Race With a Heart
Chapter 50: On The Track

Chapter 50: On The Track

Every car racing fan has seen it at least once in his life. A car racing at dizzying speed falls off the track and ...

Martin didn’t even have time to shiver. He did not have time to open his mouth in terror. Steve’s car, hauled off the track, raced straight up the tire safety wall. In a moment it will hit ...

But Paxton was a damn good driver, a man who just felt his car. It seemed like a miracle, but he managed to get control over the vehicle. At the last moment he turned and the wheels of his car threw slag, grass and sand into the air. He didn’t even stop the car, just returned to the track right away. Unfortunately during that time three other cars passed by his machine.

The pub grew loud with cursing. Martin didn’t swear. He was too relieved that he didn’t have to watch Steve crash into the safety barrier. The track was well secured and so were the cars, so the driver would have survived it alive, but to watch his beloved crash the car against the wall... Martin shook his head, dismissing the terrible sight from his mind. He couldn’t even think about something so terrible. Fortunately Steve was safe and rode on.

Jack gave him the position. It was unforced courtesy on his part. The driver, with whom Jack fought for the third place, did not show similar. If someone goes off the track, it’s their problem. The others keep going. This is what the sport looks like. Anyone else might be out in a week’s time. There was no room for empty sentiments here.

It was precisely because sentiments were not important here that Steve had no mercy on his opponent. Jack did the right thing by not getting into a fight with Paxton because Steve had become the devil. He pressed the driver who was overtaking him so much that he cut the grater. Only the leader of the race remained before Steve.

"He won’t make it," muttered Teddy.

’In time, he must make it!’ Martin thought to himself. He cheered Steve wholeheartedly, but knew the painful truth. Less than a lap left, and although Steve was still catching up, it was obvious that he would not be able to pass his rival. Maybe on a straight line, but not on the five sharp turns that lay ahead.

Martin noticed something else disturbing. After going off the track, the hot and soft tires of Steve’s car got dirty, and who knows if the left rear tire has lost too much rubber? The common viewer might not notice it, he might not have realized it, but Martin, as a mechanic, knew how dangerous this situation was. If there were a few laps left in the race, Paxton would have had to pit to change tires, but now, on the final lap, that was not possible. If a tire breaks, as has been the case in racing history, Steve may either miss the finish line at all or be off the track again, this time with a broken car.

Martin shivered.

No, I’m sure everything will be fine. Steve drove like hell and the car was fine - the car Martin was working on.

Meanwhile, Jack unceremoniously took advantage of the fact that during the fight for second place, Steve’s competitor lost a beat on the graters and smoothly took his position.

The black-and-white checkered flag began to flutter, marking the end of the race for the next drivers.

Martin sighed and closed his eyes. Second and third place! Great! Perfect! Of course he regret this victory, but both their cars were on the podium! It was a success for the entire team!

"The incident involving Steve and the latter driver will be dealt with after the race," Teddy muttered in disappointment. It was rather obvious that this was the case.

"What does it mean? The idiot who pushed Paxton off the track won’t pay for what he did? " Sid asked.

"Of course not!" Dave was outraged.

"It means the jury will investigate why this driver was acting so irresponsibly," Teddy explained calmly. "He will be probably getting a fine. Maybe in the next race he will start from the last place, which will not make much difference to him. "

"And Paxton? After all, he lost the victory because of him. " Sid asked.

"The results will remain valid. There is no way to prove that Steve would have won this race, or that Belindez did it on purpose," added Teddy.

"Martin, what do you think? Why are you so quiet? " Dave asked him.

Martin smiled with his full face.

"We have two drivers on the podium," he announced. Maybe this incident contributed to Steve losing first place, but Jack gained third. We came out better on the spot as a team. "

"But victory ...!"

"There’s another race next week. You’ll see Steve ride when he’s mad." Martin announced with a smile and stared at the screen as Paxton congratulated last year’s and today’s champion and accepted Jack’s congratulations. He didn’t throw his water bottle or helmet on the ground, and he didn’t run to Belindez with his fists. Steve acted like a real champion driver and it made him damn beautiful.

Second and third place was a really big success and as the anger at losing first place was over, the whole pub started celebrating and singing. After these hot emotions, Martin could not stand it and drank a beer. It was true that he felt stupid about Sid, but the boy who did not know alcohol yet did not suffer from abstinence.

It was already dark and very loud when Martin’s phone rang. The boy read the name of the caller with surprise.

"Jack? Jack Lambert? "

"This Jack?" Sid asked excitedly. Dave just sang with other drunk fans.

"Man, I won’t hear anything here," Martin complained, and picked up his way through the crowd. "Jack, wait a minute, I’ll go outside ... What were you saying?"

Martin was already in the open air, but it was quite loud here too. With the phone to his ear, he walked even further.

"I asked why aren’t you calling with congratulations?"

"Sorry," Martin confused. "I thought you were going to be too busy. I did not want to disturb. But congratulations, of course, congratulations! I am super happy! "

"Me too," laughed Jack. "And you are right, I have been busy with my love. I just hung up on him. But your darling ... "

"What’s with him?" Martin was suddenly concerned.

Lambert chuckled.

"He’s furious! He fucking wanted this victory. He will definitely need consolation. "

Martin saw a vision of Steve surrounded by beautiful hostesses. Expensive champagne, beautiful women and ...

No, Martin can’t be jealous. He knows that for Paxton, it’s just pure sex, with no emotional commitment. Only he would so much like to be in the place of one of these hostesses!

"You know, we’ll be home tomorrow," Jack added in passing if he was specifically trying to console Martin. "We’re leaving so early we won’t even have time to celebrate. But I’m not really calling to ask for congratulations. I wanted to know what’s going on with you? "

"With me?" Martin was surprised.

"Of course! You know that before the competition itself, we try to focus only on the competition, but I am really curious about you. "

"It’s great for me. I already have a new job in a small car workshop. They don’t pay much, but I’ve already liked my colleagues. "

"All you!" Lambert laughed. He was in a really good mood, but was it any wonder if he was on the podium again? He was one of the oldest, if not the oldest GP2 driver, and yet he did not give in to the young wolves.

Jack started asking Martin about a new job. He asked for people, for a place, for an address ... He was interested in everything and Martin sat down on the railing because his legs hurt. When they finally exhausted the topic, Martin grew sad.

"You know, Jack, when Steve fell off the track, I thought my heart had stopped beating. I watched racings for so many years, I even raced, but when Steve rushed towards the wall ... I know that compared to what it used to be, racing is a really safe sport, but still ... "

"Strange how the perspective changes, no? When you sit in your car, you have no time to fear. You just act. When you see some drivers crash, you feel fear but you can bear it, but when it is someone you love and you see it, it feels like someone is tearing your heart out in slow motion. "

"Was this how Steve felt when he saw Hannah’s accident? How is he not afraid to get in the car after something like that? "

"Because Steve and the cars are one thing. This guy was born with a steering wheel in his hand. "

"Maybe" laughed Martin. "I would congratulate him on second place, but I don’t think I should have caught his eye. The relationship between us is not perfect. "

"But are you still interested in him?"

If anyone else had asked, Martin would have hesitated to answer, but it was asking Jack, the guy who was his friend and confidant in his heart-physical struggle with Steve.

"Of course!" He admitted. "And I’ll wait for him until he decides he’s ready. No matter how long it takes. "

"Do that," encouraged Lambert. "It will definitely be worth it."