Chapter 22 ~~
“Hank what is going on? Why are you locked in the closet?” Teresa questioned while helping the young driver escape the ropes that held his hands together.
“They put me in here so I couldn’t blab!”
“Who is “they”?” Karla interrupted while watching the scene.
“Kerry and that asshole!” Hank half shouted as he shook himself off. He was still unnerved from the events earlier with Ron and the gun.
“Hank we know something’s going on here. And I know you know what it is… We need to know now!” Teresa urged.
“That guy is gonna kill Jr and Kerry and even me if he doesn’t win today.” The drivers eyes where stuck on one point on the floor as those words came out of his mouth. He couldn’t’ believe he said them and he couldn’t believe that this was the plan for some human being.
“If who doesn’t win…?” Karla spoke the words for Teresa who was still processing the information.
Hank hesitated before slowly sitting down on the couch up front. He ran his shaking hands over his face and through his hair gently while trying to calm down. He was needed right now and he would be no good if he couldn’t function. After a few deep breaths he let his hands drop to his knees.
“If Junior doesn’t win… He’s gonna… he’s gonna kill him… and everyone he… loves.” The last word was choked out as he replaced his hands on his face to cover an escaping tear. “He’s in that car right… now…! He needs help!” The sobbing continued and Teresa decided that they had waited long enough.
“Karla stay with Hank. I’m going for some help. We need to stop this race!”
“No! No Teresa you can’t stop the race... you can’t do anything! That mad man has Kerry with him somewhere! If you do that he’ll kill him!”
Teresa frowned and started fidgeting. She didn’t know what to do.
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Meanwhile on the track Jr was keeping himself conscious and alert by passing the soon to be lapped cars in front of him. This was one long race and his body was letting him know. Those stars he was getting in his eyes were more frequent now and his eyes were fighting to stay open.
“Lap…” He mumbled on the radio as he passed the pits.
“Umm… 97 more next time by.” Ty’s voice filled his ears.
“Ok…” He replied a little weaker sounding then he had wanted.
Ty didn’t miss the hint of fatigue in his friends’ voice. Worry washed over him. All this time he was happy that Jr WAS in the car… he didn’t realize that this had to have been extremely painful for him.
“Jr? Are you ok in there?”
“Ty… I’m fine just keep spotting.” The voice had a little more power behind it but Ty took that as frustration.
“Sorry… Just worried… Still there… clear low…”
Meanwhile not far from Jr and Tony, the Good wrench driver was keeping a watch from behind. He knew it was Jr… and he knew that Tony knew. They were tag teaming their way through the field of soon to be lapped cars. Kevin knew his car wasn’t good enough to catch all the way up to them but he was content in where he got himself and the fact that he could keep an eye out on that Bud car. He had seen it wobble and almost lose it a few times and had to know what was up.
“Hey can someone go talk to the Bud team? Or Ty? Ask them if everything’s ok?”
“Getting right on it” he heard a crewmember say.
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Teresa, Hank and Karla headed towards the track at a sprint. Worry, concern and a definite hint of anger filled their strides as they made their way to pit road. As they got closer to the pit crews Hank noticed Matt Yocum running passed crewmember upon crewmember in the same direction. Hank ran after him.
“Matt!” he yelled out getting no response.
He made his legs go faster after the pit road reporter and finally was able to grab onto his shoulders and spin him around.
“Hank! Thank god! What the hell’s going on?”
Teresa and Karla finally caught up to them catching their breath.
“You know?” Hank said through breaths.
“Of course I know! I’ve been listening to his radio! If it wasn’t for some fans with scanners we wouldn’t have even known!”
“Does anyone else know he’s driving?” Teresa asked.
Matt Shrugged.
“The guys in the booth do… I know… And from what I got on the radio the crew knows. I think maybe even a couple drivers.”
“The drivers know?” Karla said from behind everyone. She thought… if some drivers knew they could keep an eye out for him.
“I know Tony knows. He got Zippy to link the two of them. Sadler… Harvick… Mikey now too… He’s been driving the wheels off that thing! Truly not giving an inch. I’m surprised everyone doesn’t know. I was just on my way to the Bud Pit to see what was going on!”
Teresa caught herself smiling at the news that Jr was kicking ass but soon it faded as she remembered the problem at hand.
“NO! Matt don’t do that. Its to risky.”
The pit reporter’s eyebrows fused as he cocked his head.
“Why not?”
“We need you to get the police.” Teresa ordered
“What? Why?! Please tell me what’s going on!”
“Get an ambulance too just in case.” Teresa hoped it wasn’t needed but in his condition she knew Jr would need help after the race.
Matt Paused a moment… “You guys… Is he ok?”
“We hope so.” Teresa then turned to Karla and mouthed ‘Lets go’ as she started to run off. Matt stopped her in her tracks as he yelled her name.
“Wait! Teresa! Where do I bring the police?”
“Here’s the thing Matt… we don’t know just yet… Just gather some ok?”
“Ok…”
“Hank I’m gonna go to the pits. I’m gonna see what’s going on… I want you to stay outta sight. I don’t want him knowing your out.”
“I’ll go to the booth…. Be careful.”
They nodded at each other and everyone ran off in different directions.
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After a while of silence on the Budweiser Chevy’s radio, a shaky voice come over the airway.
“Hey Ty?”
“Yea buddy”
“Could you go to the 15 spotter and ask him to be a little careful? I’m coming upon him next…”
“Um… Sure DJ…”
Ty was even more concerned. Junior just basically told him he didn’t have the strength to fight anymore. It was up to him now to guide his friend through to safety.
“Mikey say’s ‘why’.”
There was a slight pause. Jr didn’t want to explain why. He couldn’t’ let himself believe he couldn’t make it.
“Ask him if he likes the wall.”
After a minute or two Ty gave Jr his reply.
“Hey DJ… Mikey said ‘Bring it on’.”
Junior grimaced. He knew he didn’t have much left and was hoping he could get a little help this time. Obviously that wasn’t the case. Well if Mikey wanted a challenge… he had one for him.
“Fine…”
Jr got close to the Napa Bumper just like he had done the other day and with an expert move he nudged it gently in the right place and time causing the other stock car to wiggle up the track. The Bud car nearly squished the 15 into the wall.
There was a moment’s pause before someone spoke up.
“Nice…”
“Thanks…”
“Michael said he just wanted to see if you had anything left. He said he knew it was you from the Harvick incident earlier. Kevin knows too… He’s wondering how you’re doing. Ya got a lot of love out there buddy. You can do this ok?”
“Keep… up the pep talking Ty… I’m losing it here…” He finally admitted with a hint of defeat.
‘Oh Shit…’ Ty said to himself. He rubbed his face with his hands for a second making sure he didn’t have his eyes off the car that held his friend for too long. He couldn’t do anything and the feeling of helplessness made him want to scream. Dale Earnhardt Jr just admitted he was almost too weak to go on. This was not good.
“Just 54 more laps Junior you can do it… I’m right here for you.”
“I got your back buddy… all your friends are here for you and cheering you on.” Tony interrupted.
Jr sighed in his car. He was actually starting to lose his breath and trying to gasp for air was causing his insides even more excruciating pain. His head was bamming and the edges of his vision were starting to go hazy. His legs felt like Jello. He didn’t even know how he was getting the strength to push the pedals.
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“So how did Dale Jr get in that car unnoticed Hank?” Benny asked as they interviewed him for everyone to hear.
“I’m not sure how they got passed the crew but they were good at it.”
“But why would he wanna drive so soon after his attack?” Wally added while not taking his eyes off of the Bud Car. “I would think he’d still be incredibly sore and in pain.”
Hank slouched in his seat some more. He couldn’t’ tell them everything right now and he was having trouble answering some of these questions.
“I’m sure he is Wally but we have to remember we’re talking about an Earnhardt here.” Hank slide in hoping that would be the end of THAT question.
“That he is…”
Hank watched the monitors as the race dragged on. He was well aware of the wiggles it was making and he knew that wasn’t just the handling of the car.
“I didn’t even know he was outta the hospital.” Allen added.
“I know. We’ve heard absolutely nothing about the boy till this weekend.” Benny said while following Wally and Hank’s lead and watching the monitors.
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“Gonna pit in a couple more laps Jr.” Tony Jr said over the radio. “What can we do with it…”
“Just 4 and gas … don’t mess with it.”
“Gotcha…”
Jr drove around the track aching for that 13 seconds on pit stop of rest. Finally he came around towards the pits.
“We’ll make this quick for ya buddy.” His cousin said before Jr let himself dive onto pit road. Everyone behind Jr followed as Pit Road became extremely busy.
He stopped in his pit box and right away felt the car being lifted and worked on. Jr leaned back in his seat and sighed… letting his eyes scan the Bud pits he saw someone he wasn’t expecting.
“Holy Shit.” He muttered as he watched her closely eyeing the Bud car and then looking around the Pit Area. She looked at the #8 car being serviced on pit road and Somehow Jr felt like she was looking right in on him. Somehow their eyes seemed connected.
Suddenly he felt his car slam to the ground as the pit crew finished with the Budweiser car. His foot mashed the gas pedal and he took off coming out ahead of Tony and the rest of the field.
She was here… Did she know? If she didn’t then why would she be all the way up here? And she sure did look like she was looking for someone.
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Teresa scanned the Bud Pits looking for any sign of Kerry. So far she hadn’t seen him anywhere. This wasn’t going well. She had no idea what this Ron guy looked like. For all she knew he was standing next to her. Without warning the bud Car pulled up in front of her and the pit crew went to work. Teresa couldn’t help but stare in. She wondered how he was doing… how he was feeling. She HAD to find Kerry and that asshole soon!
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“Ya came out in first still Jr. Good Job Crew.” Ty said over the radio.
“14 second pit stop. Very good job crew.” Tony Jr added.
“Thanks… Guys…” The effort put forth to say just two works was heard through the whole team and everyone else listening.
“43 more laps DJ… you can do this.” Ty was worried. He was surprised that Jr held up this long. It was a long race and it had to have been hot in that car. God knows what it was doing to his friends broken body. There hadn’t even been more then one caution the whole day. That was odd especially at Loudon but it was also a chance for the drivers to rest. Jr hadn’t gotten any.
Ty hoped that that race went smoothly for the rest of the way so they could get Jr out of the car and checked out. But smooth was not in the cards.
“Jr clear low.” Ty said as he watched the bud car get extremely close to Steve’s Pennzoil car. The back bumpers were soon gonna touch.
“Dale I said Clear low!” Ty said in a panic.
It was almost like he didn’t hear Ty as he kept the Budweiser car right on the bumper of his teammate. Dangerously close and frightening everyone watching.
Then suddenly everyone heard the screech of tires and the sight of smoke as the yellow and red Team cars were engulfed and disappeared from sight in the thick haze..
“OH My God! Dale?!!?!? Jr! Can you hear me?!?! You ok?!!?”
There was no answer.
