Page 137 of Trading Paint
Chicane – Sway
Unlike pit road, where everything was business only, the garage area was slightly more laid back. You would often see a driver chatting with other drivers or goofing around with one another. With the Riley Racing team, there was a lot of goofing around.
“No, Spencer. That’s the wrong size splitter.” Aiden took the splitter from him and handed him another one.
I had never met Aiden until this week and I already loved the country boy and saw why Emma was so attracted to him. Not that I was attracted to him physically because I wasn’t—I just found him completely fascinating. I never knew someone with his analytical thinking and found myself instigating it just as much as Jameson and Spencer did.
The garage was filled with cars, each lined up side-by-side with their respective numbers identified above each bay. Jameson’s team was making some last minute adjustments before the final practice sessions. Harry and Kyle hunched over the hood making notes on their clips boards and checking temperatures. I contemplated leaving. I couldn’t handle Jameson saying the word piston stroking again—once was enough.
Tony checked air pressure readings while Shane and Josh made sure everyone had the tools they needed.
“That’s not the right one.” Jameson handed them the correct splitter and Aiden took it and gave Spencer the other one again. “If you do that again, I’ll punch you in the face.”
“According to the rules, that’s the right one,” Spencer pointed to the splitter on the floor next to the rear tires. “Both of you numb-nuts are wrong.”
Jameson sighed and shook his head.
I kept watching them humorously from the doorway for about three more minutes before Spencer noticed me.
“There you are.” He turned to face me. “Tell this asshole he was wrong.”
“I’m not getting in the middle of this.” I wrapped an arm around Jameson.
“Okay, get your hands off so that we can finish this.” Aiden pulled us apart. “You still need to test this out.”
“Save me,” Jameson mouthed as Aiden pushed him to the other side of the car.
I just waved and went back to the motor coach to find Emma.
Daytona was such a large venue that it was easy to get lost, as I did. Inside the race loop there was the garage area that I just came from. The restricted garage area is where all the cars are kept and worked on throughout the race weekend.
Once again, you needed a special pass to walk through that area. NASCAR was big on passes that’s for sure. Everywhere you walked someone was asking to see your pass.
I learned quickly there were three types of passes. You needed either a hot pass which took you everywhere; a cold pass that took you to the garage area and pit lane prior to the race; and then there was a one-time walk through pass that allowed you a walk through the garage area prior to the race and then you were kicked out.
This weekend I was sporting a hot pass so I was able to go everywhere. This is how I got lost.
I saw the sign for the garage area sign-in. So basically—I just went in a loop. Then I saw the NASCAR hauler. NASCAR hauled around a big red hauler that served as the official’s command post as well as sign in for the drivers. This was also the principal’s office as I referred to it. If a driver was ever summoned to the NASCAR hauler to discuss his actions, this is where he went.
I spotted Tommy’s orange hair when I walked past the hauler and sighed in relief. Before I could get to him a tall raven haired woman approached me.
“Excuse me Miss?” she said with a smile that I was sure I would only ever see on a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.
“Yes,” I replied and kept walking toward Tommy.
“Are you Jameson Riley’s girlfriend or something?” she glanced down at the pass around my neck. “Oh, you have a paper pass.”
“Paper what?” I looked down at the pass blowing with the slight breeze in the air. “And no, I’m just a friend.” My eyes focused on the pass around her neck, it appeared to be a hard plastic pass with the words press across it and her picture.
“Oh, okay.” She said with another smile and then walked away as if nothing just happened.
Tommy spotted me and ran up to me. “Hey, I thought I lost you.”
“You did.”
“Who was that?” I glanced behind me and saw her walk inside the media center. “She said I was paper.”
“Paper?”
