Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Challenger

  Chapter 2

  Spin Out

  Chapter 3

  Regrouping

  Chapter 4

  Showdown

  Chapter 5

  Race to the Finish

  Chapter 6

  Tough Break

  Chapter 7

  A Long Recovery

  Chapter 8

  New Faces

  Chapter 9

  Switcheroo

  Chapter 10

  Caught!

  Chapter 11

  The Finish Line

  ( Chapter 1 )

  Challenger

  Michael Haynes squeezed the steering wheel as he roared around the bank. As the next straightaway turned into the other curve, his grip tightened.

  The race was going fast. Only two laps were left. Michael couldn’t see anyone in front of him. This was his chance to win.

  Michael eased his quarter-midget car around the second turn and back toward the start line.

  “Only two laps to go,” he thought as his miniature race car crossed the line. “Just hold on. Don’t blow it.”

  Michael had won races before. In fact, Michael had been one of the best racers at Mount Rose Speedway. He had zoomed through the beginner levels. He had graduated to junior-level racing last year.

  When that season was over, Michael had won more races than any other driver. He was ready to move up to the senior level.

  This season, however, had been different. A new racer, Buzz Shaw, had come to town for all of the big races in the season. Buzz’s style of racing upset many of the boys on the senior level. He didn’t seem to care if he banged up his car or got into an accident.

  All he cared about was winning. He took big risks to get to the front of the pack. Sometimes those risks put other drivers in danger.

  Some drivers, including Michael, thought that Buzz was causing other cars to run off the track on purpose. Michael thought Buzz was a dirty racer.

  But Buzz’s style, dirty or not, definitely helped him win.

  Even when Buzz didn’t cause an accident or take an unnecessary risk, his reputation made other racers fear him. Buzz used that to his advantage.

  He had won every race he entered in the Mount Rose quarter-midget level.

  Michael had come close to beating Buzz before, but he had never been able to.

  Buzz had always done something on the last lap or two to make him win.

  This time, Michael was in control. As he whipped a quick glance back, he didn’t even see Buzz’s car.

  Another racer, Billy Watkins, was a few seconds behind. But Michael wasn’t worried about him.

  Finally, Michael was going to win a senior-level race. As he zoomed past the tower at the start line with only one lap to go, he felt the tension leave his body.

  “I’ve got it,” he thought. “This race is mine.”

  Michael shot a quick glance into the pits. He caught the eye of his identical twin, Mark, and flashed him a wink.

  The look on Mark’s face wasn’t as confident. He was jumping up and down, pointing at something behind Michael.

  As Michael headed into the second-to-last turn of the race, everything changed. That’s when he felt it.

  Thump.

  ( Chapter 2 )

  Spin Out

  Michael felt the back end of his mini racer push out to the right. He knew right away he was in trouble. If he didn’t control his car, he could spin out completely. Or worse, he could skid off the side of the track and hit the retaining wall.

  Michael squeezed the steering wheel, as if he were strangling it. He jerked the wheel around to the right. He was trying to regain control of the car.

  All he needed to do was get it headed straight down the track, and he’d be okay. He knew that Buzz was behind him, but there was only one turn left in the race. He could hold Buzz off and win.

  But he only had a fraction of a second to keep the car headed down the track, and Michael overreacted. He turned the wheel too far back to the right. Instead of the right back end of the car spinning around, now the left side was moving forward.

  In a flash, Michael was spinning. The car spun around twice before it stopped with two wheels lifted up in the air. For a split second, Michael thought the car might roll.

  But the two wheels crashed back down on the ground with a loud smack!

  Now Michael’s car was facing the wrong way on the track. His engine had stopped. There was only one thing he could do. He had to sit and watch the other cars whiz past him, gunning for the finish line.

  Michael looked across to the other side of the track, just in time to see Buzz Shaw cross the finish line first. Billy Watkins was second, and the other five racers zoomed in behind them.

  Michael knew that when he walked over to the results board, he would see his own name in last place. Buzz had done it again.

  Quick as lightning, Buzz pulled his car into the winner’s circle. He unbuckled his shoulder harness and crawled out the side of the racer. He pried off his helmet and held it high above his head.

  Michael couldn’t get his car started again. When the car tipped sideways, the engine must have flooded, he thought. He was left sitting on the track.

  Michael unbuckled his shoulder harness and crawled out. He’d have to get his brother to come help him push it out. Before he could do that, however, Michael had another problem.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Michael saw Mark sprinting out of the pits. He was heading straight for the winner’s circle. As Mark got close to Buzz and his crew, he started yelling.

  “I saw that!” Mark was screaming. “I saw what you did! You rammed his bumper on purpose!”

  Buzz didn’t even raise an eyebrow.

  “Get out of here, kid,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  But Mark didn’t stop. “One of these times, you’re going to really hurt someone,” Mark continued. “You’re going to get someone killed!”

  Buzz let out a chuckle. “Just racin’ to win, pal,” he said. “Maybe your brother should come over to my place sometime. I could give him some lessons.”

  At that, Mark was ready for a fight. Michael ran over and arrived just in time to hold him back. “Mark!” Michael yelled. “Let it go. He’s not worth it.”

  The brothers walked away, and the race judge handed the trophy to Buzz. Buzz held the trophy over his head, smirking as his family and crew cheered.

  ( Chapter 3 )

  Regrouping

  Michael and Mark walked back toward the pits. Their father was there, waiting.

  “Well, boys, that was a tough one,” he said. “We’ll get ’em next time.”

  “Tough one?” Mark muttered. “Buzz wrecked Michael on purpose!”

  “You don’t know that,” Dad said. “Whatever happened, Michael will just have to do a faster time next time around, so Buzz can’t catch up.”

  Michael frowned. “I don’t know if he wrecked me on purpose, and I also don’t know where he came from,” he said. “I never even saw him coming.”

  Mark shook his head. “I saw the whole thing, Michael. He was about three cars back, and he just steamrolled people,” Mark said. “He was cutting people off and running them toward the edges of the track, and all of a sudden, he was on your tail. Then he bumped you on purpose.”

  “All right, that’s enough, boys,” Dad said. “We’ve got to let this go and get back to the drawing board.”

  There was only one race left on the schedule for the summer season. It was the Mount Rose Grand Championship, the most important race of the year.

  Buzz hadn’t entered many races at Mount Rose during the season because his family traveled around to many different tracks during the summer. But Buzz had won every race he’d entered, so he was in first place in the overall standings.

  Michael knew he didn’t have a chance to catch Buzz for the overall championship of the season. But he could still win the final race, and that would end the season on a good note.

  To win, though, Michael knew he’d have to beat Buzz Shaw.

  “How was the car?” Michael’s dad asked. “Did it run okay?”

  “Oh, yeah, the car was great,” Michael said. “You guys did a great job.”

  Mark and Dad were Michael’s pit crew. Dad kept an eye on everything, but Mark did most of the work on the car’s engine and tires.

  Mark had raced a little when he was younger, but he always liked the mechanical part more than the driving. Michael was exactly the opposite.

  “Well,” Dad said, “it looks like the car came out of the wreck okay. The engine was flooded a little, but it seems like it’s okay now.”

  “I hope so,” Michael said. “We’ve only got a week to get ready for the last race!”

  ( Chapter 4 )

  Showdown

  Michael and Mark spent the week getting ready for the final race of the summer. Michael took some practice runs on the track. Mark tuned up the engine with their father’s help.

  At night, when they lay in their beds at home, the boys talked strategy.

  “There are forty laps in the race,” Mark said. “Maybe you should hang back for a while. Then charge at him at the end.”

  Michael didn’t like the sound of that. “Have you ever seen anyone catch Buzz from behind?” he asked. “No. If you try to pass him, he just blocks you off, even if it means running you off the track. I think the only way to beat him is to get a lead and never let up.”
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  Both boys stared up at the ceiling of their room. They were thinking the same thing. No matter how they’d raced against Buzz in the past, nothing had ever worked. He had always found a way to cross the finish line first.

  The night before the race, neither of them slept. They were both way too excited. It seemed like the morning would never come. As soon as their alarm went off, the boys ran in to wake their father.

  At the racetrack, Mark and Dad made final tune-ups on the car. Michael did some stretching exercises, drank some water, and tried not to get too excited.

  At noon, drivers started their qualifying runs. Each driver took six laps around the track, and their total time decided where they would start the race.

  When it was Michael’s turn, he pushed his car to its limits. He cut in close on the turns, and moved out wider on the straightaways. It was a great run.

  Buzz’s run was just as good. His car was always fast, and he seemed to have it in great control. All of his turns were clean.

  By the time the qualifying runs were over, Buzz and Michael had the two best times of the day.

  They would start the race at the front of the pack.

  As race time neared, Michael’s dad patted him on the back. Mark gave him a high five. Then Michael headed out to the track, where his car was waiting.

  When he reached the car, Buzz was standing next to it. “Pretty nice car,” Buzz said, pointing at Michael’s blue and gold quarter-midget racer with the number 12 painted on the side. “Too bad it never gets a chance to finish first.”

  “This car’s finished first plenty of times,” Michael shot back.

  “Not that I’ve ever seen,” said Buzz with a smirk.

  “Get ready,” Michael said. “You might just see it today.”

  ( Chapter 5 )

  Race to the Finish

  Deep down, Michael wasn’t nearly as confident as he was trying to sound. He just didn’t want Buzz to think that he was scared. He wanted Buzz to know that he was serious about winning.

  The race began with a pace car leading the racers on a couple of warm-up laps around the track. Then, as Buzz’s and Michael’s cars reached the starting line, the pace car pulled away.

  The race began. Quickly, Buzz inched out in front.

  Buzz had the lower track heading into the first turn. He took a sharp angle, holding the car close to the inside line.

  That move forced Michael to take the longer, outside route. By the time the cars reached the first straightaway, Buzz’s car was fully in front of Michael’s.

  Michael decided to make a quick move to get directly behind Buzz. His front bumper hugged the back of Buzz’s car, just inches from touching it.

  Michael wanted to try drafting, which he had seen professional drivers do. The driver would pull his car up close behind the car ahead, and let the front car fight the resistance of the wind.

  It was a way to stay close without using as much energy as the front car did.

  Mark saw Michael’s move, and it surprised him. “We didn’t talk about that!” Mark said to his father.

  “Looks like a smart move to me,” Dad said. “That’s what the pros do.”

  For the first ten laps, Michael drafted off Buzz’s car. Buzz didn’t seem to mind. He liked being in front anyway.

  The other racers were quickly falling behind. By the time Michael and Buzz reached the twentieth lap, they were almost a full lap ahead of the other cars.

  Then Michael saw a chance. Buzz pulled up behind the slower cars on a straightaway. Then he tried to squeeze between two of them.

  But the space wasn’t big enough, and Buzz couldn’t get through.

  When Michael saw that, he moved out from behind Buzz. Instead, he went to the far outside position on the next turn.

  It was a risky move. Going wide on a turn often caused drivers to fall back.

  But Michael hit the gas hard and got around the turn ahead of one of the two cars that were pinching Buzz.

  On the next straightaway, Michael pressed down hard on the gas pedal and cruised past two other slower cars.

  And just like that, he was in front!

  Buzz eventually forced his way between the two slower cars, but it was too late. Michael had the lead.

  Michael knew that Buzz wouldn’t stay behind him for long. He glanced back and could see that Buzz was closing up the space between them.

  Buzz settled in close behind Michael. He had decided to do what Michael had done. Buzz was drafting.

  Michael patiently held the lead. He wouldn’t worry too much about Buzz until the final couple of laps. He knew that Buzz would wait until then to make his move.

  A few minutes later, there were only two laps left in the race. It was time for Buzz to go for the lead.

  Michael watched him carefully in the rearview mirror. He tried to figure out what Buzz’s plan might be. How would Buzz try to take the lead?

  Mark and his father were nervous. Mark was jumping up and down and yelling. He yelled so much that his voice was almost gone.

  As the cars moved into turn two, Buzz went for it. At the turn, he eased back, creating a little room between him and Michael. Then, as Michael whizzed around the turn and into the straightaway, Buzz sped up. He moved close to Michael’s car, trying to beat him to the next turn and force him away.

  Michael wasn’t letting up. He hit the gas hard and tried to force his way to the low spot at the next turn. But as the cars drew nearer to the turn, Buzz’s car was next to Michael’s. And he wasn’t moving.

  ( Chapter 6 )

  Tough Break

  Buzz kept his car in the middle of the track instead of heading to the inside for the first turn on the final lap. That move kept Michael wide.

  As they came out of turn one on the final lap, Buzz moved quickly toward the outside of the track.

  Michael was stuck. He couldn’t speed up fast enough to move ahead of Buzz.

  If he slowed down, Buzz would surge past him and win the race. All Michael could do was try to hold his spot and hope Buzz didn’t run him off the track.

  It didn’t work. Buzz kept pushing to the outside. Michael kept his foot pressed down hard on the gas pedal and tried to stay away from the wall.

  But Michael’s right front tire hit the wall. His car spun wildly away from the wall, smacking into Buzz’s car and knocking it off the line.

  Buzz lost control and was forced into the infield area. The bounce off Buzz’s car caused Michael’s racer to spin back into the main lane of traffic. Two other cars hit Michael’s front end hard, and he felt a pain shoot up his right leg.

  It was the worst pain he had ever felt.

  From the seat of his car, Michael watched the rest of the race unfold. A little green car, Billy Watkins’s car, made it through the tangle of wrecked cars and crossed the finish line first.

  Buzz’s car came to rest in the infield, and he never finished the race.

  Michael unbuckled his shoulder harness, but he couldn’t get out of the car. His leg hurt too badly.

  He wasn’t sure what had happened, and he couldn’t bear to look down at his leg. It just didn’t feel right, and Michael didn’t know what he would see.

  Mark and his father ran to the car. They were worried because Michael wasn’t getting out.

  Mark reached the car first. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “What happened?”

  “My leg,” Michael said, reaching down.

  Mark took a quick glance down at Michael’s leg. His eyes grew wide and he stood up straight. “Dad!” he yelled. “Get the medic!”

  Before Michael knew it, there was an ambulance on the track, and he was being helped onto a stretcher. They inflated an air cast around his leg and put him in the back of the ambulance.

  Michael didn’t know what to think. Everything was happening so fast. “Dad,” Michael asked, “what’s wrong with my leg?”

  “It’s broken,” his dad said. “It’s broken pretty badly, son.”

  ( Chapter 7 )

  A Long Recovery

  At the hospital, the news wasn’t any better. Michael’s right leg was definitely broken, and he had torn some ligaments in his ankle, too.

 

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