Lightning, under Doc's tutelage, becomes the first rookie to win the Piston Cup. Sorry, this is the line that inspired this chapter, and I just really like it and wanted to include it in some way.

He had worked the kid hard before even letting him near a certified Piston track to race.

All their hard work and training had paid off and it showed this season.

The kid had gotten some of the best training around. Both him and his brother, Lou, River, and Junior had all had a hand in it. Not to mention what Strip taught his young brother-in-law even knowing full well that he could be racing against him in a few years. Which they did end up doing this year.

He had wound up being Lightning's crew chief after begging and coaxing on both Aaron's and Emily's part. The kid had brought up some valid points in his argument; to which he had admitted to getting Sally to help him with them.

"You've already helped trained me. I know how you work and you know how I work. That's already half the job, how much different can being my full crew chief be? It's not like you don't know the sport. Uncle Jesse, please? I like hearing your advice and I don't want to have to get to know someone else's style when I already know yours. Racing is a family thing for us anyway."

He had given in. Lightning wasn't exactly wrong, he had practically begged Henry for the same thing. Besides he knew it would be interesting to be track side again, and it was.

They had created quite the stir this season.

In part, it was due to him being the kid's crew chief, and that they kept as much of his history out of the media as possible. Though how the kid was doing his rookie year had sure helped too.

It had been speculated early in the season that he'd be in the running for the Cup. They even went so far as to speculate that he might be the first official rookie to win the cup. Something he had ended up proving right.

Everyone had taken to comparing the two of them together, saying how Lightning was a chip off the old block to him.

He couldn't be more proud of the kid then he was. He didn't let the fame get to his head, and he in turn was able to keep his genetic arrogance in check and under control. All he had to mention to the kid was, look where his father's arrogance left him. Alone and discredited.

It made him glad to see that Lightning was making friends with some of the other racers, and with Cal Weathers soon to be racing too, he was going to be surrounded by friends. Furthering him all the more from his father.

Lightning hadn't made it back to their pit space yet, due to having been caught by some of those already made friends, fellow racers, and fans alike who wanted to congratulate him on winning his first Piston Cup; his rookie year no less. That's when he saw Alex pushing himself through the crowd to his pit space, he was glad the kid wasn't back yet.

"What do you want Alex?" He continued with what he had been doing which was packing up. Alex was scanning the crowd, obviously trying to look and see if a certain someone was nearby.

"I want to congratulate my son on winning."

"I don't see Bernard around, and he doesn't race, so I don't know how we can help you."

"You know which one I mean."

"I don't think that I do." He crossed his arms as he straightened up, now staring hard at his brother-in-law. He went on to explain.

"You only have two sons that you claim and Stephen doesn't see you as his father figure, so that leaves Bernard."

"You know very well I mean the McQueen kid." He knew full well that's what he was fishing for. He just hoped Aaron would not be back before he could get rid of Alex.

"Legally, I'm his designated guardian along with Em. Not you. If you were to have claimed him, you should have done so before he was born instead of trying to cover him up, or instead of trying to have him arrested. Therefore, you have denied him too many times to have any claim over him. He is mine in all the ways that matter, just like Lyn and Stephen."

He was giving Alex his full attention now, and the crew around them had slowed down watching this confrontation. This time Alex would not be escaping his pent up frustrations.

"You never made your own name, instead riding on your father's coattails. I will not allow you to ride on his coattails like you had with your father. He has already out shone you, he's won his first Piston Cup by his own merits, not needing someone to crash to win one." The crew had started gathering around them protectively.

"Face it you're the one who has always been the has been, long before your racing career was done. Even your 15 minutes of fame followed mine and was attached to me. You've always been everything that you have called me. You've always been the washed up glory hog who hasn't found their glory, a sore loser to the first degree, and the no good who abandons his wife and children. I'm sure there was more but it's time for you to leave my pit space."

"It's not your pit space." Alex grumbled.

"At this moment it still is, and will be until we're gone. Now, if you don't want to be forcefully removed from the area, now would be an excellent time to leave."

It was only then that Alex seemed to notice how the crew had gathered around them, looking all too willing to escort him away. He stormed away as it was clear he would not be getting what he wanted. Not one of them moved until they were sure Alex was gone and wouldn't be returning.