AN: I've been informed I need a happy chapter. (I need a break from the depressing ones anyway) Enjoy!

"What in Sam Hill is going on?"

"Ah-..." He gestured helplessly, looking back toward the Sheriff of Radiator Springs. "Beats me, Michael."

Sheriff Michael Carwood stared out over the bluff down toward the dirt track and watched as Doc left the side of his cruiser to meet the group of people gathered under the shade of the Butte. He wasn't sure which was worse, a bunch of hot rodders tearing up his town, the fact that they seemed to be coercing the town's people into their shenanigans-

-or that Doc Hudson had actually been speechless, yet unfazed.

Lightning had invited a number of his friends from the racing series out for a weekend in Radiator Springs. Sheriff was afraid he had a long weekend ahead of him. It was only Friday night and he'd been convinced there'd be street races at all hours of the night. Doc had told him that carousing would be kept to a minimum, which he was sure had lead to a few stern words with the hot shot.

With a sigh, he started the Mercury Cruiser and turned back toward town. "I really gotta think about retiring..."

Seeing his mentor coming down the beaten path, Lightning jumped up from his camping chair and jogged to meet him halfway.

"Sheriff's gunna have a coronary if you and the hooligans don't keep it toned down this weekend."

He reached out and took the baseball cap off the kid's head, turning it around and putting it on the right way. "And hats have bills for a reason."

"Aw- C'mon, Doc. We're not that bad." Lightning replied, walking alongside him and ignoring his second comment.

"Never said you were. I just don't want to be the one stuck resuscitating him."

Lightning huffed in amusement and grinned fully as he continued.

"I took the weekend off for a reason."

Coolers and tables filled with food were kept in the shadiest areas, someone's truck, Bobby's, Lightning was fairly sure, had a door open with satellite radio playing while everyone sat in a large circle. He smirked as the visiting group grew quiet on Doc's approach, unsure if they'd have to watch their speech or if they were expected to pay proper respects or...something.

Mater started up the conversation again, leaning forward. "What were you saying about using a tow rope?"

Jr blinked a few times, as if he'd forgotten what the conversation had been. "Oh- you don't have to use a tow rope, you can use anything sturdy enough."

"For what?" Sally questioned, leaning against Lightning.

"We have this thing we do at home, like water skiing but on dirt."

"You use cardboard-" Bobby added. "I was at your last one."

"Yeah." Jr continued. "Anyway- well we stopped using cardboard because my cousin grew out of her Barbie car. We tie that to the back of the truck now."

""The Cardboard Rodeo." Lightning grinned, "I'd heard about you guys doing that.

"Just so happens-" Bobby stretched and pointed exaggeratedely over his shoulder. "We gotta pretty nice track here...and Cal...has supplied the car."

"It was my little sister's-" Cal added quickly.

Lightning sat up in interest, grinning widely and looked directly at Doc.

"Don't look at me, Hot Rod. I took off remember, you'll have to have someone else setting broken bones this weekend."

He wasn't riding on the Barbie Jeep, but somehow he was driving the truck.

Mater checked the knots for a third time and waved a hand for him to see in the side mirror. Sally stood beside the driver's side door.

"Please don't kill my boyfriend, Doc."

"Better killing him than one of the others."

"Doc!"

"What?" Lightning called from his awkward position on the child's toy. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothin'." Doc replied.

"What?"

"Hold on."

Lightning had barely gotten both hands on the pink steering wheel before the truck took off. He threw one hand up to hold his hat on while the others were left at the starting line in a cloud of dust, hands on their knees as they laughed, barely able to catch their breath.

Sally's heart was in her throat, if he wasn't in danger on the track he was in danger doing ridiculous stunts like this. A few times she saw the jeep nearly tip over and held her hand over her heart. Coming back to the starting line, the jeep actually did tip and Lightning went rolling. With a shout of surprise she ran toward him, but as the dust settled she saw him lying on his back with both arms in the air whooping excitedly.

Apparently to Piston drivers, even their wrecks were exciting.

She stood over him and he squinted up at her, grinning widely. "Hey, Sal."

She only rolled her eyes and held her hand out to help him up.

Everyone needed a turn after that, well except Sally, who was adamant in telling everyone they were absolutely nuts.

As the work day drew to a close, their group steadily increased in size. Doc had given up his role as driver to Ramone, who was driving anyone around the track that hadn't gotten a turn yet.

Mater and Red unloaded wood from the back of Red's truck and Sally helped Flo bring more food to the tables.

Finally, as the sun was setting, a fire was started and they abandoned their horseplay. As much as Sally complained about her reckless boyfriend, she couldn't turn down his offer to make her smores.

Headlights on the bluff caught everyone's attention.

"Aww man. It's the popo." Cal commented sarcastically.

"Better hide that moonshine, Bobby." Jr added dryly.

Lightning was surprised to hear a bark of laughter from Doc at that one and looked at him questioningly. He only shook his head slightly in response, still smiling while watching the fire.

Lightning looked up to the cruiser again, holding the marshmallow stick over the fire. "Well someone gunna tell him to come down here?"

Flo huffed, gesturing with her drink. "The Sheriff is a grown man, honey."

The headlights went dark and he could just make out the figure of the man coming toward the Butte.

"Besides," Flo added, "I told him he'd know where to find us."

AN2: I'm one of those dorks that laughs at their own jokes, every time I read Cal's popo comment I lose it. It's kind of an inside joke lol