Darkness. Alone. Total isolation. The perfect setting to be alone with only one's thoughts. Or in this case, motivating one's self before facing the big track out here… for the biggest race of one's life.
Heaving breathing could then be heard within the darkness. Breathing that belonged to that of a male. "OK... Here we go." He tells himself, his handsome voice filling the air. "Focus."
"Speed. We... are... speed." A second handsome male voice also filled within the darkness.
They now began to visualise themselves being out there on the racetrack, the two of them zooming past the other drivers in a flash of colour, the sounds of engines crackling and roaring thunder behind them.
"Two winners. 42 losers." The first voice started up.
"Heck, we eat losers for breakfast." The second voice stated. The images of racing past the losers flash within their minds, causing them to smirk as they can see themselves accelerating up at speed.
The first voice suddenly dropped his smirk, due to another thought coming to his mind. "Breakfast. Wait, maybe we should have had breakfast? A little break-y would be good for us..." When flashes of delicious breakfast food now popped in his head, he quickly shakes them away. "No, no, no, stay focused. Speed."
Them speeding past the other competition, leaving them in her dust along with the sounds of the howling roar of their engines. The two smirked widely. Much better.
"We're faster than fast."
"Quicker than quick!"
"We are Lightning!"
Yes. Self-motivation complete.
Just then, three loud knocks on the door of their trailer comes in, followed by the voice of their long-time driver and partner, Mack. "Hey, Lightning! Are you and Bolt ready?" He called out to the two.
Did he really have to ask such a question? The door to the trailer now began to open, letting some light into the darkness of the trailer. "Oh, yeah! Lightning's ready." The first voice announced. With a couple of revs from his engine, he began to roll slowly forward, heading towards the blinding lights that are outside of the trailer.
"And the 'Bolt' strikes next." The second voice announced next, his engine revving in the process, as he began to roll forward out of the trailer.
If the crowds, followed by the paparazzi not screaming out their names loudly, were not enough, they sure are now as Lightning and Bolt both take the final roll out of their trailer, finally revealing their forms to the outside world.
Lightning McQueen has a set of blue eyes, and his main paintjob is a nice red colour. His body shape looks to be a combination of a a stock car and a more curvaceous Le Mans endurance racer, with his good looking more curved instead of being boxy, and he has a ducktail spoiler on his rear, giving him his stock car look. Sponsored by his team Rust-Eze, he has the team logo painted on his hood and back of his sides, along with the name on his red ducktail spoiler. His name is written on each side of his roof in yellow fancy writing, and he has a chrome lightning bolt sticker on both of his front fenders. He has a large lightning bolt shape on his sides that is yellow at the front, and orange at the back, and has individual black and white lines. His racing number 95 is painted yellow, orange and red, and is located on his roof and sides. Additionally, he has several decals of the Piston Cup teams over and under the end of the bolt shape, as well as stickers that look like headlights. His racing number is also displayed on one of them. He has black slick racing tyres which have the Lightyear brand on them, and his rims were red. His back bumper is painted yellow, indicating his rookie status.
'Bolt", or known by his official name, Braedey 'Bolt McQueen' Martin, looks almost identical to Lightning, but there is some slight key design differences between the two of them. He has a set of brown eyes, with a slight tinge of electric blue in them, and his main paintjob is of a nice deep cherry red colour, distinctly compared to Lightning's bright red colour scheme. His body shape also looks to be a combination of a a stock car and a more curvaceous Le Mans endurance racer, with his good looks more curved and sharpened instead of being boxy, whilst he has air vents on his sides by the front fenders like that of a Corvette or a Dodge, and he has a ducktail spoiler on his rear, giving him his stock car look. Sponsored by Rust-Eze also, he has the team logo painted on his hood and back of his sides, along with the name on his ducktail spoiler. His name is written on each side of his roof in yellow fancy writing, and he has a golden lightning bolt sticker on both of his front fenders. He has a large lightning bolt shape combined with a flame on the back on his sides that is yellow at the front, and fiery orange at the back, and has individual black and white lines. His racing number 95 is painted bright yellow, orange and fiery red, and is located on his roof and sides. Additionally, he has several decals of the Piston Cup teams over and under the end of the bolt shape, as well as stickers that look like headlights. His racing number 95 is also displayed on one of them. He has black slick racing tyres which have the Lightyear brand on them, and his rims were the same red as his paint. His back bumper is painted yellow, indicating his rookie status.
The two racecars look around at the crowd of over 70,000 cars all in the stadium they were in at this very moment, all of which were either cheering out, flashing around pictures, whilst camera crews of the RSN all recorded the footage of the race. They were currently in the Motor Speedway of the South, in Nashville.
The young rookies flash their most charming smiles, as the flashes of the paparazzis camera go off all around them both. Their blue and brown eyes then look around at the stadium, thousands of cars were waiting for the race to begin. Within those thousands, loud cheers could be head, chanting their name.
Lightning and Braedey spot one of the jumbo TVs, and they could see an image of themselves. The two rookies both look back to the paparazzi and find one man with a camera pointed at the two of them. The recording of them now was streaming live on the screen within the stadium at this very moment.
The cheers get louder. Then the crowd chanting their name changed to 'Show us the bolt!' And who was Lightning and Braedey to deny what they wanted? The two now angle themselves to the side, both of them at an angle, showing off their bolt sticker on their fenders to the light. The bolts reflects that light and shine bright. The 'Lightning Bolt' has struck.
"Ka-chow!" The two announced. It is time to race!!
~*~*~
Sure enough, the race was now underway. Over 42 racecars were down on the oval track, accelerating faster than any street car could ever reach, their engines roaring like thunder in a big storm that echoed for miles around, as they rounded the angled bends and the long straights, reaching speeds up to almost 200 miles an hour.
Within the main pack of racecars, both Lightning and Bolt McQueen weave their ways left and right through the pack of racers, heading towards the Ist, 2nd, and 3rd positions. Lightning then saw two cars in front of him, so he rode along the wall, and he accelerated ahead, as Braedey took the inside line, and meeting up with his partner. They tyre-bump each other, and race on down the track. As they do so, they spotted a little camera situated on the rear bumper of one of the other cars ahead of them, and they wink to it, whilst the large screens showed the two of them on it.
In the grandstands, two small cars were cheering out for the two racecars when they saw this happen. The two are Mazda MX-5 Miata cars, both are painted red, with a black roof, and are covered everywhere with Lightning McQueen and Bolt McQueen stickers. They are the twins Mia and Tia, Lightning and Bolt's biggest fans.
Throughout the race, drivers race all across the track, either going to the pits, or kept on going around in circles, the night going on. Amongst the drivers out on the track is a racecar by the name of Chick Hicks. He's is based off of and designed after a 1987 Buick Grand National. Chick is painted in green with an 86 painted on his doors, and has yellow rims. He also has a grille in front, which serves as a mustache. Chick has a total of 334 stickers covering his body. On his hood, sides, rear and left headlight he had a logos of his sponsor - HtB, or Hostile Takeover Bank. He has Lightyear tyres with yellow rims.
As he accelerated towards first position, Chick performed a PIT manoeuvre on a purple racer with a number 63 on him, bumping him on purpose and he spun out into the infield. But, as Chick made it into 1st, a blue tailfin passed by him, much to his shock, and accelerated away into the lead.
The blue tailfin belonged to that of the champion and veteran Piston Cup racecar, 'The King' or also known as Strip Weathers. The King is painted in Dinoco Blue, with a set of brown eyes, whilst the Dinoco sponsors and number 43 are on his doors and his roof. On his trunk, he has a giant, tall blue spoiler. Strip Weathers is based on a 1970 Plymouth Superbird with a 7.0L V8 Hemi engine, with some sponsors of the Piston Cup just behind his front fenders.
The King cruises his way through into the lead with no issue. He looks back to see Chick behind him, so he puts on the throttle, accelerating away as Chick tries to catch up, with Lightning and 'Bolt McQueen' chasing in pursuit of the two leaders.
~*~*~
Meanwhile, up in the commentator's box, two cars were covering the final race of the Piston Cup, the Dinoco 400, the biggest event for them all to see who will take home the Piston Cup trophy.
One presenter is Bob Cutlass. He has a set of blue eyes. He is a silvery chrome painted 1998 Saxon GTSC (Grand Touring Sport Coupe) with a 3-litre inline six 255HP SAE Engine, and he is also based on a 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora.
The second presenter is Darrell Cartrip. He is a 1977 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. He is painted in chrome, with a flame design on his front heading up through his hood. He has yellow headlights, a black grille and chrome rims surrounded by the usual black tire threads. He has his racing number "17", painted in yellow on his side, as well as his roof.
"Welcome back to the Dinoco 400." Bob spoke to the camera. "I'm Bob Cutlass, here with my good friend, Darrell Cartrip. We're midway through what may turn out to be a historic day for racing."
"Bob, my oil pressure's through the roof right now." Darrell spoke next, sounding excited. "If this gets any more exciting, they're gonna have to tow me outta the booth!"
"Right you are, Darrell." Bob agreed with Darrell, as the cameras began to track The King, Chick Hicks, Lightning and 'Bolt McQueen' as they go through the banked turn. "Four cars are tied for the season points lead, heading into the final race of the season. And the winner of this race Darrell, will win the season title and, the Piston Cup." On the jumbo screen, an image of The King appeared, showing images of him with his racing team, Dinoco. "Does The King, Strip Weathers, have one more victory in him before retirement?"
"He's been Dinoco's golden boy for years!" Darrell added. "Can he win them one last Piston Cup?"
The jumbo screen and cameras now all focus on Chick Hicks. The images showed of him only winning in third place, along with his number and racing team, being in The King's shadow for many years during his career, much to his annoyance and frustration.
"And, as always, in the second place spot, we find Chick Hicks." Bob spoke next for the runner-up. "He's been chasing that tailfin his entire career."
"Chick thought this was his year, Bob." Darrell added. "His chance to finally emerge from The King's shadow. But, the last thing he expected was..."
Then, the screen explodes with flashes of lightning from all over. The images of Chick are moved away, as the names of Lightning and 'Bolt McQueen' flashed on the screen.
"...Lightning & Bolt McQueen!" Darrell announced.
"You know, I don't think anybody expected this." Bob spoke next, the cameras focused on the two rookie racers. "The rookie sensations came into the season unknown. But, everyone knows them now."
"Will they be the first rookies in history to win a Piston Cup, and land Dinoco?" Darrell now asks one good question.
"The legend. The runner-up. And the rookies! Four cars, one champion!" Bob announced.
~*~*~
Back down on the track, tension is high for the racers and the spectators, all between the four racing leaders ahead of the path, their engines roaring, as they zoomed down the path, The King taking the lead and Chick right on his tail. Chick goes for an opening that would put him beside the old man and speed past him, but the legend is quicker in response and blocks him. Chick swerved around to try again, but each time, he keeps getting blocked by The King.
Just behind him, Lightning McQueen and 'Bolt McQueen' were accelerating to catch-up, McQueen placing himself right at Chick's right side. The two rivals make eye contact at each other. With a small raise of his eyebrows, Lightning pulls ahead slightly, only for Chick to try and get ahead. So, Lightning pulled back a little, goes on the inside, and powers ahead of Chick, laughing to himself as he goes past.
"Hey!" Chick growled in annoyance, then catches up to McQueen, and decides to put the rookie in his place. He then bumped Lightning's left bumper, making the red racecar start to spin out, and he ends up in the infield, as the green racecar laughed evilly.
"Go get "im, McQueen! Go get 'im!" A spectator truck called out and whistled, as Lightning accelerated back onto the track, but he was in the back of the pack, in last place.
Braedey saw this happen to his partner, and he began to race faster than before. 'You're mine, Hicks.' He thought to himself, his engine snarling louder than the others.
Chick saw Lightning in the back, and knew he had this race all done. He then noticed the number 64 racecar Winford Bradford Rutherford over on his right. "Dinoco is all mine." He declared, then he pushed Rutherford into the wall!!
"Trouble, turn three!" Bob called out, the crash beginning to pile up, as the others cars behind Chick and The King began to get caught in the pile up.
Chick laughed. "Get through that, McQueens!"
"Oh! A huge crash behind the leaders!" Bob announced, as the crowds all stopped and gasped at the sight of the crash.
Cars began sliding about, crashing into one another, parts and turned ripping off of them, spinning out, or even getting airborne in the process, tyres even rolling about in the process during this whole pileup. Racecars number 58 and 52, the former under the sponsor of OctaneGain, and the latter of Leak Less, both spin out in the middle of the track, and come to a gentle stop, the two of them sporting some scratches across their bodies. 52 laughs to 58, who smiles at him, only to be sideswiped by another car. 52 looks to his left, only to see 123 sliding towards him! The two collide, and the former ends up on the latter's roof!!
But, amongst all of the carnage of cars spinning out and going out of control in this whole pileup, Lightning McQueen and 'Bolt McQueen' were dipping and dodging through the cascade of destruction around them.
"Wait a second, Darrell." Bob spoke out, then he could see the two rookies weaving their way through the mayhem. "The McQueens are in the wreckage."
"There's no way the rookies can make it through!" Darrell yelled out. "Not in one piece, that is." He added.
The two rookies dodge left and right, accelerating and braking in the process. Their eyes were shifting from left to right, to watch out for the other racers. Lightning then looked straight ahead, and what he saw ahead made his eyes widened. Racecars 123 and 52 had flipped over, leaning on top of one another. Looking back to the position of the cars, Lightning noticed that they now resembled a ramp. His eyes brightened up. He can use that! With that, he goes even faster than he was before, accelerating until he finally gets enough momentum to launch off the flipped cars, and into the air!!
'Bolt McQueen' watched him go up into the air, racing through the cloud of tyre smoke, as McQueen soared through the air. Time seemed to slow down, as the crowd watch on awestruck as the rookie soars through the air. Finally, time came speeding back on. when the red racecar slams back down on the pavement, sparks flying from the rear bumper, and crossing the start/finish line with 'Bolt', a yellow flag waving through the air as they passed by.
"Look at that! The McQueens made it through!" Darrell announced in surprise.
"Man, a spectacular move by Lightning McQueen." Bob agreed in amazement.
Lightning saw his bolt shining on the wall next to him. "Yeah! Ka-chow!" He called and flexes the 'lucky sticker' as he goes around the track, 'Bolt' next to him.
"Great job, partner!" 'Bolt' announced to his teammate, and the two tyre-bump each other, as they listened to the crowd chanting out their names.
"While everyone else heads into the pits, the McQueens stay out to take the lead!" Bob called, just as Charlie Checker, the Piston Cup official pace car pulled up in front of 'Bolt' and Lightning, as they make their way around the track.
~*~*~
Down in the pits, any of the drivers that had managed to get through the cascade of destruction earlier on in the race, were getting their tyres changed, more fuel and oil, or was getting their newer drivers out ready to go. At the same time, others were being tended to and being checked out to make sure they were alright, with those too injured or damaged to be taken away to be tended to by medical personnel.
In the pits getting his tyres changed, Chick laughed arrogantly while addressing his team. "What do you think boys?" He asked with a smirk, referring to the stunt he pulled. "A thing of beauty."
"The McQueens made it through!" Chick's crew chief suddenly burst out.
Chick's brown eyes snapped open. "What!?"
The crew chief now points to the jumbo screen, showing the two red rookies with the pace car still in the track. "They're not pitting!"
Sure enough, Chick looked to find the rookies in one piece and definitely not entering the pit, automatically putting them both in first and second place. Chick's oil boiled over, due to the fact that his plan had backfired. He needed to get back out there! "Come on! You gotta get me out there! Let's go! Get me back out there! Come on!" He barked out at his team, as they were frantically working their fastest to get him back there.
"The McQueens are not going into the pits!" Bob said, looking down to the track in shock.
"You know that Lightning just fired their crew chief. That's the third one this season!" Darrell pointed out, just as The King, along with some of the other drivers were not getting back out onto the track.
"Well, Lightning says he likes working alone Darrell." Bob added in. Both cars now look back to the pits, and they both find Chick finally emerge out onto the track. Unfortunately, due to the slowness of his pit crew, it brought him all the way to the back of the pack, and nearly in dead last. "Looks like Chick got caught up in the pits." Bob announced, a hint of humour in his voice.
"Yeah, after a stop like that, he's got a lot of ground to make up. Get ready, boys, we're coming to the restart!" Darrell now announced.
Charlie Checker finally leaves the track ahead of the McQueens, just as the racers approach the start/finish line. The green flag is waved, indicating the race was back on. Not wasting a second, the rookies immediately punch it, and accelerate away from the rest of the pack. It was now or nothing.
~*~*~
The 42 cars race round the course, their engines roaring out loud once again, and reaching speeds of up to 170 or so miles per hour. Amongst the pack of the cars, The King makes up some places, slowly going from the middle of the pack, and up towards the lead of the pack, taking his time and being as calm as he can be as he weaves his way through. But, Lightning and 'Bolt' McQueen were still storming ahead into the lead, both of them feeling proud, whilst Chick was struggling to keep up with the rest of the pack, slowly making his way forward, each driver getting closer to the 400th and final lap, the one that would determine the next champion of the Piston cup.
Down at the pits, Lighting and 'Bolt' finally pull over to their pit bay, where their crew were all set with new tyres waiting to be exchanged for their old ones, as well as to top up their fuel tanks.
Once the two were in their spots, the pit crew gets to work. "We need tyres now! Come on, let's go!" The crew called out.
But, the rookie frantically shook his right tyre at them, shooing them away from him. "No, no, no, no! No tyres, just gas!" Now full of gas, Lightning immediately races out of the pit as he kicks up smoke, and back into the race.
"What!?" The crew cry out next in disbelief, as they watched him race off. "You need tyres, you idiot!"
"Guys! Come on! Hurry!" 'Bolt' now yelled to them, and they hurriedly get his tyres changed. "Let's go! Tyres and gas all the way!" Once his tyres had been changed and switched out for new ones, and his fuel topped up for the last few laps, 'Bolt' immediately shoots out of the pits, and back out onto the track in pursuit of McQueen.
"Get out there, tiger!" The crew called out to 'Bolt'.
"Looks like it's all gas-and-go's for McQueen today, whilst 'Bolt' goes for both tyres and gas." Darrell announces, now watching what had just happened.
Bob nodded. "That's right. No tyres again for Lightning McQueen."
"Normally, I'd say that's a short-term gain, long-term loss," Darrell pointed out to Bob, "but it's sure is workin' for him. Hey, he obviously knows somethin' we don't know." He stated.
Finally, the time has finally come. As the racecars all whiz past the start/finish line, shaking the foundations of the track around them, the white flag is now finally waved. Driving just behind all the racers are both the rookie sensations, indicating that they both have a massive lead against all the other racers, and have just begun the final lap.
"This is it, Darrell. One lap to go, and Lightning and 'Bolt' McQueen have a huge lead." Bob announced finally.
"Ah, they've got it in the bag." Darrell announced next as he saw the huge lead the two cars have. "Call in the dogs, and put out the fire! We're gonna crown us a new champion!"
The crowd all immediately erupt with enthusiasm, as they see the rookie sensations make the final turn towards the finish line. A smirk stretched widely on the lead racecar's lips. Excitement was filling the two of them, when they both spotted the finish line ahead, with just one turn left to make.
"There it is!" 'Bolt' announced. "Not long now!"
"Checkered flag, here I come!" McQueen added next.
Not a second later after those words left his mouth, a loud boom suddenly erupted from behind McQueen, frightening the rookie. He started to swerve uncontrollably, and his speed immediately starts to decrease. Out of the corner of 'Bolt's eye, he could see sparks flying from behind Lightning, causing him to gasp silently, realising that McQueen's rear left tyre had just blown out.
"Oh, no! McQueen has blown a tyre!" Darrell shouted, leaning over the edge with shocked eyes of what he was seeing. The crowds were also shocked also, by this incident that was suddenly unfolding as they speak.
"And with only one turn to go!" Bob shouted as well, mimicking his friend's shocked expression. "Can he make it?"
Back with The King and Chick, they have no idea of what was happening ahead of them, until their crew chiefs started screaming into their headsets. "McQueen's blown a tyre! McQueen's blown a tyre!" Both look over to the screen, and they both find that the rookie had indeed blown a tyre. "Go, go, go!" That was all they needed to see, before speeding up to catch up with the rookie.
Lightning was struggling for control and acceleration, his rear left tyre shooting sparks down the track, as 'Bolt' was beside him, trying to keep him from swerving out of control. They two look back to find the other two leaders catching up fast, and Lightning tries to get back some speed he lost, whilst 'Bolt' was beside him.
Just then, another explosion erupted from behind. He had just lost his back right tyre, McQueen's speed now decreasing further and further as he struggles to keep going.
"He lost another tyre!" Darrell shouted, shooting up. "The King and Chick are coming up fast!"
"They're entering turn three!" Bob cried out, also shooting up from his position.
The two rookies find The King and Chick make the turn, and prepare to round turn four. "Come on!" Lightning grunted, trying to move faster towards the finish. He then looked to his partner. ''Bolt'! Go! Get to the finish line!" He yelled.
"I'm not leaving you behind!" 'Bolt' yelled back at him, and he began to push him towards the finish, fire spitting out from his exhaust!! "Together!"
"I don't believe what I'm watching, Bob!" Darrell shouted, staring at the scene unfolding down below. "Lightning and 'Bolt' McQueen are both one hundred feet from their Piston Cup!"
'Bolt' continued to push Lightning towards the finish, then he began to ride alongside his left, trying to drag him to the finish, as Lightning struggles toward the end, crawling forward with his front tyres. The King and Chick both accelerate towards the finish line, rounding the last turn. They are just a few hundred feet away from both Lightning and 'Bolt', and were closing in fast. They raced side by side as they got closer to the end of the race.
"The King and Chick rounding turn four." Bob called.
Lightning bites his lip, as he inches closer and closer to the finish line. He could hear the roaring engines of The King and Chick right on his tail. Finally, they are on either side of him and 'Bolt'.
Darrell grips the edge of the platform he and Bob are on. "And down the stretch they come! And it's, and it's..."
It then happened all in a blur. Using all their strength, Lightning and 'Bolt both leap toward the finish, the former sticking his tongue out for the finish, and the latter stretching his tyre out ahead, as they hear the other two fly past them. Finally, they look at what just happened. They had crossed the finish line, along with the Legend and the Runner-Up, the two disappearing around the first turn.
Up in the booth, the energy is high up and beyond what has become. "It's too close to call!" Bob shouted, a giant grin on his face. "Too close to call!"
Darrell was expressing the same as the other. "I don't believe it! I don't believe it!" He laughed, and whooped, waving his tyres at what has just happened.
The crowd gasped and all cheered out in shock over such a dramatic and amazing finish to a wild and spectacular race. But the big question that was on everyone's lips - Who had won the Piston Cup?
"The most spectacular, amazing unequivocally, unbelievable ending in the history of the world!" Bob cried, looking back to Darrell, as he continued his excited outburst. "And we don't even know who won!"