Marvin, the official who’d been leading the meeting, nodded. “You know we don’t routinely inspect the tires, Dave.”
“Yes, sir. That’s why I’m bringing it up again. Aldridge has finished in the top five in the last five races without changing tires on his last pit.”
Lance Maxwell stepped up. “We’ve noticed the same thing. I’d second the request that you inspect the tires again.”
“Give me a break,” Tucker said, standing up. “It’s not my tires that are winning races, it’s my driving. You know the lab analyzed the tires and they came back clean. “
Dave glanced back at the other man. “Your driving hasn’t changed all that much from last year.”
The official cleared his throat but didn’t say anything else. “Take a seat, please. We’ll keep an eye on the tire situation during the race.”
“Fine with me,” Aldridge said. “But if you’re going to send my tires to the lab, I think you need to check all the drivers’ tires.”
There was a lot of grumbling and the official finally quieted them all down. “I’ve already said we’d watch the situation.”
Dave knew that was the best he was going to get from the officials and honestly couldn’t ask for anything more. The meeting moved on. There were a few other concerns that were addressed.
Lance glanced over at Dave toward the end of the meeting and he knew the junior driver on his team was waiting to see if he was going to say anything about Tucker’s driving during practice.
“I have one more thing,” Dave said at the end, feeling the mantle of his father’s legacy on his shoulders. “Just wanted to remind some drivers that the race isn’t won by the fastest, it’s won by the driver with skill,” he said, looking directly at Aldridge.
“I’m pretty sure that’ll be me,” Tucker said with his trademark arrogant grin.
Dave curled his hand into a fist, glancing back at the other man. “We’ll see.”
“Boys,” Marvin said.
He hated being called a boy and knew the official had done it intentionally to remind them that sportsmanlike behavior was paramount. “We can settle this on the track.”
The meeting was adjourned. Vinnie and Dave left together. A few fans approached with T-shirts but Melissa stepped between him and the fans with a promise he’d sign their stuff after the race.
Dave entered his garage area where his team was tearing down the engine while a group of officials watched. Since he’d qualified in the pole position and had broken a track record, the officials wanted to make sure he hadn’t done anything illegal to his engine.
“Hey, bro, you ready for today?”
“Yes,” he said, hugging his sister with one arm.
“How was the drivers’ meeting?”
“Fine.”
“Oh, that doesn’t sound fine.”
But he didn’t say anything more. Aldridge needled him and she already knew that. The fact that the man was a maverick on the track wasn’t anything new.
“I’m going to stay on pit road for most of today’s race and get what pictures I can there.”
“You’re always welcome.” And she was. He loved having her around. She kept him calm.
She nodded at him and moved out of the way as his guys put the engine back together and got his car ready for the race.
ANNIE LOVED THE RACE at Richmond and had since she was a child. To be honest all the nighttime races had always been her favorites. There was something magical about watching a race at night, seeing the darkened track lit up by the lights of the cars and watching the sparks that the cars sometimes threw into the air.
It was a short track, only three-quarters of a mile long, the kind that her brother was really good on. Some drivers were better on the longer tracks but Dave worked the shorter ones like a dream.
This was the race they’d come back to in the fall and it would lock the drivers in to the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. But tonight it was all about this one race. Driving and winning.
It was early May and there was a bit of a chill in the air.
“Hey, girl.” Darla Festa was the wife of Dave’s crew chief, Vinnie.
“Hey, Darla. I didn’t realize you were here.”
“Good. I’ve been trying to get Vinnie to spend a little more one-on-one time with me. So we’ve been keeping a low profile.”
She smiled at the other woman. Darla was tall, almost five-nine and model slim. She had a wealth of strawberry-blond hair that was always perfectly styled and her makeup was flawless. She was easily one of the most beautiful women that Annie had ever seen, but she was also one of the sweetest.