Fuel
by Velma
Qualifying. Daytona.
"Should've started him in Busch. Should've started him in Busch," Chris muttered under his breath, pacing as Joey went through his checklist.
Lance wandered past, smacking him upside the head.
"Ow, motherfuck!" Chris gritted out, glaring at his retreating form.
"I guess we know who wears the pants, hmm?" Chris's eyes went skyward in a silent curse as the familiar twang hit his ears. "Can't say as I'm surprised."
Chris turned. "Mr. Richardson. How nice to see you. My, what a lovely belt buckle that is. Isn't there a saying, the bigger the buckle, the smaller the man? Tell me, what brings you to my little corner of pit row?"
Keven eyed him carefully, smiling coldly. "Just came by to say hello, wish you luck, see the young buck Benny's been jawing about. He thinks you've got the real deal."
Chris nodded. "Kid's good."
"So's mine, Chris," Kevin looked at him levelly. "And he knows stock cars. He was huge in Busch last season. Tell your boy to be careful. We're going to pound you into the ground."
"You did that to me once already, remember, Kevin?" Chris leaned against his cane. "This time my eyes are wide open." He walked away as quickly as he could while maintaining his dignity. It wasn't until he rounded the corner that he let his face go red, exhaling the breath he'd been holding in so carefully.
"You alright?"
He jerked his head up, blinking at JC. "Yeah. Just an unexpected visit from an old. Um. Friend."
JC's eyes were knowing. "Friend. Right. That's why he trash talks you at every opportunity. Why he's doing everything he can to bait you and Justin into something."
"It's not that big a deal, Jace." Chris said.
"Please," JC said. "I grew up on the race track. I know how the game is played. I know the history between the two of you." He took a deep breath. "Just. Please, Chris. Don't use Justin to settle some old grudge, okay? This fight's not his. It's not Carter's, either." He looked like he was going to say something else, decided better of it, and turned to go. "We're strapping him in."
Chris really had to stop underestimating JC.
He made his way slowly back to the pits, nodding to the various crew who were scurrying about. Qualifying wasn't what scared him. Justin had proven he could drive, and drive well, in the stock cars. He'd get a spot in the race provided he didn't kiss the wall. What Chris was worried about was Sunday. The thought of Justin in that traffic didn't do much for his insomnia.
Justin, on the other hand, was scared shitless. Chris could hear him talking as he approached the car, an endless stream of words that no one, including Justin himself, was paying attention to. The kid was white-knuckled, too, and Chris had to grin to himself. Not so cocky now.
"Alright, J," he said, leaning into the window. "This is it. Nothing fancy, you hear me? Let's just get you in this race in one piece."
Justin nodded, and Chris tapped his helmet before he stepped back, watching as Joey and JC pulled up the netting on his window, closing him in. A minute later, and all he could hear was the sweet roar of the engine, and Justin peeled out of the row like a man possessed.
Chris watched him for a half a lap, jaw tightening, before he grabbed a headset from some kid on the crew. "Get me on the two-way," he barked at Joey, and the familiar hiss of the two-way buzzed in his ear. "Justin. Back off, okay? You keep pushing the car like this and we're not going to have an engine come Saturday. Justin? JT? You copy?"
"What's that, boss?" Justin's voice was light, and Chris groaned to himself. "I can't hear you. You're breaking up."
"Sonofabitch," Chris muttered, yanking of the headphones and throwing them across the pit. It was of no use to him. The kid wasn't listening. "What'd we clock him at?" he looked at JC, who couldn't contain his grin.
"185.12 mph," JC bit his lip, eyes big.
He watched as Justin hugged the curves, low and inside, wearing the car like a skin, so tight it almost looked painful. And the straightaways? There was no way Justin didn't have the pedal floored. Chris couldn't believe he was keeping the car together.
"Sonofabitch," he said again, more wonder and less anger this time. Right now, they had the pole.
JC was bouncing up and down on his toes, unable to contain himself. Joey was better about it, but Chris could tell by his posture that he was just as excited. He shook his head. "Y'all are gonna encourage him."
Justin rolled to a stop in front of them, and Joey and JC kept their cool as they helped him out. Lance looked studiously at his feet. Justin looked from them to the rest of the crew to Chris, the grin on his face wavering. He sauntered over to Chris nonetheless. "Well?"
Chris nodded. "You qualified, for sure. You've situated yourself nicely for Sunday." Justin's eyes danced. "But listen up and listen good. If you ignore me again, kid, I'll sit you out, no matter what the cost to me. I tell you to be careful with an engine you step it down. We don't have the equipment or the money to feed your ego. You're just a rookie, Justin. You have one hell of a lot to learn. Don't forget it, alright?"
Justin's jaw was tight, but he tilted his head to indicate he understood.
"Good," Chris said gruffly, visibly relaxing. "Shit, kid. You made that car fly."
Justin's face lit up. "You think it's going to hold?"
Chris shook his head. "No way in hell. Carter's yet to get on the track today, and you're looking at Gordon, Johnson, Newman, and Junior up tomorrow. But you got yourself in the front four almost surely. Not bad for your first Winston Cup start."
JC jumped on Justin's back, crowing, and Chris allowed himself a moment to just watch them and enjoy this. It was easy to get swept up in the business of running the team, the sponsorships, the deals, the press and forget what they were all here for. JC and Justin hadn't been spoiled by that yet, and the pure love of racing was evident in everything they did. Chris glanced at Joey, caught Lance's eye, and saw the joy there, too.
But it was only a moment of celebration. There was work to be done and everyone knew it. As JC slid off Justin's back, Chris could hear Justin already talking about the car. "I need a little more bite in the left front, she was real loose in Three." He smiled at Lance and headed for the trailer.
Race day was coming up.