Page 50 of Trading Paint
My plan was to leave that weekend. We graduated on Wednesday night. I left right after graduation that night to make a race in Cottage Grove and then was back in town by Saturday night for our graduation party. Come Monday morning the following week, we were heading to the Midwest.
Cottage Grove ran on Friday so is was before the graduation party Spencer forced me to have since mom and dad were leaving right after the race that night to make it to Williams Grove for a race dad was scheduled for.
I stopped by the track to see Sway after I got into town Saturday. She didn’t come with me to Cottage Grove so I was anxious to see her. I didn’t ask anyone to come with me to Cottage Grove besides Spencer because really, I wanted to be alone. I needed time to think not that Spencer allowed that. Next time I knew not to invite him.
Once I got to Elma, I thought about hauling out my car and gaining some seat time but I decided against in and opted to just watch. It’d be good to have a little break before my schedule was so tight I could barely make it from city to city.
Approaching the fence at Grays Harbor Raceway and hooking my fingers through the chain links, I thought back on the first race I ever raced here.
I watched closely as my dad used the same techniques he’d taught me over the years to pass in a spinning drift of the corners and then bouncing his right rear off the outside cushion to get that added boost needed to slide past Shey Evans.
Dad always made it look so effortless.
“Will I ever be as good as you?” I asked myself silently.
I heard gravel crunching behind me before Sway appeared and leaned against the fence beside me.
“You already are.” She said answering my silent question.
The corner of my mouth twitched into a smile knowing she knew exactly what I was thinking. Turning away from the track, I sat down with my back against the chain link fence. When the cars would roar out of turn two, the dirt sprayed past us throwing chunks of mud over our heads.
“You nervous?”Sway asked after a moment of silence. She had a larger chunk of mud between her hands, rolling it through her fingertips.
“I wouldn’t say I’m nervous, just anxious I guess.”
For so long I knew exactly what I wanted, but it never crossed my mind that wanting something and needing something are two different things. Just because I wanted this didn’t mean I needed this. Did I want this lifestyle forever?
I thought I did...I knew I did. There was no question I wanted to race.
Sway smiled patting my knee. “You were meant to do this,” She told me smiling. It was like we always had some unspoken language with each other.
When the races got under way, I made my way into the grandstands, my hood pulled over my head—I knew if the locals recognized me, they would be hounding me. The metal bleachers were filled with local diehard fans, kids squirming around in their parents’ arms, teenagers strolling, and women with barely any clothes on.
I glanced around for Sway but couldn’t find her. I wanted to watch with her but I knew she was busy. Usually on the weekly races, she was kept busy with making sure all the drivers signed in and staffed the ticket booth at the pit entrance.
Two rows down, I could hear an older man talking with his buddy next to him, who I later recognized as Travis Shin. He paid in pennies each week to get into the weekly races.
“You hear Riley’s kid is leaving town?”
“Did you really expect a kid like that to race here forever?” the man chuckled. “His kid’s got more talent than all ya’ll out here put together.”
“You’re right man, he’ll go far.”
I shook my head, leaning back on my elbows, my feet kicked out on the metal bench in front of me. I’ll never understand why everyone had so much faith in me. I was just a seventeen-year old kid. Sure, I had talent, but what made them see greatness out of me?
“How’s it feel?” I heard Charlie’s rough low voice from behind. “I don’t think I’ve seenyain the stands sinceyousjust a little guy running around with skinned up knees.”
“Yeah...it’s a strange feeling.”
He took a seat beside me when the heats ended and throngs of people headed for the concessions.
“We’re gonna miss you around here.” Charlie said looking the direction of the pits.
I swallowed, nodding my head.
“It will always be my home track.” I offered.
Charlie nodded as well. “I know.”
