The Story of Alex: Retold

Chapter 2:

"A final check of his tires as Storm settles into the pole position."  

Bob Cutlass and Darrell Cartrip were the sports commentators for the race; as they gave their input, Mom and Laina (and I'm sure the rest of the Rust-eze crew as well) kept their eyes locked on Dad. 

"Boogity boogity boogity!" Darrell remarked. "Let's end this season with a great race!" 

The roaring of engines picked up as the vehicles curved around the track at over two hundred miles an hour. 

"THAT'S IT, BUDDY!!" Mater hollered in encouragement. 

For an hour and a half, we watched twenty-four race cars chasing each other in a circle. 

Cue Lap 46. 

"Forty laps to go," a familiar voice announced. "and race leader Jackson Storm is making his way onto pit road with McQueen on his tail! A good stop here could mean the difference between victory and defeat!" 

Natalie Certain. 

I had no clue that she was even supposed to be commentating, tonight.

Then again, I knew just as little about her as I did about Storm. 

Storm's rushing by gave me a good chance to get a closer glimpse at his car; Laina and I couldn't help but grin giddily between each other as we rushed in front of the crew. 

Unfortunately, my mother had what is known worldwide as the Sixth Sense, and she saw right through my scheme. 

I was yanked back by the collar. 

"Ah-ah," she scolded. "Your dad will run you over, back his car up, and then go again for good measure."

"What? It's not like I could chase Storm down even if I wanted to! It'll just be a sneak peek!"

"Alexandria, I said no." 

"But--"

"Alex." 

With a defeated sigh, I stepped back. 

Dammit. 

Dad flew into the pit stop, almost brake checking the car as he rushed Guido in changing its tires. 

"Faster, Guido! Come on, come on!" he hurried the poor man. "I gotta get back out there before he does!" 

The distraction was honestly the perfect chance to observe the back of Jackson's car...from behind my mother.
From just those few feet away, I could make out the orange stamps on the bumper of the black vehicle, along with its thin red headlights lining the corners beneath its spoiler. 

"GUIDO! HURRY UP!" 

"BATO! BATO!" 

Dad's scolding took me right out of my thoughts, and I whipped my head around just in time to see him flash past us, and back onto the main track. 

I would've missed it if I so much as blinked. 

He left a trail of smoke on the way out, sending me into a coughing fit. I wheezed into the crook of my elbow. 

"What a pit stop by McQueen!" Darrell shouted over the speakers, clearly in awe. "Man, he just got the lead!" 

"But! Can he hold onto it?" Bob added.

Storm raced back into the chaos on his own, and from the ironically slow pace he was taking, it was almost as if the guy was completely unfazed.