their own but were unable to. When a crane was finally able to turn over the car the crisis became clear when Lincoln's fire suit was badly burned and his head was slouched to it's side. After more anxious minutes the paramedics were able to extract Lincoln from his burned and destroyed racing machine.
"Now finally Lincoln Loud is extracted from his car and we hope and pray that he's going to be okay." The lead commentator said worryingly.
"It took a while for them to extract him from the car, they should of just used the crane immediately."
The race was soon restarted on the last lap with Michael Schumacher easily taking the checkered flag and Takuma Sato taking fifth place, it was celebration for most of the crowd as their man finished in fifth place at his home track. But there was only tame celebration as Lincoln's crash dominated the headlines.
Final Classification
1. Michael Schumacher-Ferrari
2. Rubins Barrichello-Ferrari
3. Kimi Raikkonen-McLaren-Mercedes
4. Juan Pablo Montoya-Williams-BMW
5. Takuma Sato-Jordan-Honda
6. Jensen Button-Renault
7. Nick Heidfeld-Sauber-Petronas
8. Mika Salo-Toyota
9. Eddie Irvine-Jaguar-Cosworth
10. Mark Webber-Minardi-Asiatech
11. Lincoln Loud-BAR-Honda DNF
12. Capeta Taira-Toyota DNF
13. Ralf Schumacher- Williams-BMW DNF
14. Pedro de la Rosa-Jaguar-Cosworth DNF
15. Giancarlo Fisichella-Jordan-Honda DNF
16. Jarno Trulli-Renault DNF
17. Jacques Villeneuve-BAR-Honda DNF
18. Alex Yoong-Minardi-Asiatech DNF
19. David Coulthard-McLaren-Mercedes DNF
20. Felipe Massa-Sauber-Petronas DNF
"Now as the podium celebrations finish, another season of Formula One has finished and what people say in the paddock about the sad state of the sport right now. It'll probably get even worse whatever the result of Loud's injuries are. Now we sent it back to the states for the postrace roundup."
Clyde rubbed his forehead and exhaled, he didn't know what to do after that to ether call Lincoln's family about the accident or just let Lincoln's team let them know. Lincoln's family didn't know of the accident until 6 AM in the morning when the team called their parents and then they gave the information to the rest of the family soon after. Lincoln is put in anesthetic and is fitted with a neck brace, back at home Lincoln's siblings are panicking about what happen nobody was watching the race at the time because it was early in the morning and nobody really wants to wake up that early for a race.
"SIBLING MEETING NOW!" Lynn yelled as the other family members were gathered in the living room.
The siblings gathered in Lincoln's "closet" bedroom.
They looked around and saw his stuffed bunny leaning on a Formula Nippon diecast that Lincoln sent over last year, the eight of them look at the two items.
"Has anyone called Ronnie Anne?" Luan asked with tears in her eyes.
"No… I think we can wait later on in the morning," Lori muttered.
Only Lincoln is the one of the children who left Michigan, Lucy was living in Iowa with her husband but is staying over for the weekend in a nearby hotel with her husband. But the rest of them were living in different parts of Michigan.
"What do we need to say, I mean we can't do anything right now. We can't calm down mom and I don't know what to do really." Lynn said wobbly.
Lincoln is in stable condition and representatives from BAR tried to empathize that to Rita and Lynn Sr, but Rita was too emotional to get the message through. They also said that their doing the surgery on Monday morning.
The sisters can't do anything now but wait, wait for the future that is coming for their brother.
Hey guys thank you for reading, I am finally back!
I think this story will be much better than my first Loud House fanfic I think I actually have a firm set plot that is less confusing than the first one.
Next Chapter will be about Lincoln's time in the hospital and his first days out of it.
Also Capeta Taira will be more involved in this story and is based on the Manga and Anime (which I read and loved it) it never really became popular so I decided to somewhat incorporate into this story.
If you guys have any suggestions or comments, please PM me or leave a review! (Also if you are an artist and willing to send me an nice cover I will gladly consider it.)
Thank you and as always have a good day!