I don't own Cars, but I do own Marina.


- 4. Dark Horse -

Friday night came up fast. The time slipped by as Marina lost herself in racing lessons, tractor tipping trips, and drives through Tailfin Pass up to the Wheel Well. She was getting good, finishing close to Lightning and Doc when the three raced together. She was a master at the drifting turn. Lightning joked that when she did it alongside Doc, it was like having a second Doc. She was getting faster too. Sheriff, who was rather nitpicky about speeding, kept track of her speed as it gradually increased with her lessons. They knew he wouldn't miscalculate it.

Then, on Friday, something amazing happened.

Marina and McQueen were racing, with Doc and Sheriff watching. They entered their last lap and blazed toward the finish line. And they heard both Doc and Sheriff exclaim.

"IT'S MARINA BY A NOSE!" She slammed on her brakes in shock. She'd won! She had beaten Lightning! It was only by an inch or so, but she still won! Lightning smiled.

"Good job, Marina! Now I have TWO Hornets to watch out for." He laughed, "But seriously, great job."

"Thanks, but I still got a ways to go." Marina grinned, "But now you better watch your back"


Everyone was gathered at Flo's for karaoke night. Of course, Flo and Ramone started things off with some duet Marina didn't know, followed by something in Italian from Guido. Ironically, Sheriff chose to sing "I Shot The Sheriff" which earned laughs from everyone. No one was surprised when Sarge chose the Army song, followed by the Air Force song, the Marines song, and finally Anchors Aweigh. Filmore chose a Hendrix song.

Then it was her turn.

"Ladies and gentlcars," Mater announced, "Singin' 'Dark Horse' by Caitlin 'n' Will, Miss Marina Stryder!" Marina smiled as she pulled up to the mic stand. The fast paced music started, and she felt the thrill like she was leaving Chicago again. She took a deep breath and let herself go with the song, one of her favorites

It's the ones that you don't see comin'
It's like they were born runnin' wild,
Runnin' wild
Deep down there's a blue fire flame
People laugh and call them names
But they can't
Keep 'em down

She easily switched to the higher, louder notes, which seemed to slam into her audience. But they were hooked, all eyes on her. Even Lizzie was staying awake.

Hey, hey
Everybody loves a dark horse, baby
A long shot in a world gone crazy, yeah
Yeah
You can do what you want to do
Win it all you got nothing to lose
Yeah, yeah

Beaten down, nowhere to run to
Count 'em out but it ain't nothing new
It aint nothing new
A hungry heart that ready to fight
Burnin' like stars in a small town sky
In a small town sky

Hey, hey
Everybody loves a dark horse, baby
A long shot in a world gone crazy, yeah
Yeah
You can do what you want to do
Win it all you got nothing to lose
Yeah, yeah

You can do anything you wanna do
Win it all when you ain't got nothing
Nothing to lose
Yeah

Everybody loves a dark horse, baby
A long shot in a world gone crazy, yeah
Yeah
You can do what you want to do
Win it all you got nothing to lose
Yeah, yeah

The applause was almost deafening as she backed down.

"You ARE good!" McQueen cried, "You sing as good as you race!"

"Aw, thanks Lightning." She smiled at him.

"Que belissimo! 'Twas beautiful!" Luigi and Guido.

"Indeed, that was the loveliest thing I've ever heard here. Have a drink on me." Flo pushed a can to her.

"Thanks, Flo." Marina took a sip, "Delicious as always."

"Are ye gonna leave us now? Ye said you'd stay fer karaoke night." Mater said sadly.

"Actually, if you guys don't mind, I'd like to stay a little longer." She grinned.

"Besides, I need to beat McQueen a few more times to make sure that wasn't a fluke."


Days turned into weeks as Marina continued her racing lessons, getting better every time. She had easily settled into life in Radiator Springs, and they had gladly accepted her. As time went by, Marina found it harder and harder to even think about leaving. So no one was surprised when she announced that she wanted to stay. Sally gave her Cone#2 for however long she needed it. Sheriff helped her get her mailing address changed and issued her a new Arizona state ID. She got a new license plate frame from Lizzie, and Guido put it on for her. When she wasn't racing, she helped everyone out in their stores. Sometimes, she'd arrange tire displays for Luigi, other times she modeled new paint jobs for Ramone. Sometime she even worked the front desk at the Wheel Well for Sally. She became great friends with everyone, especially Doc and McQueen. That was how her life took another unexpected turn.


"The racing season's starting soon." McQueen announced one night at Flo's. It had been a couple months since Marina came to town. The season had ended shortly before her arrival, but now the next one was almost here.

"Can I come to a race?" Marina asked, "I've never been to a racetrack, except for Willy's Butte." McQueen and Doc exchanged knowing glances with each other.

"Um, about that, Marina..." Lightning was trying hard to keep a straight face.

"McQueen and I have noticed how much you've improved." Doc said, "Like him, I see that you have natural talent for racing."

"What are you saying?" Marina asked, confused.

"Well...I'm going to a pre-season race tomorrow. It's one where all the new racers start out. Sometimes, a car may even pick up their first sponsor at it. Doc and I are going to watch, but...you're so good already...I think you should come with us and enter the race." Marina was shocked.

"M-Me? In a real race?" They nodded.

"I bet you could win." McQueen said, "After all, you'd have the best crew chief there is, since you'd be borrowing my pit crew."

"You got something I ain't seen on a racetrack in a long time, except for Lightning." Doc added, "You've got talent, yes, but you also have heart. You race just for the sake of doing it. You don't even gloat to McQueen or me when you win."

"Because that's not who I am." Marina said, "I don't do something like that if I don't love what I'm doing. I didn't want to learn racing so I could run off and get rich. I did it because I enjoyed learning from you, Doc, and learning with you, Lightning."

"And that's just the kind of car the racing world needs." Doc said.

"Like I said, it's just a preseason. No contracts or obligations. You just show up, enter and go. If you don't like it, you don't have to continue. But we'd all be there to watch you." Lightning went on. Marina thought about it for a moment. She didn't think she was THAT good. But then again, she could just imagine how proud Doc would be if she did well, even won! He'd taught her so much, he deserved to see it pay off. And how awesome would it be if a '51 model car beat a bunch of the newest models. If nothing else, she could say she'd been to a racetrack. Besides, McQueen had a point. She just might enjoy it.

"All right." she said, "I'll go. I'll race." There was a chorus of cheers.

"Peet stop!" Guido cried. They rushed her into the tire store, where they switched out her tires for Doc's old racing ones.

"They'll be all right for you." Doc said, "You don't want to race on your normal tires on the asphalt."

"I know I sound like a dumb fangirl, but I truly am honored to wear them, Doc. I'll take good care of them." Their next stop was Ramone's. He gave her a fresh coat of his blackest black. In honor of their town, she had him put a big number 66 on each side of her, red with a blue outline for the two who taught her to race. Seeing a chance for advertising, Ramone gave her long silver pinstripes that looked as if they were blowing right off with her speed. He placed a small sticker for each of their businesses on either side of her. When everything was done, she looked just like a professional racecar.

"It's beautiful Ramone. Thank you. Thank you everyone."

"Make us proud, girl." Sheriff said with a smile, "Break every speed limit there is tomorrow."


The next day, they left early. McQueen gave Marina his trailer for the ride, since he wasn't racing. Sally stayed behind in town with Red and Lizzie, who was too old to make such a drive.

The track was in Phoenix, and the drive through the city reminded Marina of Chicago. But inside the trailer, it was like she was a visitor from another world, just passing through. As they pulled into the infield of the track, she could see other, shabby looking trailers as Mack pulled up to the registration booth. Already there were some cars in the stands, and she'd seen many more tailgating out front. She slowly rolled out when the ramp to the trailer came down, the sun glinting off her, since Ramone had insisted on shining her one more time.

She let Doc and McQueen handle her registration, since she had no idea what to do. Instead, she sized up the track, calculating her turns and where she should speed up or slow down. She was already eager to get out there.


She was starting in literally the very last post position. But she looked over to where all her friends surrounded Doc, who sat on the crew chief's platform. They all smiled and waved at her, even holding up homemade signs and banners. Her heart swelled at the sight, and she decided she was going to win today. For them.

"START! YOUR! ENGINES!" the official yelled. Marina started up, but didn't waste fuel on the showy revving the other cars were doing. Then the green flag dropped and the race was on.

By the first pit stop, Marina was a quarter of the way through the field, not in last, but not threatening the leaders yet.

"Save yourself for the end," Doc told her as Flo filled her with fuel and Guido changed her tires, "That's where it counts. You're doing great so far."

"Keep it up." McQueen encouraged as Marina shot back out onto the track.

She did. By the second stop, she was halfway through the field, and at the third, she was three quarters of the way through. Now she would keep going to the end. No more stops left. Now was the time she had to make her moves. Gradually, she inched her way up, not taking time to gloat to the cars she passed. She had eyes only for the leaders, She would remain in third until the final lap.

"Now's the time, Marina." Doc instructed through his headset, "We know what you've got. Time to show everybody else. There's only two cars ahead of you. You know what to do. Now show 'em." She could see the two lead cars neck and neck, and even hear them bickering. Then they parted, just as McQueen and Doc did that day at Willy's Butte. And . between them, she could see the finish line.

The space between them was only a car width. But it was enough.

Marina surged forward and shot in between them, like a black bullet. She could hear the loud cheers as she shot out in front of them and felt the wind from the waving checkered flag hit her.

"And it's Marina Stryder with the win!" came the voice over the loudspeaker.

She looked over and saw her friend yelling and cheering, and she let out an excited yell herself.

"And that just goes to show you, folks," the announcer boomed, "Never underestimate a dark horse." Marina smiled. Oh yes. Just like her favorite song, she was indeed a Dark Horse.


Don't fret, this is just the beginning for Marina as a racer.