Chapter 13 ~~
The car was silent for a while. None of its occupants knew if they should say something or what to say something ABOUT! But then out of no where Kevin decided he couldn’t take it any more.
“So um… Are these cops gonna follow us all day?” He said while glancing out the review mirror again for the hundredth time.
“They are still there?” Tony said while trying to turn around in between Jarrett and Steve. There wasn’t much room for movement and he didn’t get far.
“Ok… now that my left said is permanently indented into the side of Kevin’s car could you sit still and take his word for it?” Steve winced as he tried to rub his left side.
“Ignore them… that’s what I do…” Junior muttered.
The car again got quiet and Kevin tried to keep things going, allowing the first thing to pop into his mind to come out.
“It sucks that you can’t drive this weekend Jr. Tony said he wanted to fight you on the track!”
The three in the backseat all had jaws to the floor. They weren’t going to mention racing at all. They knew he missed it and didn’t want to make him feel worse. They awaited his answer in fear that he would lose it. They were all shocked when he started laughing.
Junior’s laughter got so hard that it was obvious he was hurting himself but he couldn’t stop. After staring at him cross eyed, the group suddenly started giggling too. Laugher is so contagious.
“Ow… Ow… oh god that was great! Woo… need to catch my breath!” Jr. said while wiping away tears.
“Hehe… what’s so funny?” Kevin questioned as he let himself calm his laughter.
“Tony!” Junior choked while still trying to breath normal again.
“What?” Tony asked… thinking Junior had a question.
“No no! I’m laughing AT you!!!”
“Why?” Tony was confused. Why was it so funny?
“Cause you actually think I have a chance!”
“You? Have a chance? I’m so confused. Don’t you mean me?” Tony looked like he had a uni brow at the moment. He was highly confused.
“No I don’t mean you! I don’t have a chance to get back in a car…” suddenly the mood changed drastically. Junior wasn’t laughing anymore. He now stared out of the front windshield.
“HUH?” they all said in unison.
That was the straw that broke the Camels back for Dale Jarrett. He couldn’t take the pressure Junior was putting on himself and now the sound of him giving up. There was no way he was gonna allow Dale Earnhardt Jr. to doubt himself and give up so easily after all he’d been through.
“You asshole…”
Everyone in the car was again shocked as Jarrett had an outburst. Junior kept his eyes out the front windshield the whole time.
“How can you sit there and seriously say that! Especially to US! The HELL we went through! And all this after you taught the meaning of strength when your dad was killed…”
“Dale you don’t under…”
“SHUT UP! Don’t you DARE tell me I don’t understand! Don’t you even dare! Your gonna get back in a car! It’s in your blood… you cant live without it! Its like a drug to you… just like it is to us. And you have determination far greater then all the other Winston Cup drivers combined!”
“He does?” Tony mumbled in the back seat.
“What makes you think you’ll never get back in a car huh?”
“I’m scared! Alright? Are you fuckin happy now? I’m scared of being alone… I’m scared of going back to a track and I’m scared of getting into a car!” Junior’s whole body tensed up and everyone noticed it as he still kept staring out the front window.
“Why are you scared?” Kevin squeaked. He wasn’t sure if he should have interrupted but the thought of his Earnhardt friend being scared of anything was a shock to him.
“I don’t know!” His eyes closed as if trying to block out everyone in the car.
“Yeah Junior… you don’t know why… and its because there’s no reason to be… Kevin pull over. I’m driving.”
“OHHHH no! No Ford drivers are allowed to drive my car!”
“Kevin pull over or I’ll give you a wet willy!” Dale said, trying to sound as serious as possible.
“EWWW fine!” Kevin pulled his vehicle over and got out. Jarrett got out and took out his cell phone. He dialed a number and spoke to someone for a couple minutes before shutting it off and opening the door to the driver’s side. None of the drivers heard the conversation but knew he had something up his sleeve. And Junior knew he wasn’t gonna like it. But suddenly he felt something different. A smile tried to peak its way to his lips. He had just witnessed how much friendship he had but was it enough to help him?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
He couldn’t believe it… no wait... he could.
Right in front of him and getting closer was Lowes Motor Speedway… The place where it all happened.
Junior Froze at the realization. He wanted to open the car door and do a tuck and roll to escape the hell that was getting closer with every breath.
“Calm down buddy… It’s alright.” Steve said placing a hand on his shoulder. He jumped at the touch.
“What the hell are you doing?” His words sounded like a frightened child.
He didn’t get an answer.
The gate was opened and waiting for them as Jarrett pulled up to the entrance to the infield.
“You ready?” he asked before continuing any farther.
“No.” he mumbled
“Well too bad. I’m not letting you give up even if I have to force you.” And with that he took his foot off the brake and continued into the infield.
“hrmmmmmmmmmmm” Jr. hummed out loud as he shut his eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He didn’t attempt to open them back up again till he heard Steve say something from the backseat.
“So THAT’S who you called!”
What Junior saw made him want to throw up. There sitting on pit road was his car… The #8 Budweiser Chevy. It was facing their direction as Jarrett drove onto pit road. It almost looked like it was staring at him and yelling at him for abandoning it.
“Oh fuck no…” he protested while never taking his eyes off the stock car.
“DJ… what are you trying to do here?” Tony wasn’t sure this was a good idea. It was way too soon.
“You’ll see.” He said as he stopped the car about 10 feet away.
Everyone got out except for Junior who had to be pulled out by Jarrett. Once out, he stood frozen next to Kevin’s car. Not able to move more then two inches. The car was like poison right now to him and he really didn’t know why. It wasn’t the car or the track that hurt him. But it didn’t matter... He was freaked just the same.
Jarrett walked over to the car and peered in. Seeing what he was looking for he reached in and grabbed it. After it was free of the vehicle he turned it over in his hands before walking towards Junior. The young Earnhardt’s eyes got wide as he approached him with a helmet. No way was he getting in that or any car.
“Cool design.” DJ said while still rolling it in his hands. “Mind if I try it on?”
Fused eyebrows was all he got from Junior. What the hell did he wanna try on his helmet for?
“Well I’ll take that as my answer.” DJ pulled the red race helmet over his head, adjusting it somewhat before he put his hands on his hips. “So? How do I look?”
“REDICULOUS!” Kevin shouted from behind.
“Thank you peanut gallery…” Jarrett mumbled as he lifted the visor so everyone could see him. He kept his eyes focused on Junior while Junior made a habit of looking everywhere else around him.
“Ya know… I feel kinda stupid standing here with a race helmet on and no car.”
“You should!” Tony giggled. Kevin and Tony were almost to tears while Steve looked on shaking his head at the two younger drivers. He wanted to see where Jarrett was going with all this.
“Like I was saying… I feel kinda silly out here… Mind if I sit in your car??
Junior didn’t say a word. He stood there burning a hole into Jarrett’s eyes.
“Well I guess I’ll just allow myself then.” DJ turned around and walked over to the Bud car and within seconds he was sitting inside.
“This is nice!” he yelled out. “Wonder how it is while on the track!” and before anyone could say one more word, the Ford UPS driver started the #8’s engine and pulled away from its spot on pit road.
Kevin and Tony stopped giggling and were in shock that he actually drove it away. Junior finally moved and he walked swiftly to the middle of pit road in shock.
Jarrett got it up to speed quickly and sped around the track at 180 miles an hour. He had a plan and hoped it worked.
Junior stared dumbfounded at HIS race car being driven by DALE JARRETT! He couldn’t believe it! The only other person that ever drove his race car was his father once when he got to drive the #3. And that was a very long time ago.
Suddenly a hand holding a stop watch caught his eye as someone walked up next to him. He stared at the hand before trailing it up to its owner only to find his Uncle and crew chief Tony Eury. He didn’t say a word. Didn’t even look at Junior. His only movement was his thumb hitting the stop watch buttons as his car passed the start finish line. The older man held up the watch to show Junior the time and finally looked at him with a smirk.
“181…”
“So?”
“You know that car can go faster.”
“What the hell is your point?”
“Well Junior… the wrong driver is behind it. That car right now owns the qualifying record here… set by you… and it’s a lot higher then 181…”
Junior looked at him and then back down at the stop watch before returning his eyes to his car on the track… narrowly missing the wall in the corner. He winced at the sight of his car almost hitting the wall and sighed.
“FINE! Damn you people cant just let me wallow in self pity can you?!?!?!”
“No we cant!” His uncle said to him while patting him on the back. “Good to see ya boy now get in that car.”
“Ya know... if I get hurt its all your faults ya know. I’m not even supposta be driving.”
“What doctors don’t know wont hurt them” his uncle laughed out as he walked over to the wall to sit down and grab the radio for the car to call Jarrett in.
“Great.” Jr muttered as his car pulled up next to him. Jarrett pulled himself out and took off the helmet.
“WOOO that car is a piece of work! So that’s what you Chevy boys don’t like to share!”
“Give me the damn helmet.” Junior spat out of frustration while snatching the helmet out of DJ’s hands and went over to his car.
It took him a few minutes with his mangled stomach to get into the car but once he did he felt recharged. What ever made him think he wouldn’t’ drive again? Just sitting in the seat gave him a thrill no other thing in the world could duplicate.
Jarrett shut the engine off so Jr. restarted it while revving the engine. This felt great! A voice in his ear caught his attention.
“Gonna drive the car or what?” his uncle said over the earpiece.
His answer was the #8 shooting off pit road in a cloud of tire smoke.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once Junior got use to the shaking car and the small amount of pain oozing from his stomach, he decided it was time to have a little fun. He hadn’t had much of that in a while.
“Tell Jarrett to watch how real race car drivers do it.” He announced over the radio.
And with that, he hammered the gas pedal and took off.
The car started to look like a red blur as it hovered over the track. Its tires giving off the illusion that they never touched the ground. The drivers watched from pit road with large grins plastered on their faces. It was so good to see that Red 8 flying around a track with an Earnhardt behind it. They actually missed the sight.
“God that’s a sight for sore eyes.” Steve whispered as he watched with his arms crossed.
“I was just thinking the same exact thing.” Tony agreed
“The surprises aren’t over yet!” Jarrett smirked.
“What the hell else you got planned?” Tony couldn’t think of one thing.
“You’ll see guys... be patient!” Jarrett said as Jr. passed the start/finish line.
Seconds later someone hooted behind them, scaring them shitless.
“Tony EURY! Don’t SCARE us Jesus!!” Kevin complained while grabbing his chest.
“You drivers are too jumpy… Plus I can’t help it… take a look at his time!”
The other drivers gathered around the stop watch but didn’t really know what they were looking for.
“187.024… Pretty good!” Tony said
“GOOD?? That’s GREAT!!!” Eury yelp in his face.
“Wasn’t I around there too?” Jarrett asked
“Not even close” Eury Sr. informed him. “Don’t you guys get it?? Jr. holds the Qualifying Record here with a speed of 186.034 mph!! He just beat that by a whole second!!” The older man did a little sort of tap dance that scared everyone watching.
“He did? Well it doesn’t count does it? Cause he’s not qualifying.”
“Don’t ruin my moment Steve…”
“Sorry…”
Tony Sr. picked up the headphones.
“Alright come back in!”
A whining voice came over the radio that made his Uncle smile at hearing it again.
“I don’t wanna!”
“Oh knock it off and get in here! I got something to show ya.”
“Let him stay out.” Jarrett said. “I still have an other surprise.”
“Oh hell…. Fine… Junior stay out a few more laps or as long as you feel ok.”
“10-4”
Once He pulled the Mic away from his face he gave Jarrett a confused look.
“What you got in that brain of yours??”
“You’ll see!!”
No more then 2 seconds later the group heard the sound of more stock cars starting their engines. Tony Sr. eyed Jarrett with a “Your in deep shit” look.
“He’s gonna kill you.”
“I know…”
Two cars came into view and passed them on pit road before pulling onto the track.
“Whoa! Elliot and Michael??”
“Yep! Thought he could use a little competition.”
“Thought they’d have already packed up and went to New Hampshire.”
“Well you didn’t yet… “
“Good point.”
Tony Sr. picked up the Mic again to alert Junior about the traffic headed his way but was seconds too late.
Elliot Sadler and Michael Waltrip caught up to Jr. quickly since Junior was just tooling around now and flew right by him. The shock and fright of the sudden other cars with him was obvious as the Bud car swerved around on the track until he finally got it under control.
“Junior you alright??” His uncle questioned after watching the whole deal.
The answer he got was an expected one as he held the Mic away from his ear in hopes of saving his hearing.
“Son of a Bitch!!! What the fuck was that! Who in the hell…!”
“Uh... Jarrett? I think your in same shit.” He handed the ear phones over to DJ but he didn’t have to even put it to his ears to hear the next few lines.
“… Assholes! All of ya! Bunch of Assholes! Cant believe you’d fuckin do that… you mother…”
And with that he shoved the headphones back.
“Think I better leave now?”
“Uh... yeah... I would go NOW! He may be hurt but he’s still go enough energy to whip your ass when he’s angry!” Kevin shouted from behind.
Junior was furious. What a rotten trick!! He was already out on the track! Might as well have told him about the company! Not like he was gonna stop driving around cause of it! He threw the car in 4th gear with an angry thrust and slammed his foot into the gas pedal. The car burst into high speeds in an attempt to catch up with the two cars.
It didn’t take him long until he was right on top of Elliott’s bumper. He weaved back and forth in an intimidating motion. Lightly taping the bumper with the nose of his Chevy. Elliot tried to go faster but his Ford was no match for the roaring Monty Carlo and soon Junior was along side of him. Once the two drivers side windows matched, Junior gave Elliott a little wave before putting a huge doughnut in his right side door and took off.
“Oh he’s pissed.” Tony Stewart mouthed while watching the fun sight in front of him.
Back on the track Junior caught up with Michael and he definitely knew it as Junior slid underneath him and literally pushed the Napa car up towards the wall in a classic Earnhardt maneuver that put him in front instantly. As he pulled away Junior notice his teammate giving him a thumbs up in his rearview mirror. Satisfied with getting the better of the two drivers who had scared the hell out of him he pulled down pit road. His head was building into a very annoying headache and he felt pretty weak from all the work. The stitches in his stomach strained at his skin and he knew he’d be in some pain later. But it was so worth it. Every time he tries to doubt himself someone steps in and throws a tomato in his face. He was glad they did.
Once he got the car stopped Kevin, Tony Steve, his uncle and Jarrett where already at the window waiting for him to come out. Steve took the window net down and was going to help Junior out after he took off his helmet but Junior waved him off and pulled himself out by himself.
“What… the… f…”
“Ok ok that’s enough!” His uncle yelled, shutting him up.
“Sorry Jr. Thought it would be good for ya!”
Junior just grunted at him and turned to head in the direction of the two other cars on their way down pit road.
“Would a warning have killed ya?!” he yelled back while walking over to Michael and Elliot who were pulling them selves out of their vehicles.
Junior didn’t have a chance to act as he saw Michael pull himself out and literally sprint to him. Michael was running so fast Jr. was afraid he was gonna plow him down.
“Crazy man!” he said while grabbing Junior’s neck and yanking his slender frame close for one of those “Manly hugs”. “When ol DJ over there called me and told me to get my butt down here as soon as possible with my car I had no clue it was you I’d be driving with! Imagine my surprise as a blew by ya!”
“Yeah!” Elliot said while walking up to them. “At first I wasn’t sure it was you. Thought it was Lil Hank practicing till I got a nice doughnut on the side of ma car!”
“Oh no! I knew it was him moment I saw him save the car after we streaked by!”
“Yeah but who beat ya? Hmm I think that would be me!” Junior pointed out.
“What else is new!” Elliot giggled.
It was obvious his two friends were excited to see him and it made Jr. feel good. But his body wasn’t agreeing with him. Once the adrenaline had been used up he could feel the effects of what he did today. He winced as he moved and tried to hide it from everyone around him but that would be impossible. They had already noticed.
“Alright guys… I think its time to get this boy into bed.” His uncle interrupted after seeing the strain on his nephews face.
“No I’m fine.” Jr. added. He didn’t wanna go back to his lonely house again so soon.
“Tony Sr.’s right Jr. You had a long day and I’m shocked you lasted this long as it is.” Steve said as he tried to get everyone back to Kevin’s car to leave.
“Yeah especially since you were in the hospital like... a couple hours ago. We should go.” Kevin pulled his keys out of his pocket and followed Steve.
“What?!?! You were in the hospital today?” Michael questioned with worry in his eyes.
“Yeah no big deal. Don’t worry about it. I’ll talk to you guys in a few days. Good luck in New Hampshire alright?” Jr. didn’t want to bring up what happened earlier… he was trying desperately to change the subject.
“His “no big deal” involved some problems with pills. He’ll tell you about it some other time Michael we gotta go.” DJ yelled from the car.
“Take care of your self Junior!” Elliot said as Junior waved good-bye and started walking away.
Jr. got in the front seat and laid his head on the head rest. It was so good to sit down again. He really was in some pain and wasn’t sure how long he was going to be able to keep standing out there but he REALLY didn’t want to go home. He had a bad feeling and didn’t know why. And he didn’t want to find out.
Exhaustion hit him hard as Kevin drove the car out of the race track and he let it take him as he fell into a deep sleep. Everyone in the car smiled at the sight and not one word was said till they got back to Junior’s.
~~~~~~~~~~~
