Bleach Grand Prix

by UnitedOsprey1991

AU: It is 2070 the 50th year of the World Grand Prix. Join Ichigo and the rookie Kurosaki-Ishida team as the brave their rivals, the media, the drama and each other. They may find someone worth racing for as well. Ichihime OC/Tatsuki. Uryuu/cannon girl Chad/Isane. Chapters will be longish and may be a little complicated but don't let it discourage you. Review kindly.

12. Storms on Road America

OSPREY….SWOOOSH

UO: Hey guys I got a week off. So let's get to work. Actor check please.

Ichigo: Me and Chad came in together

Orihime: Tatsuki is here and so am I

Uryu: (Adjusts glasses) here

Chad: Present

Andrew: Ready to race

UO: Good going let's go before-

Isshin: ICHIGO! (Crashes through set)

UO:-something…happens. (Sweatdrops.)

Isshin: WHY HAVEN'T DATED ANYONE? (Starts brawling and wrecking the set)

UO: (Drops head) Disclaimer please.

Orihime UO-san doesn't own us the tracks or the theoretical future drivers. They belong to Tite Kubo and the respective track owners. He only owns Andrew, Raoul, Maria and Rebecca though the jury is out on that last one.

UO: Thank you Orihime. On with the show as soon as we can separate those two.

Normal: Dialogue

"Italics and quotations": Radio and track announcer and lyrics.

'Italics and apostrophe': Thoughts

Bold: Yelling

Bold and Italics: Yelling in head:

Name followed by a colon: In-race TV Announcer

Chapter 11 Storms on Road America

When we last left our heroes the first part of the first American swing in the World Grand Prix took place at Laguna Seca in California. While the Kurosaki drivers had a mix bag of results the day belonged to the Souske team with Grimmjow beating out the Audis of Brian Mcnish and Bjorn Kristensen. As for our heroes, well at least for a certain red head and American, they got closer to the girls traveling with them but being their stubborn selves they keep their feeling to themselves.

Now they were preparing for their next race which will take place at one of the more well-known circuits in America, the aptly named Road America in Wisconsin. This is where we pick up our story with the post-race meeting.

"Now for the last bit of business before we get on the road. Our next race is at Road America which is the second longest race by distance per lap we are running this year at just over four miles. Another old track like Laguna Seca it is one of the few tracks of its type in the world to not change its configuration. From the start finish line it is a straight shot into turn one a right hander and then goes into turn three with a slight turn in the middle of the straight. It opens up speed wise going through a small kink at four before breaking hard into another set of left handers. Then a fast turn into seven then a sharp turn 8 into the set up for, 'the carousel' which covers turns 9 and 10, the turns are almost circular like, hence the name. This leads to a straight towards what's called 'the kink' which is a slow right hander. Then it enters a forest like section where you have to slow for a right hander then a set of slow curves make up 13. The final turn is turn 14 which is another right hander that leads into the uphill section where the straight gets up to 200 which is where turn one plays a big part in the race. Andrew do you have anything to add?"

Andrew looked up and smiled. "I have raced on this once, in NASCAR's B tier absolutely loved it. It is fast and really puts pressure on the brakes. Also because of how the track is set up the g forces could be factor. Finally due to the time of year, weather is going to play a role."

Isshin nodded. "Thank you." Looking at his watch he grimaced. "It is 6:45 pacific time. We need to load the cars and the equipment now. If we are lucky we might make San Francisco by midnight. We will stop at a rest stop outside of the city and in the morning we will allow the drivers to go ahead. Because I know you would be to wound up to be with us.

Ichigo and Andrew nodded and the meeting broke up so the crew could unload the cars. After about an hour and a half of swearing and busting their backs the race cars were loaded up and the trucks were on their way.

Meanwhile in the Souske haulers, the mood was celebratory. Aizen was relaxing as the truck moved along the highway.

"Something on your mind, Aizen-sama?" Gin asked sitting next to him.

Aizen looked at Gin. "I know we did well, but the Kurosaki whelps are harder to keep off than one expected." Aizen said.

Gin frowned. "What do you think we should do?"

Aizen chuckled. "I have it all planned out. At the next race let's just hope they know had to deal with problems that aren't weather related. I have to make a call."

Gin looked at Aizen but he had started to walk away. Gin though looked at the partying group and had to let out a sigh. 'These drivers are ruthless. I hope I get to bring them down soon. Though…" Gin looked to see Tier trying to relax with her crew arguing. 'I have not found anything that the ladies have done. If worse comes to worse I will ask them to consider lesser charges and save them.'

Gin thought as he contemplated what to do.

Hours later found the Kurosaki trailers late at night stopping at a rest stop east of Sacramento. They pulled in and prepared to get ready for bed.

Orihime had dressed for bed and was heading back to her bunk when she bumped into Ichigo. In the cramped quarter the impact knocked Ichigo into the wall. He moaned in pain from the impact.

"Itai. Orihime sorry about that." Ichigo said looking up at the concerned girl's face. "You alright?"

Orihime looked relieved. "Don't worry about that I am made of sterner stuff than most." Orihime giggled. Then they realized their position and blushed slightly.

"You know you should stop ending up like this." A humorous voice said. Looking up they saw Tatsuki and Andrew looking at scene with amusement looking dressed for lounging around.

Ichigo scowled. "Can't you find something else to do?"

Tatsuki shook her head. "In case you haven't forgotten our rooms our right here."

Orihime giggled and the scowling driver softened his look. They stood up and they went to their bunks, which were right next to each other but with doors that locked.

In the girls bunk, Orihime jumped as she another truck come in during the night.

"Hime relax. Andrew said that trucks normally came in through the night. Said something about the interstate system." Tatsuki said placating the auburn haired girl.

Orihime relaxed as she rested on the bottom bunk.

"Tatsuki?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think America is beautiful? I mean we are going through a lot of what Andrew described as the Great Plains. And also the Rocky Mountains." Orihime said in wonderment.

Tatsuki chuckled. "If you're going to get some great shots, I don't think you'll be disappointed."

Orihime smiled. "That's good I bet they will be so pretty." Orihime said falling asleep.

Tatsuki soon followed her into dreamland.

The next morning dawned bright and early as the crew unloaded Andrew's Mustang out of the car. After they got breakfast, Isshin and Andrew were discussing directions.

"You have an idea where to go?" Isshin asked.

"Yeah, we take I-80 ahead of everyone. If we go fast we might make Cheyenne tonight. If we want to make Elkart Lake by Friday we need to be in Lincoln Nebraska by Tuesday you guys need to be there by Wednesday at your pace."

Isshin nodded. "You all be careful."

Andrew nodded. "We will. We'll call you about any weather related issues. Ichigo, Orihime, Tatsuki, let's go we got rubber to burn."

The three said their farewells as the motor fired. Andrew turned on the radio as an appropriate song came on.

(Play Life is a Highway by either Tom Cochrane or Rascal Flats. I don't own either version)

Life's like a road that you travel on

When there's one day here and the next day gone

Sometimes you bend sometimes you stand Sometimes you stand against the wind

The mustang pulled out onto the highway was they headed east towards their destination. They started talk animatedly about various things as the music blared.

Come ride with me to the distant shore

We won't hesitate to knock down the garden gate

There's not much time left today

As the song reaches the chorus they are at a fuel station, where Ichigo is at the pump and Orihime is taking pictures. Meanwhile Tatsuki and Andrew are carrying snacks.

Life is a Highway

And I wanna drive it all night long

If you're going my way

I wanna drive it all night long

During the chorus they are shown driving into the Nevada desert appreciating the journey. Ichigo is at the wheel and the girls were photographing the scenery.

Through all of these cities and all these towns

It's in my blood and its all around

This is the road and these are the hands

The second verse has them in a restaurant. Orihime laughed at the animated expressions Ichigo does as he is describing something from his past.

Life is a Highway

And I wanna drive it all night long

If you're going my way

I wanna drive it all night long

Gimme, gimmme, Yeah

Life is a Highway

And I wanna drive it all night long

If you're going my way

I wanna drive it all night long

During the second chorus they driving through the Salt Lake desert with Ichigo still behind the wheel. The girls are dozing off in the back.

There was a distance between you and I

A misunderstanding once

But now we look it in the eye

Oooo… Yeah

Ichigo and Andrew look at the girls peacefully sleeping with their heads leaning on the windows. They were in the opposite seats from them so they could look unobstructed. Andrew looked at Ichigo and they both smiled as Andrew went to sleep to.

There ain't no hold that I can't hold

Road so rough this I know

I'll be there when the light comes

Just tell'em we're survivors!

Life is a Highway

And I wanna drive it all night long

If you're going my way

I wanna drive it all night long

As the song fades out the sun sets over the mountains as they pulled into their intended destination ahead of schedule. They bought themselves a shared room and the boys slept on the ground allowing the girls to take the beds.

The next morning they woke up and departed later then yesterday considering they were ahead of where the wanted to be even with the time change coming so they decided to be a bit more casual in their approach into Lincoln. They had stopped at a fuel station and had parked the car to get drinks.

Tatsuki turned to Andrew. "So how far are we to our destination?"

Andrew looked at the map he had out. "We want to get here by tonight," he said pointing to the spot on the map. "We have been making great time. We might be able to make the Nebraska Iowa border tonight we might even make Cedar Rapids though that might be a stretch. Its six hours to Nebraska's capital, we will decide what to do once we get there."

Tatsuki nodded as the map was folded up. They looked over to see Ichigo and Orihime walking back towards the car with Orihime describing something random.

"You wonder what they do when we aren't watching them." Tatsuki said humorously.

Andrew chuckled. "Be nice, they probably wonder the same thing about us." Andrew said laughing at her face.

"You know how to drive stick?" Andrew asked.

"Yeah."

"You drive the first leg if I know where the next leg is then we need to have all the energy we can get. Oi, lovebirds lets go." Andrew called out and both of them laughed at the expression on their faces as they walked back to the car and got back in.

The drive from their hotel was quiet until they pulled off to get lunch. They went to one of the Cracker Barrels that Andrew said served good food. After eating and paying they had started to leave when Andrew stopped.

"Andrew?" Ichigo said.

The wind blew and Andrew looked at the sky. "You guys feel that?" Andrew said.

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah, what of it?"

Andrew looked at the sky. "There is a storm coming…a bad one. Call your dad. If those trucks have crossed the border tell them to stop or if they haven't slow down." Andrew said climbing in.

"Why? What's going on?" Tatsuki asked getting in the back

Andrew looked at her. "Check the weather reports for our route. If this feeling is correct…then we are in for a long day." He said pulling out onto the highway. Tatsuki pulled up her phone and checked the weather.

"Tornado watch for Eastern Nebraska." Tatsuki read looking up

Andrew cursed. Orihime looked concerned. "What's got you jumpy, Andrew-kun?"

Andrew looked at her. "This time of year, the cold air starts coming down without the jet stream's influence and the warm air starts coming up from the Gulf of Mexico. They collide over the central U.S. This entire section between the two mountain ranges, the Rockies and the Appalachians is where it collides. When the two air masses collide they fight and begin to rotate creating possibly the most destructive natural force on the planet, tornados. The stretch between North Dakota and Texas is known as the Tornado Belt. And we my friends are going into the heart of the belt."

This got everyone to gulp. "So what do we do?" Tatsuki said a little timidly.

Andrew sighed. "Two things. One if we are not in the path we might be able to get a few shots of it. The other is if we are in the path, then pray to god or kami. These things are really nasty." Andrew said seriously.

This got the group nervous as they barreled down the highway. At about four o'clock they were still a couple of hours outside of their destination when they saw the dark clouds off to their right. They pulled over as the clouds started to gather. Orihime and Tatsuki climbed out as the wind started to pick up considerably. As they took their shots Andrew and Ichigo watched them take the pictures with some worry.

Andrew sighed but then tensed when he saw an armored car drive past them.

"$&^! Storm chasers this is not good." Andrew said. He pointed at the clouds. "Those clouds are shifting right into our path.

Ichigo scowled. "Can't we go around?" He yelled.

Andrew growled. "This is bleeping Nebraska. There is nothing for hundreds of miles. Only way can go is straight into the heart of the storm. Call your dad tell them to stop when they can this is about to get ugly." He turned to the girls as the skies began to rain. "Orihime, Tatsuki let's go. We are about to get dumped on." The girls heard this and covered their heads as they ran to the car. Climbing in they were relatively dry as Andrew floored it and headed into the storm.

As they got closer the rain picked up and the wipers were going at the full blast. They were battling the wind as it made it hard to control the car.

"Damn we need to find our hotel. Guys you have to keep an eye." Andrew said over the rain.

They attempted to do so but the rain was making it even harder than normal. Lightning cracked the sky as they came up to a red light. Then Orihime spoke up.

"I think I hear a siren!"

Tatsuki looked at her friend and was about to say something when she noticed how quiet it got.

She looked and saw Andrew looking absolutely terrified and scanning the sky. Then he started mumbling.

"Where is it? Where is it? Do we need to find shelter now?" Andrew said as they turned down the road. "Tatsuki look up the weather tell me how long this warning is going to last. Orihime find our hotel Tatsuki help her when you figure out the weather. Ichigo keep an eye for a funnel we might have to take shelter somewhere." Andrew said as they struggled to go through the town. After a couple of minutes they were at another red light when they spotted sparks in the distance. Orihime who had taken out her camera out and looked at the cut wires as a decent sized funnel was throwing up debris in the distance. They were far enough away to make it out against the fading light to not get caught in its wraith. Andrew pulled over to allow them to view the tornado from a distance. The tense atmosphere abated as the storm moved on though lighting and rain continued to pour in buckets.

They finally found their hotel and they scrambled to get inside with their bags and their gears. By the time they got to the front desk their clothes were drenched to the skin even showing off the girls figures. Fortunately there was a girl at the front desk that allowed them to check in quickly and get to their rooms.

When they got to the rooms they immediately dried off with the boys stripping down to their boxers and flipped on the T.V. The breathed a sigh of relief as it powered on. The news showed that there was a tornado outbreak near them. Ichigo whistled.

"Man this is some nasty weather." Ichigo said laying back on the bed.

Andrew sighed on the other bed. "This time of year is always nasty in this part. If it isn't tornados it's flooding and thunderstorms. I am beginning to think this was a bad idea. Did you get a hold of your dad?"

Ichigo nodded and then heard the door opened up. They turned and was thankful for the dark room as their faces were red. The fluffy robes definitely brought out the girls figures and the girls bashful expressions made them look cute.

"You want us to move?" Ichigo asked.

Orihime shook her head and just slid next to Ichigo. Tatsuki slid onto the pillows on Andrew's bed. She breathed as Andrew laid next to her.

Orihime looked at the window as the rain angrily pelted the windows. "Sora died on a night like this." This got the others attention.

Orihime closed her eyes. "I remember that day, he went to work after dropping me off at school. After school I went to his place of work." Orihime giggled. "He was a great baker and as a hobby he loved to take photographs. The bakery he worked at was nice to us even let me try some of their treats." She smiled then frowned. "We were walking home. It started to rain pretty badly we were walking along the sidewalk…when." Orihime's eyes started to water. "This…car came out of nowhere and I didn't see it. Sora did and…he pulled me out…of the way. The car ran him over and he kept going. Sora laid there on the ground and I was screaming for someone to help. I tried to drag my brother to a clinic. I found one that was nicely made and I begged them to help my brother. They…did all they could…but Sora didn't make it. I remember his last words. 'Let the world you capture have your smile. Bring the world your boundless happiness and never lose your beautiful smile' Orihime started to sniffle as Ichigo hugged her close. "The worst part was…I found out I wasn't the only one affected that night. The cops chased the drunk driver to a bridge and it ran a car containing a mother and son off it. The mother drowned saving her son.

Ichigo widened his eyes. "What was the date of your brother's death?" Ichigo said dreading the answer.

Orihime looked at him. "I know Ichigo…when I saw the date on your mother's tombstone and hearing about what happened to her, I knew it was you and your mother that night. The night of June 17th 2055."

Ichigo pulled her close causing her to squeak. Then he heard something that broke all of the barriers to her tears. "Let it out Orihime. We are here for you."

Orihime's eyes watered and then she broke down. She never told anyone this and the emotions were raw as she cried openly. She felt two pairs of arms surround her and knew it was Tatsuki and Andrew joining her and Ichigo. When did she get such great friends not even ashamed to be this close like this to comfort her? She was thankful for that. After what felt like hours she felt the blanket cover her and Ichigo as they rocked back and forth and fell into a deep sleep.

Tatsuki crawled into the other bed and watched Andrew in the dark find something in the darkness. When she got a good look she stifled a laugh, it was his stuffed rabbit.

"Don't judge me. I am not that good at thunderstorms." He admitted shyly.

Tatsuki sighed and leaned back on the pillows. She felt movement and then an arm wrap gently around her and felt shivering.

"Sorry." He whispered quietly.

Tatsuki shook it off with a slight blush. "Nah its fine. Guess that means I get to be the brave one this time."

Andrew chuckled. "You are brave. You just have different ways of showing it. Anyway, despite the not liking thunderstorms bit, I always found the rain soothing. You know like a little lullaby." Andrew said sleepily.

Tatsuki smiled and without realizing it started to rub her hands through his hair getting and a sigh from the young man and his body to snuggle closer. Tatsuki looked over to her friends and smiled at the closeness. She took Andrew's glasses off and fell asleep. The weather may have been cold and rainy but you couldn't find a safer room in their minds.

The next day

It was still early around 5:00, when Orihime blearily opened her eyes. She moaned softly and looked around from her limited vantage point and couldn't help but giggle softly. Tatsuki and Andrew were snuggled up together and the way Andrew held her it was like a child holding a teddy bear.

She looked up to see Ichigo snoozing away and had to keep her laugh in. He looked like a child sleeping. She felt around her robe and adjusted it up her pale shoulders and snuggled into his chest. 'Ichigo-kun…your name is appropriate huh?' She said closing her eyes.

A couple of hours later everyone was up and getting ready to leave. Orihime was paying attention to the news about the twisters the previous night.

"EF2…wonder what that is?" Orihime asked.

"It stands for the Enhanced Fujita Scale category 2." Andrew said. At her questioning look he explained.

"You know how Cyclones and Hurricanes have categories to denote their strength. Well that is based on the Saffir-Simpson scale that is based on strength of the storm and the amount of destruction. Tornados fall under the Enhanced Fujita Scale which is an upgraded version of the previous scale of the same name. EF2, the tornado you were listening to is about 110 miles per hour. There is some destruction but the damage is moderate. Was there any 5s."

Orihime looked down. "I see. How bad is it?" Andrew asked.

Orihime sniffled. "This one town…it's gone." Orihime looked sad.

Ichigo overhearing this gently hugged her. He looked up to see Andrew. "Is our route relatively clear?" He asked.

Andrew looked at the route. "We should be fine." Andrew said with a smile.

They nodded and they started heading out. On their way out of town they noticed some of the destruction. Many of the houses were still standing but there was debris everywhere as they got back on the highway. The girls were videotaping the mess and were stunned at it.

"It's saddening." Andrew said from the driver's seat. "Mother nature's wraith. An Ef2 tornado did all of this…imagine a five. There would be nothing left." He said as the car was quiet save the music playing on the radio.

Several hours later they pulled into the tiny town of Elkhart Lake. Like Laguna Seca they were excited for the race but there was one key difference between that track and this one. This was a legitimate small town not even 1,000 people which intrigued the foreigners.

"How is it a small town like this hosts one of the events on the world circuit?" Ichigo asked.

"Two reasons one this track is as famous as Indy and Daytona. Second, this track holds a lot of events a year so the local economy benefits. With 150,000 spectators expected from around the world this town when it hosts the event it is like a holiday weekend.

"So where are we going to bunk for the night?" Tatsuki said noticing the size of the town wouldn't be able to support a hotel.

"Closest place would be Milwaukee but I am not sure we can get a room this close to race. Did not think this through." Andrew said hitting his head on the wheel. A horn was heard behind and they looked over to see a Ford Fusion pull up on the right side of the car. Ichigo rolled down the window and to their surprise it was Michael Kennseth and Patricia Stenhouse from the Rousch camp.

"Hey what are you all doing here I didn't expect anyone here until tomorrow." Michael said. (They left on Monday it is 32 hours straight through from Monterrey, CA to this town

"We went ahead of our trailer and I guess we went a little too fast." Ichigo said.

"We can see that. I got room at my place if you want?" Michael asked.

"We wouldn't want to intrude." Andrew said.

"Nah, you will be fine. Besides it's only for a night. The crews would be in tomorrow." Michael said as they pulled in front of the Mustang. They followed until they were on the outskirts of town and they saw a nice size house that was two stories. They pulled in to the driveway and had to admit was a nice house.

"Wow such a nice little house on the prairie. (Giggle) just like the book." Orihime said with her energy.

Ichigo chuckled. "Yeah it is a nice place." He said getting the bags out.

Andrew rolled his eyes. "Not everyone can afford a big mansion Ichigo but I'll admit…its homey."

After they settled the girls and guys separated. The guys were out on the porch having beers and trading stories back and forth.

"And so that is why I like the Rousch team." Michael said. The other two were chuckling. Michael turned to the two. "So how exactly did you two meet?"

They sighed at the question. Ichigo turned to Michael. "Well….we met at one of the lower tier circuits. I think it's what was the Pro national division which is the tier what…five or four."

"It's five." Michael replied.

"Right tier five American circuit. Just so happens the same day I start racing what was considered one of the top tier systems outside of the World Grand Prix, some lanky kid that seemed to belong to anime convention then a race track started the same time."

Andrew picked up the story. "Unlike some other teams, ours was a limited budget team. Ichigo was able to be funded with his company's money. My dad set aside money for racing. That meant we also had to be careful of wrecking the cars and we had to research our opposition. When we looked up this guy." Andrew thumbed Ichigo. "We found he was the son of a multi-trillion dollar company owner. We figured he was cocky arrogant and self-absorbed and the first race which was during Speed weeks, he did not help his image. I finished third to him and he cockily told me I wouldn't beat him. Proved him wrong the next week at Rockingham when I schooled the field and the rivalry was on." Andrew said smiling

"It wasn't until we got to Dover that things came to a head. Let's just say I said the wrong things to him and when we both wrecked each other it was not pretty. We had to be forcibly separated and if it wasn't for Andrew apologizing and accepting responsibility that changed my opinion of him. This eventually led to me changing my attitude."

"It was Flemington that we figuratively buried the hatchet over of all things a video game. That friendship bloomed over the rest of the season even when we started running out of money for racing. I was spun out in the last race and on the last lap and I was devastated. When I heard they overturned the decision I lost it and this guy lead the charge to push me across the line. It cemented our friendship. When I announced my free agency I had four offers on the table and I was planning to go to Hendrick when Jushiro Ukitake the announcer retired from the Kurosaki team when they got promoted. They called my dad I called them. Next thing I know I am on plane to Japan to be introduced as the fourth driver." Andrew said.

Michael laughed. "Wow talk about rags to riches kind of story."

Ichigo smiled. "Yeah, we are tight like brothers now. We kept in touch. Something about this team is all four of us knew each other a long time. I think we are the only team with legit family members as drivers. Me and Uryuu are cousins my mom was his Aunt. My sisters work with us as well."

Michael had a look of realization. "Which two are your sisters?"

Ichigo pulled out his wallet and showed him a picture of the family. "The black haired girl is Karin, she is a tire changer. Yuzu is her twin she is our spotter. They are partially home schooled partially mainstreamed."

"I recognize the black haired girl. I didn't realize she was your sister." Michael said.

"Don't get any ideas this guys is uber protective of his family." Andrew said humorously Ichigo scowled then softened.

"So you two…what is the status of your relationship with those two reporter ladies." The two boys choked on their beers. Michael laughed as they calmed down. Andrew just told him they were friends. Andrew looked out at the fields. The setting sun gave off an almost picturesque look.

"You have a nice place out here. Too rural for my tastes but it has that feel to it you know." Andrew.

Michael sighed. "It's away from the world…I guess that's why I like it."

The boys watched the setting sun for several minutes and then went inside.

At the same time the girls were laughing at a story Tatsuki said.

Patricia smiled. "It's nice to hang out with girls. Alexandria is off who knows where and the garage is full of guys. Ugh."

Orihime noticed the pictures on the table. Patricia saw her and smiled. "Those are pictures of Michael's grandpa Matt. He won the last NASCAR Cup title under the Winston label. There also a picture of his dad and him."

Orihime nodded and looked at the picture next to it. It was a picture of a brown haired woman in a green suit with a pony tail, next to her was a man with brown hair in a blue and yellow suit

"Those are my grandparents. Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Danica was the first successful female driver in the major tiers. Though she didn't win any titles she won a fair share of races."

Tatsuki smiled. "Andrew talked about his grandpa watching the grandparents of the drivers of the American teams when he was younger. I never expected them to look nice."

Patricia smiled. "Speaking of Andrew, what's your relationship with him? Same to you and Ichigo, Orihime.

The girls blushed and Tatsuki waved her hands. "We are just friends right now."

Patricia shook her head. "I think both of your and the boys are in denial. But I won't pry. Anyway you must have had a long day. Let me set up the beds."

The hosts helped set up the beds with the boys sleeping in one room and the girls sleeping in the other. Considering the long day they were glad for the beds as they fell asleep.

The next day all six arrived at the track after they received words their teams had arrived. When they got there they separated to check in with their teams. And of course the custom was

"ICHIGO! YOUR LATE!" And the two proceeded to 'brawl.' It had been become so routine that the teams that were there just went about their business after the first shout as it was obvious the Kurosaki drivers were there. Some had taken to betting on the outcome of their fights.

When the fight cleared after Ichigo landed a punch on Isshin he turned to Uryuu. "You guys get through the storm okay?"

Uryuu nodded. "The weather was okay from our end but I heard you encountered some nasty weather.

Ichigo nodded. Uryuu looked around and out of the corner of his eyes he saw purple haired girl in a black blouse and short skirt walking through the paddock (garage area) alongside a crazy looking man and they were approaching the trailers.

"Can we help you people?" Andrew asked.

The man scoffed but was at least courteous. "I am Mayuri Kurostsuchi and this is my lovely daughter Nemu. (I think take away the craziness Mayuri could be a nice guy.) We work with your father and Kisuke in the R&D for their car manufacturing plans. They contacted me to discuss something related to the engines today. May I inquire where these two gentlemen are?"

Ichigo nodded. "I can find him he is around here somewhere."

Mayuri nodded. He turned to Nemu. "Now Nemu I know you are shy but from what I have found these young men are quite nice. So don't worry about them hurting you…RIGHT!?" Mayuri said going ghost face scaring even the stoic Chad."

"O…Of course Mayuri-san. Come on I can take you to my dad." Ichigo said.

The red head escorted Mayuri to Isshin. Andrew grew bored and went into one of the trailers to play one of his games and Chad went to help Ichigo. This left Uryuu with the shy girl and being slightly more socially adept Andrew he at least had the decency to introduce himself.

"Hello, I am Uryuu Ishida. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Nemu looked at him and the eyes seem to captivate Uryuu who looked flustered. "Hello, Ishida-san. I have heard great things about you.

Uryuu chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah…well what you know some of that is exaggerated." Uryuu said and Nemu softly giggled. "So what exactly do you do with my dad's company?"

Nemu smiled as they walked through the paddock area. Andrew who was watching the exchange chuckled. "Only a matter of time Uryuu." He said his head back in the game.

Next day before qualifying.

Aizen was outside one of the Souske trailer. The skies were cloudy and it looked like it was going to rain. He turned and saw a man walk up to him.

"You do realize I will deny any involvement with your activities today."

"Of course. But as long as I get to take out the man who ruined my career because he was well liked. I won that race and yet I was the bad guy for taking him out."

Souske chuckled. "See that you do your job correctly. Mr. Reynolds."

The light reveled it was Joshua Reynolds. NASCAR's B division was running a support race this weekend while the A Division was Martinsville. Aizen had used his contacts to get in touch with Joshua and now he was in position

Aizen nodded. "Good now my drivers understand their part; do you understand your part?"

Joshua grinned. "Yeah they cause trouble and when people are distracted I toss something near the grills of the car. They run it over and their engines either heat up or something gets into it and causes a malfunction.

Aizen said nothing and walked away. "Your money will be in your account on Monday. Do not disappoint me." He said without stopping.

Joshua chuckled and he departed unaware of the onlooker unto the conversation. Looking down from the top of the Kuchiki trailer was Gin Ichimaru who was watching silently.

"Sigh…Aizen using other drivers to do your dirty business. Unfortunately I can't prove you ordered this. I mean he does have a grudge against one of the drivers. But it doesn't mean I can't provide some discreet help." Gin said as he went to get ready for qualifying.

At qualifying the drivers were battling with the increased wind. Uryuu going out in the second group reported that he had control issues in the loop turn but the time was respectable. When Ichigo and Chad went out they started reporting debris being thrown about especially in the stands area on the front stretch. Chad also bore witness to an engine blow-up shortly after the session ended. Soi Fong the ever bitter member of the Kuchiki team was swearing up a storm after the session ended obviously not happy on the engine blowing up. Ichigo's group had a wreck in the double sweeper turns 6 and 7. Andrew was confident of a good time. But it was obvious he was affected by the weather as well because he kept getting loose in some of the turns. Still, considering he almost spun out he was lucky to get the time he got.

Andrew walked back to the hauler when he looked up at the scoring pylon and noticed four numbers he would expect near the top.

"Huh, that's weird." Andrew said curiously.

Uryuu who happened to be near him turned to look at Andrew. "What's weird?"

Andrew pointing at the pylon, "The Souske drivers didn't do so well today. I may be reading into this too much but it's kind of weird for all four of the team to not do well at the same time."

Uryuu pushed up his glasses. "I think you are. One team can have a bad qualifying day but still turn it around."

Andrew sighed. "You are right. Maybe I am just paranoid." Andrew said as the two drivers went into the trailers.

Qualifying: Road America

1. Michael Kennseth

2. Archie Stewart

3. Patricia Stenhouse

4. Alexandra Edwards

5. Raoul Garcia

6. Jason Vettal

7. Marcus Andretti

8. Ichigo Kurosaki

9. Ralph Dillon

10. Shawn Newman

11. Andrew Michaels

12. Ikkaku Mandarame

13. Allen Regan

14. Chad Yasotora

15. Uryuu Ishida

16. George Schumacher (Changed gearbox, dropped to the rear)

17. Renji Abarai

18. Maria Robertson

19. Jason Webber

20. Francesca Alonso

21. Tier Harribel

22. Soi Fong (Engine change dropped to the rear)

23. Michael Busch

24. Serenity Gordon

25. Kira Izuru

26. Brian Mcnish (Engine Change Drop to the rear)

27. Gin Ichimaru

28. Dale Earnhardt IV

29. Robert Johnson

30. Flippe Massa III

31. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez

32. Ulquiorra Cifer

33. Ralph Hamilton

34. Bjorn Kristensen

35. Rebecca Kirkland

36. Jessica Rosburg (DQ wrecked)

(A good day for Kurosaki but is the fears justified)

Sunday April 24th

Andrew woke up early again and got dressed in his casual clothes. He stepped into the trailer opening and saw the weather was turning for the worse. It was drizzling and it appeared to be picking up.

Andrew groaned. "Great…rain…and the wind is picking up."

"Andrew?" A soft voice sounded. He turned to see Tatsuki looking worried.

Andrew said nothing as she stepped forward. "I can't believe you have to race in this weather." Tatsuki said looking out into the dreary weather.

Andrew sighed. "If this was Indy where we are racing next week they would delay the race. But because of how this track is we are going to race to the best of our ability. I believe this is 100 laps; it will be a race to lap 51 where the race becomes official. Then it will be a race to the end. But my biggest gripe is I hate driving in this weather. You saw how I was nervous during that tornado right?"

Tatsuki nodded. She walked closer to him. "Please…be careful." She said uncharacteristically shy.

Andrew smiled and he wrapped an arm around her pulling her close. "I will try my best." He said as they watched the rain fall.

After some time they separated to go get ready for the day. Andrew got out of the shower and pulled out his IPod. Scrolling through his songs he selecting one and the music played; surprisingly slow in its beat.

(Free Fallin' by Tom Petty and the heartbreakers don't own it)

Andrew grabbed his suit and started putting on. He looked in the mirror and had to sigh to himself.

Ichigo was zipping up his suit. He turned around and smiled at Orihime fiddling with her camera. He had to smile at her innocence and rubbed her head as he walked past.

Uryuu was walking out of the trailer and noticed Nemu examining the equipment while the rest of the crews were unloading their cars. They caught each other's eyes and turned away blushing slightly.

Chad was sitting in the garage area set aside for the Kurosaki team. He sighed as he watched the rain fall.

As the preparations around the track commenced preparations for the weather were taken. The cameramen wore ponchos and the cameras were covered. The fans who braved the conditions were in similar attire.

In the booths where it was dry, they were preparing for the days broadcasts. In the Japan booth, Jushiro was coughing slightly because of the dampness in the weather. In the American booth the panelists were chuckling at a joke one of them made.

The driver's meeting was near the end. Yammamoto was telling the drivers of the potential hazards of the course in this weather. Upon dismissal, the Kurosaki drivers walked together to their garage. Their somewhat serious looks were not helped by the weather. But they looked ready to race.

(End that song. Start-up Life is a Highway instrumental)

Road America, even the name inspires the memories of the travels of the immigrants that make up this proud nation. The roads are long, the towns scattered but in this large country it's all about the journey. Even in this far flung town in Wisconsin, the spirit of America at its heart is ever present. In a Grand Prix designed for international participation, over a third are Americans but their linages couldn't be more mixed.

(Pick up the beat)

The drivers that make up the World Grand Prix are on the never ending highway, for wins, (Grimmjow winning at Laguna Seca), for titles, (Serenity on the season ending podium the previous year) or just looking forward to the world. These drivers through though their actions may not produce wins, they prove that Life (Images of racing at various tracks ending with a checkered flag)…really is a highway and they want to ride that all the way to the championship.

(Screen fades out to a super imposed Road America sign as the Chorus sounds) Welcome to Road America.)

The screen faded in on the dreary day. It goes to the American booth where Jeremy and Nate are greeting the viewers.

Nate: A soggy day greets as we welcome you to Road America in the State of Wisconsin in the United States as Round 7 of the World Grand Prix will get underway in just an hour.

(Camera turns to the two) Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Evening to all those watching around the world. I am Jeremy Buck alongside my good colleague Nate Jarrett. Welcome to perhaps one of the toughest courses in the world and it isn't just the weather.

Nate: That's right the track is over four miles long, it is normally the longest track we run and it is normally later in the season but this year is different on both accounts. (Montague of various races held at the circuit begin playing.) This track though is known for high speeds and high pressure on the brakes especially coming up the hill on the front stretch. The U.S courses are known for their speed and Road America, Indianapolis next week and Daytona in July are the epitome of speed. But what makes this course challenging is that the corners are equally challenging and the track can change on a dime.

Jeremy: Before we look to the future let us look to what happened in the past. (Images of the previous race at Laguna Seca begin playing.) From the start it looked like Audi was going to dominate the day. They had the fastest cars in qualifying in Brian Mcnish and Bjorn Kristensen and were dominate early. But after the first pit stop it was Grimmjow and the Souske contingent took over for the rest of the race.

Jeremy: There was one incident of note during that race and it was a doozy.

Nate: (Video of the wreck at Laguna Seca is shown) Ulquiorra one of the Souske drivers got shuffled back during a round of stops and he got aggressive at the Corkscrew taking out Dale Earnhardt IV and Michael Kennseth and heavily wrecking all three cars. Fortunately all the drivers were okay but that was a nasty wreck.

Jeremy: Yes that is true and with Grimmjow's win he managed to boost his point's position as we look at the standings. He is listed in 20th as Andrew Michaels and Ichigo Kurosaki are at the top of the driver standings. In the team standings Souske is inching closer to the Kurosaki-Ishida team in the standings while the Stewart-Haas is in the drop zone.

We have a great cast of reporters as always let's to our correspondent Jermaine Ferguson who is trying to beat the rain on is standing by with our Pole Sitter Michael Kennseth.

Jermaine: Thank you Jeremy. Michael you are starting on the pole in your home town track how do you feel about the pole win.

Michael: I think I was lucky. The weather on Friday was almost like this but not as wet. This Rousch Ford Mustang though kept its handling and I was able to take the top spot.

Jermaine: How do you think the weather is going to play a part in today's race?

Michael: Definitely handling will be a factor but I also think our engines will be pumping out a lot of horses I can see several spots where seventh gear is a possibility.

Jermaine: Well we can hope they all make it to the end. Good Luck today. Now then onto my British counterpart Harry Rowling with last week's winner Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. Harry?
Harry: Thanks Jermaine. Now Grimmjow last week had to feel liberating getting that win after coming close two times before but having a variety of troubles.

Grimmjow: (grins) Oh yeah big time. The Souske team has been wanting a win for a while now. At Melbourne, Abu Dhabi and even Japan we had our chance to win the race but something kept us from winning. But that win should signal our turning around point.

Harry: Souske didn't qualify so well today how will that affect you?"

Grimmjow: Well let's just say this will provide an opportunity to show Souske is the best team out there.

Harry: Well then good luck. Grimmjow rolls off 31st. Now to Kiyone with our points leader who is looking a little like a wet dog.

Kiyone: Thanks Harry we at least have an umbrella. Andrew you did great at Laguna Seca but you did not have the car to keep up with the Souske drivers. How do you plan on getting back on track?"

Andrew: Kiyone it's still early in the year but it is time to start stepping up. I may be in the points lead but I could easily lose that today and I could extend it. That's how close it is right now.

Kiyone: You got that right. Now then with the weather today do you think you need to adjust anything?

Andrew (Chuckles) well we are going to adjust something because this is my first real race in inclement weather. Remember I grew up in the American system so rainouts were the norm.

Kiyone: Thank you. Andrew rolls off eleventh. Back to you guys.

After the pre-race ceremonies the drivers were strapping in after the crews removed the tarps.

At Ichigo's car he was placing his ear plugs in when he saw Orihime looking at him concerned.

"Ichigo…be careful please." Orihime said concerned.

Ichigo softly smiled. "I will do my best okay Orihime." He said holding his hand out. Orihime took it and said a small prayer. She left after wards and Ichigo finished putting his helmet on.

Behind them, Andrew was getting some last minute advice from Kisuke.

"We are running tape on the grill. I know you don't like this weather but we have you on the options to start don't wear them out."

Andrew nodded. Kisuke left and Tatsuki stepped up.

"Good luck today." Tatsuki said smiling then faded. "Be careful…something is giving me a bad vibe.

"Thanks." Andrew said as Tatsuki left. Andrew frowned but shook his head. 'That feeling is still nagging me why?'

Back in the field Souske was going to each of his drivers and informing him of their plans. He stopped at Grimmjow's car who already was strapped in.

"You know what to do, right?"

Grimmjow grinned under his helmet. "Cause mayhem to distract people from our agent."

Souske said nothing and walked away, allowing the blue haired driver to smirk.

"Now the moment you have all been waiting for! DRIVERS START YOUR ENGINES!"

The roar of the engines drowned out the cheers of the crowd. The cars pulled out onto the track for the parade laps.

Japan Booth

Kommamura: And despite the weather the enthusiasm for the race has not diminished as the drivers pull out for the parade laps.

Jushiro: Let's take a look at the race summary. Its 98 laps on this 4.04 mile course again the longest track we run regularly. The weather will be like this almost the entire time today so the high grip tires are in order. Fuel run because of the engine output they might be able to make it 20 laps but look for gamblers near the end.

Kommamura: Three things to keep an eye on. The weather is obviously a factor.

Jushiro: Yes especially in the woods area. The track is slightly damp in most area but the woods are going to have a bit more water down because of the trees. The second is the engines, this is one of the few tracks we run that 200 MPH is a definitive possibility. That puts a lot of pressure on the engines so it is possible to see engine blow outs. The last thing is the debris around the track. This weather is blowing all sorts of trash around. To get as much down force as they can, they run a lot of tape on the grills. So if something gets on the grill they will get heated up fast and possibly overheat.

Kommamura: As they come around to complete the first of three parade laps let's see if we can someone on the radio.

Jushiro: Let's try to talk to Mr. Andretti. Marcus Andretti this is Jushiro Ukitake of the Nippon Racing Channel do you read me?

"Loud and clear Mr. Ukitake, what's up?"

Jushiro: You seem calm despite the weather, any reason for that?

"I do. This Stewart-Haas Dodge Viper was quick in practice though it was a shame we had control issues in qualifying because we have a great car to compete today.

"So you think Stewart-Haas can turn their fortunes around.

"I think we can the next two races play to our strengths we better get it together now."

"Well then I wish you the best of luck especially in this weather."

"Thanks." Marcus said and they disconnected

While the conversations were taking place between crews and drivers, Joshua was taking his position near the loop turn. He was in a poncho and had food from the food court area. As he was eating he grinned.

"Ah nothing beats track food and all I need to ruin people's day is what I got here in my arms and in my little bag here. Hehehe" he laughed sinisterly as the cars passed him for the third parade lap.

Two minutes later the green flag was displayed as the cars kicked up the water that was on the track. As they climbed the gears they all had to slow down a little earlier than they wanted to because of the wet weather. This created situations where some didn't check up enough. This played into the hand of the Souske males in the back of the pack. When the rest of field checked up they checked up where they would normally brake and they caused two cars in front of them to spin out with no visible damage to the cars. The two cars that spun were the Red Bull Porsche of Jason Webber and the Hendrick Chevrolet of Serenity Gordon. Out of the third turn Kennseth and Archie Stewart broke away from the pack as they headed towards turn 5. Going into turns 6 and 7 there was more separation from the front two and the rest of crowd which was still trying to find a way to stay on track. As they went through the loop turn they passed by Joshua who was watching with a smug expression.

"Just a couple of laps, I mean it wouldn't do something on the first lap now would it?" Joshua said.

As the drivers came around for lap two they had calmed down. Kennseth kept the lead but it was tenuous at best. The wet track though made it a bit more difficult to control. Going into lap three Archie was able to get a better run up the hill but couldn't complete the pass before the line but was able to do so before the turn, the Viper's horsepower showing its proverbial fangs.

American Booth

Jeremy: After two laps the racers have mostly settled down as Archie Stewart takes the lead heading into turn one.

Nate: If there is one team that could have a shot in the rain it's the Stewart-Haas Vipers. This track is designed to be a tough test on a lot of parts engines especially so they need to keep an eye on temperatures as the race progresses.

After about 6 laps the cars had settled down somewhat. In the 006 car Grimmjow was sitting in 28th place when Aizen called him.

"Alright Grimmjow, the floor is yours."

Grimmjow grinned. "Roger." He looked ahead and saw the 007 of Rebecca Kirkland in front of him. Coming out of turn 6 he got up close to her back bumper as they went through turns 6 and 7. When he swung his car to set up for the upcoming turn Rebecca's bumper got loose. She put on the brakes as she was carrying a lot of speed. She looked like she could have saved it but the brake smoke blinded the drivers behind them. One driver who could not see was Robert Johnson in the Hendrick Corvette. He tried to slow up as much as he could but he still carried speed and nailed the slowing down car with considerable force. The cars wrecked and spun into the loop grass and touched the wall sending up a lot of wet grass.

Japan Booth

Kommamura: Trouble in the loop turn. Two cars are in the wet grass, heavy damage to both cars. It's an Audi and a Corvette. I see a seven its Kirkland and I see

Jushiro: Looks like Johnson in the 48. This a nasty looking wreck. The nets though are down that is always a good sign.

Kommamura: Let's look at the replays. This started ahead of Johnson.

Jushiro: Looks like heading into the turn eight Grimmjow got her a little loose and on the wet track it caused her to spin. People check-up and try to avoid her; the local yellow is out at this point meaning no passing. Robert was attempting to pass looks like the Rosburg Ferrari and when they both checked up Robert couldn't get out of the way. That front end is totaled.

Kommamura: She spun out at a very bad spot on the track it is narrow just before the loop turn. But with that wreck the first full course yellow is out. It has only been seven laps I doubt we will people taking an opportunity to pit.

Back on track or more specifically at the loop turn the race officials were cleaning up the wreck but there was some considerable debris on track that race officials would take a little time to clean up. Seeing an opportunity Joshua picked a sharp silver object from his box and with some aim he threw just off the race line. He knew that after going through that field they would need to clear up the tires and the best way to do that was weaving around the race line. Taking that into account, he was sure someone was going to run over it. After the first few cars passed by him without the metal piece being run over, he wondered if he chose the right spot he spotted the 002 car run over it and get sucked into the engine. He laughed manically as he quickly went back to his post.

Two laps later before they went to green Soi Fong radioed the pits.

"Omeida something is wrong with the engine I am coming in.

"What but Ms. Soi Fong the race is only nine laps in and we are about to go to green.

"I don't care my engine is running at 255 and climbing and I am not even at full speed. (For comparison boiling is 212 Fahrenheit and 100 degrees Celsius. Most oils start having issues above 270 and they typically run hotter than water. I do my research).

"Okay bring it in. We will take a look at it mam."

American Booth

Jeremy: As we come around to restart the race one car is off the pace that is the 002 of Soi Fong she is coming in we will have more to follow as the leaders take the green flag. Jason Vettal of Red Bull gets it in gear fastest as they come to the first turn hopefully not as hectic. Meanwhile Soi Fong found her pit what is the situation.

Jermaine: They are lifting the hood; she was reporting water temperatures above 255. As she was coming down pit road there was steam coming out. The engine is off as the look at the car. They look at the radiator and they are shaking their heads. The radiator appears to be bust on the 002 and as we can see she is not happy. This car is done, Jeremy.

Nate: They are running a lot of horsepower today and I believe she may have run over some of the debris from the wreck. Something from the engine must have cut it.

Jeremy: Tough weekend for the 002 camp as we watch Vettal and Stewart go at it in the wooded area between turns 12 and 13.

After a few more laps the lead had changed twice. Marcus Andretti caught up to the leaders and past them before the loop. He then led for three laps before coming in for a pit stop handing the lead over to Ichigo who was able to stretch the fuel two laps before handing the lead back to Stewart who was fighting with Kennseth.

Seeing them settle down again Aizen decided to try his luck again. He radioed Ulquiorra who was racing in about 12th place.

"Time for round two Ulquiorra cause some mayhem." Aizen said.

"Hai Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra said. He looked around and saw up ahead the Audi teammates of Bjorn Kristensen and Brian Mcnish. Knowing he was on the front stretch he lined behind Mcnish who was on the inside and drafted off him for a little bit as the climbed the hill. He was able to split them about nine hundred feet from the turn and took the air off the nose of the 001. Mcnish was forced to move up and hit his teammate. They both lost control on the wet track and slid into the sand run off area. Though the sand tried to slow them down they still ended up in the barriers.

Japan Booth

Kommamura: And we have trouble in turn 1. Looks like two more Audis and we have another car off road in turn 5 that's the Red Bull of Felipe Massa III.

Jushiro: Two separate wrecks that take out three cars. This wet track is not taking prisoners. This is an unlucky day for the Audis. And this looks like the second Red Bull entry in to the garage with Ralph Hamilton losing his gearbox.

Kommamura: This track puts a lot of pressure on the gears because of the braking and the quick speeds. This track is normally know for long runs with a small number of noticeable wrecks but this race is proving that wrong today.

In the Kurosaki pit the crew chiefs were discussing strategy with the pit stops leaving the crews and the girls to watch the race from the safety for the dry paddock. Orihime was watching the race with some worry.

"I hope the boys are okay. Mou…this track is scaring me Tatsuki-chan." Orihime said worriedly to her long-time friend.

"It will be fine Hime." Tatsuki said to reassure her companion. But inside her head she was thinking. 'Even if the racers were being more competitive that doesn't explain the engine issues I have been hearing. A cool track would lead to more horsepower. But…Soi Fong lost her radiator.' She looked up to see the crews getting ready for a pit stop. Most everyone would be coming in so they were on the wall.

Tatsuki took the opportunity to slip away. Orihime took notice of this. "Tatsuki, where are you going?"

Tatsuki smiled. "I thought I take a few shots of the garage while they are repairing the cars. Maybe take a few pictures around the track. Don't worry I can handle myself." Tatsuki said walking away from the pit stall. Orihime watched her leave and then returned her attention and her camera feed to the action on pit road.

Tatsuki meanwhile made her way over to the Kuchiki area garage and went to 002 garage. She saw Nanao and Shunsui looking over the car as the crew worked to diagnose what happened to the engine.

"Hey, Shunsui!" Tatsuki called out. The elder gentleman saw her and waved her over. "So they find anything?"

Shunsui scratched his chin. "They determined something got sucked up into the radiator and gashed it and the radiator lines. As you can tell Soi Fong was not happy."

Tatsuki nodded. Taking another look at it and seeing the radiator cut up she left. She went next to the Red Bull pit and saw them taking apart the gear box. She noticed it was a piece of wood which would have come from one of the trees blowing in the wind. (Race cars are very delicate machines)

After interviewing the Red Bull crew she decided to take a walk around the infield area. After a few minutes of walking and taking pictures he happened to come up to the turn 14 wall. Her scanner tuned into the race broadcast picked up that Andrew took the lead coming out of the loop. She pulled up her camera making sure it was dry and waited. She didn't wait long as the leaders came around the bend. Andrew had a slight lead over who Archie had passed Kennseth for second. She captured the moment of him coming out of the turn in the lead. She smiled and then blushed then shook her head. 'What is it that draws me to him…I better find answers soon otherwise my head is going to explode. Lovey dovey stuff is Hime's field.

Tatsuki sighed as she watched the race from her vantage point for a couple of laps then left to head a bit further into the infield. She was amazed at all the RV's in the infield. She couldn't believe people travel and live in these vehicles. After taking a few more shots of the infield she made her way to the Carousel turn and the Dunlop Bridge over it. As she was walking she heard that another wreck happened this time involving her friend Serenity and Ikkaku from the Kuchiki team on lap 42. When she heard what happened to cause the wreck she got suspicious. 'All three of the wrecks today there was a Souske car near them. That can't be a coincidence.' Tatsuki said looking around. When she did so she noticed a familiar figure in the fan area off the turn.

"That's weird, what the heck is Joshua doing here? The B Division was here yesterday why is he still here?" Tatsuki said to herself and took out her camera. She looked again and widened her eyes when she saw him crumple something up and throw it out on the track The debris seem to blow off the track and he growled again. She watched threw her camera with the video option turned as he took something out of the metal box and threw out onto the track. Tatsuki saw it got sucked up into Jason Vettal's machine. She quickly made her way back to the paddock area.

Upon arriving the mood was a bit brighter then hers. Upon the green flag dropping Uryuu who had been quiet all race took the lead coming down to turn five and was starting to pull away. She immediately switched out her memory card for a fresh one and started taking pictures again.

Orihime saw her and waved her over. "Did you see that Tatsuki-chan Uryuu-kun took the lead!"

Tatsuki nodded to her and they watched the race unfold. About nine laps later, Ryuken got a worrying message from his son.

"Isshin, Uryuu is having engine issues. He's coming in next time by."

Isshin growled. "Again, that's the fourth person who had engine issues. Now we got to figure what the heck is wrong with this engine."

Tatsuki walked over to where the two men were talking. "Isshin-san, Ryuken-san I think you might want to see this." Tatsuki said switching the memory cards and showing what she had captured.

Isshin looked at her. "Is this legitimate?"

Tatsuki nodded. "I am the only person who saw this."

Ryuken sighed. "We'll wait until Uryuu leaves we might be able to fix the engine and get him back on the track without losing time to the leader.

Uryuu came down the pit road from the lead which shocked the commentators in the booth.

American Booth

Jeremy: An unscheduled stop for the leader on lap 56. Kiyone what can you tell us.

Kiyone: (As Uryuu came down pit road.) He is reporting rising engine troubles he decided to bring it down pit road. They lifted the hood this might be like the issues that plagued Vettal and Soi Fong. Wait…they might have found something. It looks like some sort of sheet metal got in the engine and they pulled it out. They drop the hood and decide to change tires and fuel up the car. He is down and away.

Nate: That is really interesting. That lead me to believe something else might be hitting these cars the question is what is.

Jeremy: With that pit stop the 32 drops to 24th but at least he is on the lead lap.

Nate: If they cycle through this impromptu stop these might be a blessing in disguise because if they can make it a full run they might only need one more stop for fuel.

At the same time as the broadcast Uryuu pulled into his pit.

"Shut the engine." Ryuken said to Uryuu.

Uryuu did so and they propped the hood up.

Mayuri looked at the engine a little closer. He spotted something sticking near a vital component.

"Nemu, your hands are smaller can you grab that."

Nemu nodded. She reached in and with a little bit of effort pulled out some metal that didn't belong in the engine.

"If my theory is correct this should allow Uryuu's engine to run unobstructed. This piece must have block part of the air intake. Good job Nemu."

Nemu smiled shyly. Ryuken though had an idea.

"Uryuu start the engines. Ururu, Rose get the tires out, Hachigan get the fuel ready."

"Not to sound rude sir, but may I ask why you want to do this?" Rose asked as the other crew members got the equipment ready.

"If this works…this will be for the win." Ryuken said pulling out a calculator and then talked to Uryuu.

The crew got their job done and Uryuu was away down pit road.

In the cars, Uryuu radioed to his teammates. "Guys I am back in the race."

"Great job Uryuu. What did they find?" Ichigo said coming towards the kink turn.

"Some sort of metal shrapnel. The Kurostsuchi's had keen eyes." Uryuu said Going into turn 5.

"Glad we had them on our team. Something is bugging me." Andrew said going through the Carousel turn

"What is it?" Ichigo asked.

"The Souske team. They have been near all three wrecks and it just so happens that right after a wreck someone else complains of an engine issue." Andrew said climbing the hill.

Ichigo pondered then realized there was a pattern. "Hold on, the wrecks. First was an Audi and a Hendrick followed by an engine failure at Kuchiki. Then a Red Bull gear failure then separate wrecks involving Audi and Red Bull, Ferrari had a gear issue then a Hendrick and Kuchiki car got wrecked. Then Red Bull again. The only teams that haven't had a team lose a car would be the Roush, the Stewart-Haas, Souske and us."

Andrew widened his eyes. "With Uryuu coming back they might try again. Question is who might be next for us."

"I might have an idea who might be next." Kisuke came over the radio.

"Kisuke what do you have?" Ichigo called out.

"Andrew's little girlfriend decided to do a little extra camera work and she caught someone throwing stuff on the track using the windy weather as a cover. We are talking with the officials about finding him over in the Carousel.

Andrew blushed but he waved it off. "Who is it?"

Kisuke chuckled. "It's your old friend, Joshua Reynolds.

Andrew cursed quite loudly. "That SOB what the heck is he doing trying to mess everyone else up?"

"That we don't know but the race officials are on their way. You though might have an issue. Guess who is directly in front of you.

Andrew looked and he let out another curse. "Great. Tier and Grimmjow. Kisuke don't tell dad I cursed.

Kisuke could only grin over the radio.

Andrew sighed as he went through turn 5. He then had a thought and then smiled. "So you want to play rough huh kitty cat. Let's play then." Andrew said putting more power on the engine. One lap later they were near the same spot. Joshua spotted Andrew coming down the track. He pulled out a short but sharp piece of metal. He watched as he prepared to throw it.

Andrew began to pass Tier and Grimmjow causing them to go three wide in the Carousel. Joshua threw the metal piece intending to hit Andrew's car but he slowed up just enough where Grimmjow attempted to shut the door on him. At the same time on the right Tier ran over the shrapnel and cut the left front tire. Grimmjow upon trying to close the door he got slightly clipped by Andrew's car and caused him to lose control of the car. Andrew slowed up enough to avoid most of the damage to his race car but some fender damage. Meanwhile Grimmjow slid into Tier and sent them both into the wall on the right side before the kink.

Japan Booth

Kommamura: As Kenseth and Cifer fight it out up front we look back to see a battle for third—

Jushiro: Trouble coming out of the Carousel. It's two of the Souske Mazdas. Tier Harribel and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.

Kommamura: This is lap 54 and this is the fourth caution of the race. This is almost unprecedented.

Jushiro: Let's look at the replays. They are coming out of the Carousel and it looks like they were three wide with Andrew Michaels. Andrew looks like he checked up and Grimmjow came down to presumably close the door on him and he just got a piece of the fender. Meanwhile it looks like Tier had a sudden flat and she was heading towards the wall when Grimmjow collided and sent them both into it. Nets are down thank Kami but they aren't happy.

Near the wreck site, Joshua was sweating pretty badly. "Oh man this is bad. I better get out of here."

"And where do you think you are going, Mr. Reynolds?" Joshua froze and turned to see two cops and race officials including Saeskbe.

"Gentlemen cuff him. You mister, I will see to it you never race again." The right-hand man said as Joshua was led away.

They were slowing down on lap 55 when Kurosaki drivers got the news they were excited for.

"Joshua Reynolds is in custody. He won't be bothering anyone for a while."

Andrew full-out belly laughed. And then he calmed down to discuss strategy.

After the clean-up, the green flew on lap 60 with Kennseth still in the lead. This was the case as the race settled down again until lap 65 when Ulquiorra took the lead from him on lap 65.

Meanwhile in the Ishida pit, Uryuu was getting instructions from the pit.

"If we pit when we want to its 22 laps. We need another caution."

"I am willing to take that chance father. Everyone from here needs to come in for fuel twice more.

"That engine mishap is a blessing in disguise of that I am sure." Ryuken said.

A few laps later the leaders began peeling off allowing Ralph Dillon to at least get an extra point for leading the race then gave up the lead to Uryuu who had about a twelve second edge on second at the moment but was slowly declining.

American Booth

Jeremy: Hey Nate Remember that engine issue on the 32. Guess who is in front.

Nate: That pit stop was mixed blessing. If he plays his cards right he might be able to go the distance on one more stop as we work lap 76. Jermaine?

Jermaine: That's the idea, they are going to pack it as much as they can when they come down in two laps.

Two laps later Uryuu did come back down pit road. As they were changing the tires Ryuken wanted the fuel cell to be full of fuel.

"Wait...wait. Go now." Ryuken called out as the crew tried to pack as much fuel as they could into the car to the point it was spilling out. Fortunately the pits were still cool from the rain so the fuel didn't catch fire.

"Alright let's see if our strategy pays off." Ryuken said.

On track Uryuu was now in about 12th with fresher tires but was still about a 80 seconds off the lead. However if the green stayed out it was a strong possibility that he would be the only one that could make it.

As the laps winded down Uryuu slowly climbed his way back into the top 10. With about 10 laps to go George Schumacher was rolling the dice and staying out as well while the rest of the racers had to come in. Uryuu by staying out managed to climb up to second about eight seconds behind Schumacher

On lap 96 with Uryuu slowly gaining ground Schumacher was going through the wooded area when the engine started sputtering. Uryuu having just entered that section quickly passed him heading towards turn 13.

Japan Booth

Kommamura: As the laps wind down, can Ishida catch the 22 and will he have enough fuel to make it to the end of the race.

Jushiro: We will see in…wait a minute Schumacher is weaving in the forest section he is out of fuel, Uryuu passes him as he comes down to complete lap 96. A heartbreaking end for the Red Bull driver with everyone else having problems.

Kommamura: The gap to second now is 15 seconds. Ishida can afford to slow the pace now with two laps to go.

Uryuu did as the announcers said and slowed down the pace. The final lap passed with no incident and Uryuu felt the excitement building as he came through the last section of the course.

American Booth

Jeremy: Off the final turn it is Uryuu all alone as he tackles the hill. Checkered flag in the air it is win number one for Ishida, win number four for the Kurosaki team.

Uryuu was smiling and in a rare break from decorum he pumped his fists and banged the steering wheel as his crew cheered for him.

After his burnout which nearly depleted his fuel he was able to get the car to victory lane.

Removing the belts and equipment and climbing out his entire team was there celebrating as he stood proud on the window.

Stepping down he was signaled by Kiyone who had come over to him.

Kiyone: Uryuu Ishida you and your team gambled on fuel mileage and it paid off how do you feel?

Uryuu: (Chuckles) I feel extremely proud though I have a bit more control than my other teammates but they and our whole organization are amazing and I thank them for giving me the opportunity to do so.

Kiyone: Four wins in seven races for your organization this year, what kind of message does that send to the rest of the Grand Prix?

Uryuu: It means we aren't to be trifled with. We are here to stay.

Kiyone: Thank you. (Uryuu nods and goes over to his team) Back to you guys in the both.

The celebration continued even as the rain continued to fall lightly. But the knowledge that someone tried to hurt the other cars has them worried. What will happen as the season wears on? Find out next time.

Finish Order: Road America

1. Uryuu Ishida, Kurosaki 37 points

2. Dale Earnhardt IV, Hendrick 35 points

3. Ulquiorra Cifer, Souske, 35 points

4. Francesca Alonso, Ferrari, 33 points

5. Raoul Garcia, Audi, 32 points

6. Ichigo Kurosaki, Kurosaki 32 points

7. Andrew Michaels, Kurosaki 31 points

8. Renji Abarai, Kuchiki 29 points

9. Allen Regan, Roush, 28 points

10. Shawn Newman, Stewart-Haas 27 points

11. Archie Stewart, Stewart-Haas, 27 points

12. Patricia Stenhouse, Rousch, 25 points

13. Marcus Andretti, Stewart-Haas 25 points

14. Alexandra Edwards, Rousch 23 points

15. Ralph Dillon, Hendrick, 23 points

16. Maria Robertson, Ferrari 22 points

17. Kira Izuru, Kuchiki, 20 points

18. Michael Kennseth, Rousch 23 points

19. Gin Ichimaru, Souske 18 points

20. George Schumacher, Ferrari 17 points

21. Chad Yasotora, Kurosaki 16 points

22. Michael Busch, Stewart-Haas 15 points

23. Jason Webber, Red Bull 14 points Out

24. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Souske 13 points Out

25. Tier Harribel, Souske 12 points Out

26. Jason Vettal, Red Bull 12 points Out

27. Ikkaku Madarame, Kuchiki, 10 points Out

28. Serenity Gordon, Hendrick, 9 points Out

29. Jessica Rosburg, Ferrari 8 points Out

30. Brian Mcnish, Audi 7 points Out

31. Bjorn Kristensen, Audi 6 points Out

32. Flippe Massa III, Red Bull 5 points out

33. Ralph Hamilton, Red Bull 4 points out

34. Soi Fong, Kuchiki 3 points out

35. Rebecca Kirkland, Audi 2 points out

36. Robert Johnson Hendrick 1 point Out

Points standings: Road America

Drivers names

Team

Points

Andrew Michaels

Kurosaki

203

Ichigo Kurosaki

Kurosaki

202

Serenity Gordon

Hendrick

172

Ulquiorra Cifer

Souske

172

Uryuu Ishida

Kurosaki

171

George Schumacher

Ferrari

169

Tier Harribel

Souske

168

Renji Abarai

Kuchiki

151

Brian Mcnish

Audi

148

Ralph Hamilton

Red Bull

143

Gin Ichimaru

Souske

141

Michael Kennseth

Rousch

139

Maria Robertson

Ferrari

137

Alexandra Edwards

Rousch

134

Ikkaku Mandarame

Kuchiki

131

Soi Fong

Kuchiki

126

Flippe Massa III

Red Bull

126

Archie Stewart

Stewart-Haas

125

Marcus Andretti

Stewart-Haas

123

Fransesca Alonso

Ferrari

123

Jason Vettal

Red Bull

121

Chad Yasotora

Kurosaki

118

Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez

Souske

117

Patricia Stenhouse

Rousch

110

Dale Earnhardt IV

Hendrick

110

Ralph Dillon

Hendrick

109

Shawn Newman

Stewart-Haas

108

Raoul Garcia

Audi

102

Michael Busch

Stewart-Haas

101

Kira Izuru

Kuchiki

100

Rebecca Kirkland

Audi

98

Allen Regan

Rousch

96

Robert Johnson

Hendrick

95

Jason Webber

Red Bull

88

Bjorn Kristensen

Audi

86

Jessica Rosburg

Ferrari

64

Team Names

Combined points

Kurosaki-Ishida

694

Souske

598

Kuchiki

508

Ferrari

493

Hendrick

486

Rousch

479

Stewart-Haas

457

Red Bull

443

Audi

434

End of Chapter

UO: Finally this chapter is over. This will be the last update for this story until after April so I made it extra-long.

Terms:

Tracks:

Road America: Originally built as a street circuit a purpose, built facility was built in 1955 and has changed little sense then. Almost every week there is an event there. Currently the United Sports Car Championship, the American endurance racing series, and the NASCAR Nationwide series, the second tier in NASCAR below Sprint Cup holds major events there along with other bike and classic car series.

Other terms

Saffir-Simpson scale: this is used to determine how powerful a tropical storm has become. Once wind speeds reach 39 MPH it is upgraded from a depression to a tropical storm and given a name. At 74 MPH it becomes a hurricane or whatever a region calls their storms. There are currently five categories of storms each more powerful than the previous. Category 3 is considered a major storm. Five is the most powerful. Only three storms have hit the U.S coast as a 5, Hurricane Camille in 1969, Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and the Galveston Hurricane in 1900. Just because it is a low category doesn't mean it won't do considerable damage it depends on the location. In 2012 Superstorm Sandy landed at the New Jersey Shore as a Category 1 and it completely devastated the shore. The scale is used for other storms around the world.

Enhanced Fujita Scale: This is used to determine a Tornado's strength. Because of its short time span compared to a hurricane, they look at the damage more than the wind speed. This goes from EF0 to EF5. EF5 tornados even a well-built home will be torn to shreds. The region from the Rockies to the Appalachians are prone to these because of the cold jet stream from the north and gulf air from the south. The area from Dallas, Texas North to North Dakota and stretching a bit into the Mississippi Valley are known as Tornado Alley because of the rate of destructive tornados, however tornados have been reported in almost every state in the continental U.S and in regions around the world.

Preview: As the drivers head to Indianapolis tensions are high as they head towards one of the crown jewels of racing. A battle is looming and tempers will flare. Who will come out on top in this battleground? Find out.

Next Time: Battle Ground Indianapolis

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OSPREY...SWOOOOSH