Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Pixar. All OCs belong to me.
Chapter 2 – A Sparkplug of Hope
Bristol Motor Speedway, Tennessee - 17 April, 2018
The following morning, Lightning was awoken by someone knocking on his trailer. He groaned sleepily when he heard Cruz's voice outside.
"You'd better get up, Lightning, or you'll miss out on breakfast!"
Although Lightning was hungry, he was also tired and a bit stiff after his impromptu sprint with Junior and Cal the night before, so he settled back down on his pillow to get another forty winks. Ten minutes later, Lightning was disturbed again. This time, he was woken by the familiar beeping sound of someone keying his trailer's security code into the external keypad to unlock it. Groaning sleepily again, he pulled his pillow tighter under himself as his trailer's ramp was lowered. Tex Dinoco, the team's owner, cleared his throat when he saw that Lightning was still half-asleep.
"What time is it?" Lightning asked groggily.
"Eight-thirty," Tex replied he drove up the ramp. He stopped directly in front of Lightning. "Are you feelin' okay? I know you're not a morning person, but you don't normally sleep in this late."
"I'm fine," Lightning muttered. "Just had a late night, that's all."
Tex scoffed. "That's an understatement! I've been talkin' to Strip. He told me all about your little race last night."
Lightning cringed, and he looked down at the floor. "I'm really sorry about that, Tex. I… The temptation got the better of me, and…well…"
"You're just lucky that Justin Swerve was keen to see the three of you race."
Lightning looked up at Tex, surprised. "He knows about it?"
"All of the officials know about it. They were watchin' you from a function room in the grandstand. From the sound of it, you guys put on quite a show."
"I wouldn't say that…" Lightning said humbly. "We only had a short sprint." His tank growled hungrily. Hearing it, Tex chuckled softly.
"Sounds like you need to hurry up an' have breakfast while there's still some left. Oh, an' Justin wants to see you an' Cal in his office at nine."
Lightning was surprised. "Justin wants to see us? Not the disciplinary committee?"
"He requested you both by name," Tex confirmed. "In writin'."
Lightning sighed heavily. "Guess I'd better get ready to face the music. Sorry, Tex."
"We'll talk 'bout apologies after you've met with the CEO. Be prepared for 'im to come down hard on you though. Oh, an' you might want to change outta those racin' tyres before you leave our area. We're tryin' to keep last night's incident quiet."
"Sure, Tex. I'll do that right now."
Lightning sighed as he watched Tex reverse out of his trailer and drive away. He put his pillow away before he also drove out of his trailer. Almost immediately, he overheard a group of three Next-Gen racers chatting nearby.
"Did you get woken up by all the noise last night?"
"A bit. I was exhausted after the race though. What was it?"
"I'm not really sure. It sounded like someone mucking around on the track."
"Really? I wonder who it was?"
"You know, if he wasn't retired, I'd swear I heard Lightning McQueen out there."
"And how could yah tell?"
"Simple. I watched all of his races ever since I was a kid. I could pick the sound of his engine out from any crowd."
"Well, whoever it was, I hope they get caught and have the book thrown at them. It's cheating to practice after curfew."
Lightning scoffed and he rolled his eyes. At least none of the racers seemed to know just who had been out on the track. Lightning found a pitty, who discreetly swapped Lightning's racing tyres for road ones. A few minutes later, Lightning joined the rest of the Dinoco team inside their tent for breakfast. One of the advantages of being part of such a large team meant that they had their own cook as part of their support crew. Their cook was also one of the team's nutritionists, so most of the meals he cooked were exactly what the whole team needed to keep themselves fit and healthy, no matter what their role.
Once Lightning had selected the food and drink that he wanted, he drove over to the table where Cal and Cruz were parked. Like Lightning, Cal was no longer wearing racing tyres.
"Morning guys," Lightning greeted them.
"Morning, Lightning," Cal and Cruz replied together.
"It's about time you got up," Cruz added. She smirked mischievously at her crew chief. "I guess you're starting to slow down in other areas besides racing."
Cruz barely had the words out of her mouth when something warm and sticky landed directly on her windscreen, right between her eyes. Now it was Lightning's turn to smirk. The maple-syrup coated pancake he'd just thrown at her made her look like she had three eyes. Those who saw what had just happened immediately started oohing and jeering.
"Honestly, Cruz, can't I sleep in for a few extra hours occasionally without getting your snide remarks about old age?"
"You know that one of the first signs of old age is becoming sensitive to the subject," Dr Seamus Ford, the team's doctor commented.
Another sticky pancake promptly flew across the tent. Dr Ford managed to duck just in time. Unfortunately, Strip chose that moment to drive into the tent directly behind Dr Ford. The pancake landed right on top of Strip's hood, syrup side down.
"WHO THREW THAT?" Strip bellowed.
Everyone immediately pointed at Lightning. Strip glowered at him.
"Hey, Cruz started it!" Lightning protested.
"Ladies do not start fights, but they can finish them!*" Cruz retorted, earning an eruption of laughter from almost everyone.
"But you're not a lady!" Cal pointed out. Cruz retorted by thumping him on the side with her tyre. "Ow!"
Strip shook the pancake off his hood. "That's it! Lightning and Cal, if you've finished your breakfast, you know where you need to go. The rest of you can start packing up our camp, so we can hit the road at eleven."
Lightning gulped down what was left of his breakfast. He then followed Cal out of the tent.
…
Shortly before nine o'clock, Lightning, Cal and Tex arrived outside Justin's office. Lightning and Cal weren't surprised to find Junior already waiting there. Junior raised an eyebrow when he saw his friends approaching.
"You two as well, huh?"
"Yeah," Cal said, pouting. "My uncle's already given me a lecture, and Tex gave one to Lightning."
Lightning shook his front. "This is all your fault, Junior. I knew we'd get caught."
Junior gave him a friendly nudge on the fender. "Admit it. You did enjoy it, so it was worth it, right?"
Before Lightning could answer, Justin's secretary, a dark red female Chevrolet Corvette C5 coupe, opened the office door. "You three may go in there now. I'm afraid you're going to have to wait out here, Mr Dinoco."
"I was gonna anyway," Tex said. He parked himself in a corner. He had only tagged along because he wanted to be the first to know the results of the meeting.
Inside the office, Lightning, Cal and Junior parked themselves in front of Justin's desk. He waited until they were settled and alone before he began.
"I suppose you know why I've called you three here this morning?" Justin asked sternly.
Lightning nodded, answering for them all. "Yes, it was us out there on the track last night."
"But it was my idea," Junior added.
"We all agreed to race each other though," Cal said. "We're sorry we broke the rules."
Justin nodded thoughtfully. "I'm prepared to accept your apology on one condition."
"And what's that?" Lightning asked with an air of trepidation.
Justin leaned forward. "You tell me who won the race."
Lightning, Cal and Junior glanced at each other in surprise.
"Lightning won," Cal answered.
"I would've won if you hadn't got in my way," Junior grumbled.
Lightning scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Keep telling yourself that, Junior, if it helps you feel better. Just in case you didn't notice, I did cross the finish line first."
Justin's smile turned into a grin. "All right, settle down. I only asked because I couldn't quite see the finish line from where I was watching. But that's not why I've called you here today. I've had an idea that I'd like to bounce off you. You see, last night, I was having a very important emergency meeting with the officials, when you three disrupted us. We were discussing why the Piston Cup is going through a slump, and what we could do to spice it up again for the fans. While we were watching you race, I developed the germ of an idea. I know that you three weren't the only racecars from your generation who were forced to retire before you were ready. And, the fans know it. They're losing interest because the Next-Gen racers aren't giving them what they want."
"What do the fans want?" Junior wondered.
"It's our understanding that they want racers like you back on the track. You guys are an inspiration to them, because you all started life as stock-standard road cars, just like them. You're also fun, exciting and most importantly, down-to-earth. I know that some of you started your racing careers on the wrong wheel… Yes, I am looking at you, Lightning…"
Lightning cringed, and Cal nudged him playfully.
"Here's my idea," Justin continued. "If we're able to create a new racing series for next year, would you be interested in racing in it?"
"Heck, yeah!" Cal promptly replied.
Lightning frowned thoughtfully. "What kind of racing series?"
"The officials and I discussed it a bit last night, after we frightened you off the track," Justin answered. "Sorry we disturbed your fun. I sent Strip to go and find you so we could talk, but he told us that he'd decided that you'd already disturbed everyone enough, so he'd sent you to bed. Anyway, we still need to come up with a name for the series. We have decided that it will be for former racers who are no longer capable of competing in the Piston Cup, but who want to keep on racing. Since the series will be a support category, we'll most likely schedule most of the races for Saturday nights instead of Sunday nights, to avoid clashing with the Piston Cup. I don't think any of your fans would care about that though. So, what do you say? Are you interested?"
Lightning and Junior exchanged grins.
"Absolutely!" Lightning replied.
"Me too," Junior added. "We can't explain just how much we miss racing, so we'll take any opportunities offered to us."
"It sounds like it would be perfect for us," Cal said.
"That's what I was hoping you'd say. Please, keep this under your hoods for now. I'll let you know more about the series once I know if it's definitely going ahead. Don't get too excited yet though. It may be at least another six to eight months before we've sorted everything out. Now, off you go. I know your teams will be wanting to leave for Richmond shortly."
"Thank you, sir," Junior said graciously.
Cal hesitated. "Wait… You mean, you're not going to fine us for being out on the track last night?"
Lightning gave Cal a push towards the door. "Don't push your luck, Cal!"
"I can fine you if you want, Cal," Justin teased.
Lightning and Junior burst out laughing as the three of them left the office. Tex drove over to them.
"Well? What happened in there?" he asked.
Lightning immediately plastered a serious expression on his face. "Oh, we have to pay a five hundred thousand dollar fine for being on the track after curfew."
"Each," Junior added, catching on.
"What?" Tex exclaimed, shocked.
Lightning couldn't hold his poker face any longer, and he started giggling again. Cal shook his front.
"They're just pulling your tailpipe, Tex," Cal said. "We didn't get fined."
Tex breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Good, because you would've been payin' for it outta your own pockets." He gave Lightning a gentle swat across his left-hand fender. "Save your goofin' for when you're with Mater."
"Sure, Tex," Lightning replied, still giggling. "Boy, did I have you there!"
Tex shook his front in disbelief, but it was hard for him to hide the smile on his bumper. "Okay, Lightning an' Cal. Go an' get yourselves packed up. I want us to hit the road no later than eleven o'clock, understood?"
Lightning and Cal responded by driving away down the hallway singing, rather badly, 'Hit the Road Jack.'. Tex rolled his eyes before he followed them.
"I'll see you at Richmond!" Junior called out after them.
…
Three hours later, team Dinoco / Rust-Eze was on the road heading towards the next racetrack in Virginia. There were six transporters in the convoy – the first carried Tex and Dr Ford, the second carried Strip and Linda Weathers, the third carried Cal, the fourth (hauled by Mack) carried Lightning, and the final two transporters carried the pit crew, support crew and supplies.
Lightning had just turned off his TV after watching a movie, when his in-trailer sat-phone rang. Seeing the caller ID come up as Sally, Lighting pressed the button to answer it.
"Hello beautiful!"
Sally giggled. "Hey Stickers! I just thought I'd phone to see if you're at the next racetrack yet."
"Not yet. We're near the state border between Tennessee and Virginia. We should arrive in Richmond in about two hours."
"Well, at least you have a short trip this time. I really miss travelling to races with you."
Lightning sighed longingly. "I know… I miss having you with me too. How are things going in Radiator Springs?"
"Pretty good. I've almost finished the expansion to the Cozy Cone, no thanks to Mater. He tried to help, but he ended up getting his tow hook caught up in a tree. Guido had to use an extendable saw to cut the branch off so he could get untangled."
Lightning chuckled. "I wish I could've been there to see it."
"You could, you know," Sally said seriously.
"I know. But the team needs me too. Anyway, how's Blaze?"
"Hyper. Ever since he discovered how to drive, Gracie has had to chase him everywhere!"
Lightning chuckled again. "I'll bet she's just grateful that he doesn't have Jaguar Syndrome like me though, right?"
"I've actually heard her say that you weren't quite as bad as Blaze is, most of the time."
This time, Lightning let out a hearty laugh. "I guess we'll just have to take her word for it! Either that, or she's got a bad memory. Could I talk to Blaze, please?"
"Sure. I'll just call him. Blaze! Daddy's on the phone!"
Lightning smiled when he heard his two-year-old son's engine approaching the phone.
"Hello, dada!" Blaze said in his adorable baby voice.
"Hey, sport," Lightning replied. "Are you being a good boy for mummy and Gracie?"
"Mm-hm. When can I go race with you?"
"Not until I get home in the off-season, I'm afraid. But I'll see if I can come home for a few days soon, okay?"
"Okay," Blaze replied, although he sounded disappointed. "Bye dada."
"Bye, son."
"I'm afraid I need to go now too, Lightning," Sally said. "I'm expecting some guests to check in shortly."
"Okay. I love you, Sal."
"I love you too, Stickers. Stay safe."
"I will. Bye."
"Bye."
Lightning hung up the phone with a heavy heart. Much as he loved travelling on the Piston Cup circuit, being away from his family was taking a toll on him emotionally.
The problem is, even if I do go back into racing, I'll be away from them even more than I am now, Lightning thought sadly. He glanced at the clock and did a quick calculation. He guessed that it was about two-thirty a.m. in Brisbane, Australia. That was far too early for him to phone his mother and step-father for advice. He'd have to wait until about seven p.m. before it would be safe for him to phone them.
"Hey, Lightning?" Mack called over the intercom about twenty minutes later. "Are you asleep back there?"
"No, I'm awake," Lightning replied.
"You've been very quiet. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Mack. Just thinking."
"Ah! I thought I heard some rusty gears ticking over," Mack teased. Lightning looked up at the camera in the corner of his trailer, which was displaying a live video of Mack. He indignantly stuck his tongue out at Mack.
"Very funny!"
"Hey, I just thought I should let you know that we're about to pull over for lunch."
"Good, because I didn't get much for breakfast," Lightning muttered.
"You shouldn't have given it away to Cruz and Strip then!"
Seeing Lightning scowl, Mack wisely turned off the intercom.
A few minutes later, the convoy pulled into a service centre for lunch. Lightning drove out of his trailer and he stretched his wheels for a moment before he headed over to the small café. Cal was already inside the café, buying his lunch.
"You're buying doughnuts?" Lightning asked with surprise when he saw what Cal was buying for his lunch.
"Sure, why not? We don't need to be as health-conscious as we used to be, you know."
Lightning frowned thoughtfully. Cal did have a point, but Lightning had avoided having raw sugar for as long as he could remember. He'd once snuck a doughnut while he was racing in the V8 Supercars series in Australia a few years earlier, and that had almost had him bouncing off walls. Normally, the only sugar he consumed was that contained in electrolyte drinks.
"Well, I suppose we can have whatever junk food we want," Lightning mused.
"I'll share a couple with you."
"Thanks, Cal. I'll see you back outside."
A few minutes later, Lightning joined Cal in the shade under an awning outside. He'd bought a small pizza and a can of regular oil for himself. Cal nudged the doughnut box closer to Lightning.
"Knock yourself out."
Lightning hesitated, but then he took one of the doughnuts. "Thanks, Cal. You know this will probably send me hyper."
"I doubt we'll notice a difference."
The two friends giggled quietly for a moment. Lightning finished his doughnut, and then he moved onto his pizza.
"So, what do you think of Justin's idea?" Lightning asked.
"About having a racing series just for us? I'm all for it."
"Me too. If it goes ahead, I wonder how Tex will organise things."
"I'm sure he'll figure it out. He's not going to let you go to any other sponsor now that he's finally got you under contract with him. I'm actually surprised that he didn't buy out Rust-Eze sooner just to get you."
"Okay, everyone! Load up! Let's get back on the road!" Tex shouted from where the transporters were parked.
Lightning snatched up the rest of his lunch, and he drove back over to Mack.
"I just need to refuel before we head off," Mack informed Tex as Lightning was reversing inside his trailer.
"That's fine, Mack," Tex agreed. "We can wait for you."
Lightning finished his lunch inside his trailer while Mack refuelled. Once Mack was ready, the convoy set off again, heading towards Richmond.
* Quote from Disney's The Aristocats (1970).