Page 175 of The Legend
“Oh manguys, we forgot to get Kyle off that box to perform the last pit stop.” I saidto the crew. Since I had announced my retirement, it had been an ongoing jokethat Kyle needed to perform that last pit stop with the guys. He thoughtotherwise.
“I don’tthink so,” Kyle replied quickly.
“Oh Ithink I remember you saying something about Spencer being able to get the jobdone and that you could do it better.”
Garbledchuckled came through the radio.
“I saidnothing like that.” You could actually hear the shaking in his voice. “Stopputting words in my mouth. He’s sitting right next to me and I would like tokeep all my limbs today.”
“I thinkyou did.” I teased again.
“Nope,didn’t.”
Needlessto say, even in my emotional state, it was ridiculously entertaining listenedto Kyle sweat like this.
“Stop jokingaround and go for it bud,” Kyle said with three laps to go. “You got this one.”
Knowingthis might be my first win since I returned to racing, and my last, I got alittle worked up and then needed a distraction. “Give me lap times.” With theanxiety rising in my chest, my hands, arms and legs were trembling. I wasamazed I could hang onto the car.
Kylelaughed, “26.80 with a 27 flat behind you.”
“Bring ithome buddy!” Aiden said as though he was leading troops into battle.
“Got itguys,” I laughed.
Then I sawit, the white flag. Over the radio I heard the words I had been waiting on.“One lap to go.”
I feltlike crying, not just any crying. I felt like body wrenching sobs.
This wouldbe the last white flag I took in a series I spent twenty years racing in. Wordscouldn’t really describe what I was feeling in that moment.
As I cameout of turn four, everything turned to slow motion and I saw the flag in theair. I literally closed my eyes when I crossed the line wanting to keep thatvision in my head.
“Whew!Yeah...awesomejob boys!”I pumped my fist out the window simultaneously screaming withexcitement, “Yeah!”
Everysingle driver out there on the track pulled up to me to congratulate me on thewin. That’s a community right there. I actually felt bad for Shelby who won thechampionship that night because really, his first championship was outweighedby me winning my very last race.
“Impressive...nice burnout.” Kyle said when I destroyed thecar.
There wasso much smoke inside the car I couldn’t see any longer.
“And therewent the engine.” Aiden teased. “Heck why not, I bet Harry won’t ride your asson this one.”
I chuckledinto the radio waving my hand around to try and see clearly. “I got one lastquestion for you, Aiden.”
He laughed.“What’s that bud?”
“Where’svictory lane?”
“Left man,just turn left.”
Driverstell you it’s just for fun, or maybe it is they just want to have fun. Rememberone thing, drivers are a different breed. They say it’s just for fun but theydon’t care if they win or lose. But they’re wrong and most that I’ve ever knownnever say those words.
There’sbragging rights, trophies, money, and once again, bragging rights. It’s neverjust for fun. And as much as I said that season would be just for fun, it wasn’t.I had something to prove once again that season. Did I mention I had somebragging rights now?
Once I wasin victory lane, I don’t remember much. There were cameras, people screaming,my family was there, it was insane...more sothan any race or championship I’d ever won.
Swaylunged into my arms once I freed myself from my team who attacked me after Igot out of the car. Her legs wrapped around my waist, her head buriedagainst my neck as she cried.
