A long hiatus it has been. Seeing as I have a vacation to Spain at the end of this week, I'm planning to update my major stories, then check them once I get back. A Day At The Races has been my most popular fanfic, so this is the first to get an update. Personally, I am very surprised that this is my most popular. I felt I was taking a big risk with humanizing the birds and an even bigger risk putting them into a fanfic that used cars as a main theme. I thought it wouldn't work. Everyone else... Disagreed. Without further ado, let's do it!
Tom was sitting there on one of the seats in the grandstand. This grandstand overlooked the home straight of Silverstone. Blu and Jewel walked up and took a seat next to Tom.
"So this is it." Tom remarked. "Looks like we're gonna be doing it for real."
"Yeah." Jewel replied. "I just dunno what's going to happen."
Blu added, "Me too. It just feels like we're on a roller coaster. We're along for the ride, it goes where it wants to go and there's no stop until it's all over. I dunno man, this feels like one of the craziest things we've ever done." Blu turned to face Tom. "Are you crazy enough to do it?"
"Of course." Tom replied. "Doing a year in Afghanistan, the most bomb-filled country in the world, then serving another year as an Army Ranger? 3 years after that as a cop in Tokyo? Of course I'm crazy enough to do it! Oh, hey guys!" Blu and Jewel turned around to find the humanized birds, as well as Tulio and Linda taking their own seats.
"Watcha doin'?" Nico asked.
"Just relaxing. And watching the GT4 racers go by." Tom answered.
"GT4?" Pedro asked.
"Let me get this straight. There are three levels of FIA GT racing. GT1 is the top of the podium, the highest accolade. You're dealing with 600hp monsters that only resemble road cars in basic body-shape. We're at GT3, the slightly lower class. These cars are 400-550hp, and are basically road cars with stripped out interiors, racing engines and massive wings. GT4 cars are even closer to their road-going counterparts."
"Whoa. You know a lot about cars?" Rafael asked.
"Of course. I'm going to shut up now and try to listen to the cars." Tom kept his word and listened in. Immediately obvious was a V8 roar that pierced the air. It could have been American, but it was revving higher than any ordinary US motor. "Aston V8 Vantage." Indeed, an Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24 rounded the curve to the right of the grandstand, and rocketed down the main straight.
"So these GT4s are like brothers to GT3?" Linda asked.
"Yep. FIA GT racers often race on the same tracks. Looks like the GT4s are running their tests right now. Convenient because it lets us watch them while we're resting."
"Shh." Blu interrupted. "That sound there. It sounds like my Corvette..."
"I think you'll find that's because it is a Corvette C6." The big Chevy quickly went down the straight.
"It doesn't sound like it's going as fast as it should. I'm no gear head, but common sense tells me that a Vette should be going through the revs faster than that."
"That's because it's running a restrictor plate to reduce power. It makes 390 horsepower. The normal Corvette makes 437hp. That's too much for GT4." Another V8 came into ear range.
"Aaand that sounds like a Ford Racing V8." Nigel pointed out. "It sounds like my Ford, but without the supercharger."
"It is indeed a Ford Racing. Mustang FR500C" The Mustang rocketed past the grandstand. "The '08 championship winning car. And that Ford V6..." Tom's silence emphasized the smooth V6, "Sounds like it's coming from a Ginetta G50." Tom knew his stuff, as a Ginetta followed in pursuit of the monstrous Ford Mustang.
"What's the bets that this is going to be a different car?" Rafael asked.
"Sure. My cap if it turns out to be something light and British." Nico betted. At that moment, a sudden four cylinder scream went through everyone's ears.
"The Lotus 2-Eleven." Tom said as the stripped out Lotus in question shot past. "It's small, light and British." Nico quickly put his cap back on his head. "It belongs to the Supersports category. This category is for the hornets, the lightweight, purpose built track weapons." A Peugeot Spyder went past. "Like that Peugeot Spyder." Tom's American accent kind of made Peugeot sound different. "It'll make for an epic Cheese and Sprinkles scrap!" Blu laughed at his catchphrase being used.
"Another V8." Tulio said.
"Maserati GranTurismo S." Tom replied. "Strangely muted engine note. Strange really, that Italian V8 has one of the most passionate engine notes in the business." The Maserati was going really quick, but it didn't growl like the Mustang and Vantage. "Meanwhile, sounds like the V8 has many uses." A high pitched V8 sound was next up. "BMW M3. No V8 made by anyone else other than Audi is that high pitched." A BMW M3 went round the corner. A little too quickly. The car spun out, reminding Jewel of her first experience with the Aston Racing DBRS9.
"What's that glorious wail?" Eva asked. "It sings better than Nico!" Earning a wry smile from Nigel.
"Six cylinder. Straight 6 by the sounds of it. BMW. It's gotta be a Z4. Highly unlikely anyone's gonna be fielding an E46 M3. Especially with the newer E92 around with the V8." As Tom said that, the M3 had managed to spin the right way, and narrowly avoided hitting the BMW Z4. "On the subject of the straight 6, one of the most glorious wails I've heard. Right up there with the DBRS9." Tom looked around to find Blu sitting behind him. Jewel had wrapped her arm around him, and Linda, sitting on the other side had done the same. "Nice and sweet."
"That sounds different." Pedro remarked as an insectoid straight 4 sound carved its way through the atmosphere.
"Ah, the Donkervoort D8 GT." A superlight Supersports racer went around the bend like a go-kart.
"A Danke-WHAT?" Linda asked.
"Donkervoort. It's Dutch, if anyone hasn't noticed. It's powered by an Audi four which has to heft just 650 kilos. That thing is extremely fast." Another Supersports car rapidly followed. Tulio took the time to read the badge.
"KTM? I thought they made motorbikes?" Tulio asked.
"They do. They took an Audi engine, mounted it in the lightweight body you just saw. Called it the X-Bow and made the Supersports fight cooler in the process." Tulio was clearly impressed.
"From what I've learned," That was Rafael. "That's a V6."
"Bing!" Tom mimicked a bell. "That is correct. It's a Nissan 350Z. Won 10 races to the Mustang's 9 in 2008, so it's at the sharp end of the grid." The Nissan was going round quickly and smoothly. An Audi TT soon went past it.
"But right now, it's not quick enough to beat the Audi TT GT4. I am surprised at that, as it's going extremely quick for a front wheel drive."
"Finally, that sound reminds me of a Porsche 911." Rafael again.
"Correct." A Stuttgart-built sports car with a Porsche badge was the last car to come into view. "The Porsche 911. Now that is a fast car. I saw how quickly the Cayman went round the track, so bets are that big bro has what it takes to be a race winning car." Tom got up, and started to walk off. "I'll leave you guys to relax. I need to take care of something in the pits."
That finishes the chapter. I'm incredibly sorry for leaving it this long, so I've got some more updates for my popular stories on the way. Give my profile a look, and leave a review while you're at it. Why not?
