If you're a fanfic writer named SentinelSpockNimoy, you don't own Cars, but wish you did. It's what you do.

If you want to save money on car insurance, you switch to Geico. It's what you do.

(and no, I don't own Geico either)


- 8. It's The Ones That You Don't See Comin' -

It was late at night when she finally got through.

"Piston Cup main office, James Kirk speaking."

"Mr. Kirk, this is Marina Stryder. I...had something to ask you."

"Go ahead, Miss Stryder."

"I was wondering...could someone who has won the Cup before...could they possibly come out of retirement and rejoin the league?"

"Hold on a moment." She could hear the shuffling of papers or perhaps it was pages turning. A flurry of typing and clicking could also be heard before he spoke again.

"There's nothing in the rules that says they can't." A pause, "Especially not if you're talking about who I think you're talking about."

"He wants to come back. He misses it. They told him he was history, and it hurt him."

"From what I hear, that's a load of scrap. I for one would love to see him back in it."

"You and so many others. Don't worry, Mr. Kirk, I'll get him back in it."

"Good luck, Miss Stryder."


The next morning, Marina explained what she'd found to Doc.

"You did WHAT!?" the Hornet yelled, "Why in the name of Chrysler would you do that?"

"You said you missed racing, so I thought-"

"You thought you'd go behind my back and try to upturn everything I've worked for here? No thank you! I lost one thing I loved! I'm not going to lose another just because some rebel city girl who thinks she knows everything comes charging in to upheave everything!" Marina rolled back a little, stung by his words, "Next time, mind your own business and leave me alone!" The old Hornet angrily slammed the clinic's doors in her face.

"Excuse me for caring about you," she said softly, her eyes watering, "and wanting to do something nice for you." She turned away sadly. As she was about to leave, she heard the door open again.

"Marina, wait." Doc said. She turned around to face him and he could see that he'd really hurt her, her eyes misty.

"Come inside a moment." Marina followed him into the clinic.

"I heard what you said out there just now." Marina nodded.

"I'm sorry, Doc, I just...You said how much you wished you could've raced again, so...I-I thought I would find out if you still could. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to get your hopes up in case they said you couldn't." She looked down.

"If it means anything, the guy from Piston Cup said he hoped you came back."

"He did?" Marina nodded.

"He said there's nothing in the rules against it, 'especially not if it's who I think it is'. And he's not the only one." Doc seemed to be thinking.

"I don't know. I have you and Lightning now, and the town, and-" Marina cut him off.

"Doc, you of all people should know that you can't neglect yourself, it's unhealthy." She moved closer to him, "Besides, you do so much for all of us, I'm sure we'd all love to do something for you for once."

"Would anyone even want to see me?" Doc asked.

"Are you kidding? Lightning, for one, keeps saying he wishes he could've seen you race. Think how much that would mean to him, to have the one dream he thinks is impossible come true." Doc nodded and looked down.

"He still looks amazed when I race around Willy's Butte."

"Exactly." Marina said, "Look, just do what Lightning told me to do. Just do one race."

"One race?"

"Yes. If you don't do it for you, do it for Lightning. It would mean the world to him." Doc seemed to think about it for a moment.

"How will he see me? Won't he be racing, too?"

"Nope. You just get yourself entered, Doc. I'll take care of McQueen. And, like you and him told me, just try once, and if you hate it, you don't have to continue." Doc sighed.

"Alright, I'll do it." he said.

"You're going to be great, Doc."

"Thank you, Marina...And...I apologize for calling you names. You were trying to do something nice, and I threw it in your face. That was wrong of me."

"It's okay, Doc." she smiled at him, "It's okay."


Doc trained Lightning and Marina like normal, and no one said any more about the race. In fact, no one even hinted that there WAS a race, until Sally announced that she'd been given tickets to a race by an old friend and and asked McQueen if he wanted to go to it with her. Unbeknownst to him, her "old friend" was actually Marina, saying only that Sally should take McQueen because there would be something special that he should see. On the day of said race, Lightning and Sally drove together. As soon as they were gone, the town sprang into action, only this time they were getting Doc ready. Mack had McQueen's trailer already hooked up and ready. As soon as Doc was on board, they took off for the track.


"So what's so special about this race?" McQueen asked as he and Sally found their seats, "I didn't even know there was a race today."

"I dunno, she didn't give me the details," Sally replied, "She just said something's happening that my boyfriend would probably enjoy seeing."

"Huh." McQueen turned back to the jumbotron just as the final car in the race was being introduced.

And his jaw dropped.

"Is that who I think it is?" Sally asked, wide-eyed.

"Aaww man, we got a real treat for race fans today!" Darrell announced.

"Indeed we do, Darrell." Bob agreed, "Your screens are not malfunctioning, folks. Our final entry is indeed legendary number 51, better known as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet."

"THAT'S DOC!" McQueen yelled when the camera zoomed in on the car the two were talking about.

"Nobody ever thought we'd see the racing legend again at all until he showed up last year with McQueen." Darrell said, "And now, not only is he back, he's RACING!"

"Right you are, Darrell. The rumors that have skyrocketed ticket sales for today's race are finally proven to be true. One thing is for sure. This will be an exciting race."


Marina smiled as she watched Doc head out onto the track. She'd taken on the role of being his crew chief for today. She stifled a laugh when she spotted McQueen and Sally's dumbstruck faces in the stands when Doc appeared on the giant screen. She carefully adjusted her headset and switched on the comm.

"Doc, it's Marina. Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear." he answered, "Are they here?"

"Yeah, Flo snapped a photo for you. It's pretty funny." She followed the blue Hornet around the track with her gaze. At one point she spied Chick Hicks. "Doc, be careful of Chick. He's been doing this longer than some of these others."

"Maybe so, but I was doing this before he could even talk." Doc replied, "You know what, I'm glad you talked me into this. I've been wanting to put that punk in his place since Lightning's Piston Cup run."

"Make him cry, Doc. Make. Him. CRY."


Doc didn't disappoint. The first chance he got, he blazed past Chick, causing the crowd to go completely insane, cheering and screaming his name. Marina had been right, people DID want to see him. More than that, they were loving him! So much for him being "history." People had bought tickets to this race just because of a RUMOR that he was in it. He found McQueen and Sally in the stands, and McQueen flashed his lightning bolt at him. With every lap, it was like years, and hurt and longing were stripped off him. It was just as thrilling as he remembered it. Doc fell into each turn as if it were instinct, his adjustments and speed calculated with perfect precision so he seemed to become the embodiment of speed and grace itself. He felt anew what he'd loved so much about racing; the feeling like he was flying. A huge exhilarated, joyful smile spread across his face. It was the best he'd ever felt since his crash

The only thing that made it better was when he flew by an enraged Chick Hicks (who ended up second) to take the race by an entire lap.

"And that right there is why this car is a legend!" Darrell said. Doc chuckled.

"Alright, Marina." he said over the comm, "You were right. I'm in."

"Are you serious? You want to get back in for real?" She sounded excited (in fact, Guido and Mack had to keep pushing her back onto the platform so she wouldn't fall.)

"Yes I do. Tell them to be ready." Doc looked back up at himself on the jumbotron, smiling with his newest trophy and the owner of the track beaming beside him.

"The Hudson Hornet's back."


In yo FACE, Chick!