Page 135 of The Champion
Not my little guy though, he kept his car straight, paidattention to the flags and other cars with the help of Tommy and even passedothers. Their B-Main event was 20 laps—by lap 7, Axle was leading.
His fan club in front of us started cheering like crazy,even jumping up and down. I made sure I got them on the video for Jameson.
“I think he’s gonna pull this off.” Tommy nodded with asmile when Axel took the white flag.
I could hardly control my excitement, handed the camerato Ami and started cheering just as loudly as the kids for him.
“Go buddy go!” I yelled acting like a complete idiot.
Everyone cheered. “Ladies and Gentlemen, the winner ofthe Jr. Animal 120 class, Axel Riley!”
Quickly, I sent a text to Jameson and Alley letting themknow he’d be in the A-Main tomorrow. I knew Jameson was in the car right now soI figured Alley would tell him.
Later that night Emma, Nancy, Ami and me along with Tommytook all the kids out for Pizza. I took some time to step out and call Jamesonto see if he’d be able to make it tomorrow since he didn’t reply to my text.
“Hey honey,” he answered in a low voice. I could hear thefaint sounds of engines revving in the background and assumed they were makingsome changes to the car.
“How’d qualifying go?” I already knew he got third basedon ESPN playing in the restaurant but I always asked.
“Got third...we’rechanging out the gears though, hopefully that will make it better.” He told me.“How’s Axel?”
“He’s missing you. He keeps asking when you will see thevideo of him in the B-Main.”
“How about tomorrow?”
“What?”
“Tomorrow...whattime does the main start?”
“The Jr. Animal 120 main starts at ten.”
Jameson was silent for a moment before he covered thephone with his hand and yelled for Alley. “Can Wes get me there by ten?”
“Yes, he will have you there anytime you need.”
“Really?” I asked. Not only would Axel be pumped but sowas I.
Jameson thanked her and then asked, “What hotel are youin?”
“Radisson Garden Inn,” I told him. “Are you comingtonight?”
“I think I will. That way I can spend more time with youguys and then be back in time for happy hour Saturday afternoon.”
We ended our call soon after that when it got too loudfor me to hear him. He asked me not to tell the kids he was coming—he wanted tosurprise them.
When Axel saw all the kids who raced with him today, withtheir dads, it took all I had not to tell him.
You don’t really see the strain our lifestyles put oneveryone until you see it in the eyes of our children. They didn’t deserve itbut they took the brunt of it.
Later that night most of us were back in the suitegetting ready for bed when Arie was telling Axel a very detailed description ofher encounter with a spider earlier in the day. He wasn’t nearly as into it asshe was but Casten thought it was funny—he thought everyone was funny.
“It was really big!” Arie motioned with her hand in a circlethat I’m sure a whale could stick his head through. There was no way the spiderwas that big and if there was, I would never return.
Axel, who was brushing his teeth, spit in the sink andwiped his mouth with his hand. “I’m sure.” He replied with a roll of his eyes.
For being five, he had quite the attitude, much like hisfather.
Casten walked up to me and handed me his diaper he hadremoved. “Ucky,”
