Page 72 of The Champion
I didn’t respond and stared down at my car.
“Did you hear me?” Dad nudged my shoulder.
“I heard you. I just chose to ignore you.” I muttered andbegan changing the springs like he told me to.
I hated it when he was right but being a fifteen-timechampion in the World of Outlaws, he knew how to run a sprint car.
I caught up with Sway after the trophy dashes and heatraces were finished.
She smiled and handed me a hamburger. “You should eatsomething.”
“Thanks honey,” I reached for the cheeseburger in herhand and placed a quick kiss on her cheek.
A group of fans had gathered behind me as I stood therein the doorway to the concession stands eating my hamburger. Sway giggled andmotioned for me to turn around, so I did and began signing an abundance ofautographs before making my way back to the pits.
“So how is this going to work?” Tate asked pulling hisracing suit over his shoulders. Shrugging he adjusted the shoulders to fit theway he preferred.
“I’m going to do one lap by myself. Then you guys file infor a 4-wide salute for two laps but on the front row we are gonna do 3-wideand then it’s a fifty lap main event. After that my dad and I will say a fewwords.”
Tate smiled and raised his eyebrows. “Just for fun...right?”
“Please...”I rolled my eyes reaching for my helmet on the seat inside my sprint car.“Nothing’s just for fun on a dirt track.”
I heard Justin laugh from behind us with Lily in hisarms.
“Don’t believe anything he says Tate.” He glared mydirection. “He caught a race with us in Terre Haute and said it was just forfun.”
“It was for fun.”
“Yeah,” Justin rolled his eyes. “That’s why you smokedus. You know,” he said contemplatively. “Did you curse our cars that night?Something like only the car owner can win?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I couldn’t help a few tears during the memorial laps, notwhen I knew the reaction Sway was having to all this and wanted to comfort her,hold her and let her know I was there for her.
I also knew that this was where I belonged though. Ibelonged in the car, showing my respect out on the track with the other driversthat made all my dreams come true because of Charlie.
If it wasn’t for him I would have never become the driverI am today. He allowed me to race out here in the off seasons and after school.He also gave me the love of my life and pushed us together when we leastexpected.
On the second lap, I remembered the very last thing hesaid to me.
“Jameson...I’mcounting on you to take care of my little girl. She loves you and that’s theonly thing that matters to me. You’ve always been like a son to me...and I’m incredibly proud of the man you’vebecome.”
I promised him I’d take care of Sway and I intended onkeeping that pledge, always.
On the backstretch of the second lap, we all startedrevving our engines, eager to start racing.
You couldn’t see other drivers in the car because of howlow you sit in a sprint car but I could scarcely make out Justin taunting me byrevving his engine and edging forward.
I saw Sway perched in the flag stand still, holding thegreen flag so when I passed by on the last memorial lap I revved the engine forher, knowing she loved the sound.
My dad, Tate, Justin and me were on the front row,leading the cars down out of turn three when the fireworks started exploding.
The excitement of being back in the type of cars I lovedwas pulsating through me. I loved it here.
Once the green flag was dropped, it was racing as usual.Dad and I messed around the entire time, not taking anything too seriously. Ithad been close to a year since I was last on the track with him. He’d pass meand then I quickly take him on the outside where he usually never went. Justinand Tate got in on the action as well and by the time there were a few lapsleft it was clear none of us would be able to catch Justin once he got pastTyler for the lead.
When the race ended, I pulled my car down under the flagstand, as did dad. We stood there for a moment, smiling as JD, our announcer,made his way down to us.
