Page 130 of The Champion
USAC quarter midgets usually ran twice a month and theevents started on Wednesday and ended on Saturday nights. When my cup scheduleallowed, Wes was busy shuttling me back and forth between tracks. No matterwhat though, Sway or me were there with him.
We decided from the first sanctioned race he ran inPhoenix Arizona last year that we would always be present, at least one of us.My parents were, until I got old enough when Spencer and I could haul the carsaround ourselves and I wanted us to be part of his career just like my familywas.
“I still need to get him registered for the DirtNationals.” I told Tommy as Axel’s eyes lit up. Last year he wasn’t able to rundue to his age. He had to be five by August and with his birthday in December;they denied the entry, even with my persuasion.
“I get to race Dirt Nationals?” He was practicallybouncing in his seat.
I nodded with a smile of my own and tipped my headTommy’s direction.
“I can’t be there for the last night but mama and Tommywill be with you.”
Axel seemed to contemplate this for a moment but smiledanyways.
I hated that I’d miss it but this was the life I led,like it or not. It made it easier that Sway was so willing to follow Axelaround just as my mom did but I also felt comfortable with having Tommy withhim. Usually Tommy was the mechanic for Justin’s sprint car but as Axel startedracing, Tommy found himself engrossed in his career.
You couldn’t help but want to help him. He was so curiousand determined to learn everything he could about racing, more so on dirt. Henever really cared as much about the stock cars I ran and that didn’t bother meat all. I knew he was my kid that way. Sure, I loved racing NASCAR but formyself, dirt was what I loved. Naturally so did my carbon copy.
Lexi’s birthday party finally ended around nine thatnight when the kids were so amped up on sugar they all fell asleep on the wayhome.
With a five-year old, a three-year old, and aneighteen-month old...This was ideal fora number of reasons, you guess why.
After the entire family got back from Daytona for the raceand fourth of July, it was Monday morning and we had two quarter midgets to getloaded and on their way to Indy. Tommy called on Sunday and told me when hewent to the shop all the oil had drained from the primary car we had for him sowe had to get back and prepare another car. This was difficult when Sway andEmma showed up later that afternoon.
I’m always amazed at the chemical reaction done tochildren when they ingest sugar. It’s insane. I don’t ever remember acting thisway but I’m sure my mom and dad would disagree with me.
Sway frowned at our sweet little girl throwing herselfonto the floor of my race shop when I took her sucker away from her. I only didthis when I found that she had been letting our yellow lab, Rev; lick it.
“We really should stop having kids.” Sway said. “They’reout of control.”
Even though we now had three, we still had no fuckingclue how to parent them. That was evident just looking at them.
“You’re telling me.” I ran my hand through my hairsearching around the shop for Casten; he was a quick little bugger. “Last weekI left Casten in the car when I came inside. I keep forgetting how many wehave.”
Looking closer, I spotted him inside of a used sprint cartire, sleeping.
Trying to get both the cars ready and loaded was notworking with everyone here. Tommy was absolutely no help when he showed up withCorbin, our mechanic for Tyler’s sprint car. Everyone with JAR Racing wasalways willing to help me out with Axel’s cars, I guess maybe because I paidthem too. Either way, it was nice to have them helping.
When four o’clock rolled around and the cars stillweren’t loaded, I began to lose my temper.
About the time Noah and Charlie felt the need to try andspray paint the walls of the shop, I lost it completely.
“Sway?” I snapped pulling her inside the office, the doorslammed shut behind me.
“I’ll get them to leave.” She said when she took in myjittery demeanor. “Are you okay?”
“Okay?” I snorted. “Those little shits are worse thanLogan and Lucas are. Get them out of here! Ineedto get Axel’s carready and if I have to explain to him that he can’t race because his cousinsdestroyed his car, I won’t be happy and neither will your son.”
“I know...I know.We’re leaving.”
Instantly I felt bad about everyone leaving but this wasimportant to Axel. He’d been talking about the Battle at the Brickyard formonths now until last month in Milwaukee when he flipped his car. He thoughtfor sure he was done for his season until I got him two more cars. I knew thiswas not the way to teach him about responsibility but I also understood thefrustration he felt having wrecked. Axel never once acted spoiled toward racingand never expected to be able to race. If anything, he felt guilty for doingso.
I’m not sure why but I knew my little guy enough to knowhe felt that way, sensing it when he would say things like, “It’s okay, I don’tneed to race,” if we had a scheduling conflict between all the schedules.
That right there showed me he understood.
Before I could get started, I still had to get the twinsout of the shop.
“I don’t see what the big deal is...so they spray painted the wall. Paint over it.” Emma snappedback at me gathering up her hellions.
