The perfect match

“We are not Formula 1. We won’t pay millions. We are the underdogs and our fans are vanishing wherever. We haven’t been in the top ten of NASCAR Infinity in thirteen years.”
*########################*
Carlos just wanted to invite them for a round of beers after packing when he was pushed from behind, almost being thrown on the hood, catching himself on his hands just in time, dropping his helmet. “Ay!” was his first reaction, and he turned around. Malcolm just grabbed the front of his suit, shaking him.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?!” Malcolm yelled at him.
“It’s racing, man, calm down.” Carlos said, pushing his hands off.
“Be careful what you’re saying, dimwit!” Malcolm yelled at him and then pulled him close, his hand behind Carlos’ neck “People like you don’t belong here” he groaned into his ear, then pushed him back and made his way back to his own box.
*########################*
“Bathroom past the trucks and straight ahead, right?” Carlos asked.
“Yes. You got some coins?” Leroy asked.
“Coins? No, why?”
“For the shower.” Leroy said, pulling out a handful of quarters.
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“Oh my God, pray for me.” Carlos said, then sped up, just before the start of the curve. He hit the car in front of him. Not in the middle, just a little bit to the right. He pumped the gas a couple of times before giving steady speed, the car in front of him turning around and towards the middle.
“Gotcha.” Carlos said.
*########################*
“Well, we have a couple of those, of course, but not to this degree and not constantly. Jesus, how many laps?”
“300. They were 400 the past years, but too many drivers complained about vomiting and stuff.”
“Awesome.” Carlos said, dripping with sarcasm.
*########################*
“Hey, F1 is a different world. You … touch someone’s wing before a race and get a 50k penalty, what the fuck?” Lucas let out “Now you know what this is, but at the same time, don’t get too over confident. Bumping someone also has its risk. Worst case, the other car is fine and you’re out.”
*########################*
“Just don’t break the hood, okay? We didn’t bring a spare.”
“Got it. Bumping, no breaking.” Carlos said “I’ll be cautiously incautious.”
“Go get him, boy!” Lucas cheered him on. Carlos waited one more lap, inching back to Malcolm’s rear.
“Awww” Malcolm said “little sweetheart Carlos! Trying to bump me again?” he asked in a childish voice. He heard a laugh from his engineer.
*########################*
“Carlos, this is my grandson Kyle, he is four. He helps me park the car when I’m coming back.” Judd told and Kyle waved, extremely excited. Judd drove the car very slowly forwards while Kyle steered, Judd holding the wheel at the bottom for help.
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“What are you doing?” Kyle asked.
“I train so I can be fit for racing.”
“But you just sit!” Kyle exclaimed and Carlos laughed.
“Yes, but I’m going very fast and it needs muscles so I don’t fly around, you know. Have you ever been on a roller coaster?”
“I rode the wild mouse in Disneyland!”
*#######################*
“Alright. Are you sure he is helping, though?” Judd nodded towards Carlos. He was sleeping, head fallen back on the sofa. Josy stretched over and hit his leg, waking him.
“Uuhm” Carlos said, rubbing his eyes and making Judd laugh.
*#######################*
“Hey boys” Malcolm said, walking by with a burger in his hand “Getting checked?” he then smirked, bit into his burger and left again.
“I bet he made his team do this.” Pete said.
“I hate that fucking kid.” Mike added.
“He’s a dick.” Carlos added.
“Come on ladies, don’t lower yourselves onto his level. They’ll be done and gone soon and then we can go.” Judd said, walking towards them from the car in front of the garage.
*#######################*
“CARLOOOOS!” they heard loudly from outside.
“Ooops” Lucas laughed.
“Did you film me singing in the truck?” Judd asked, coming into the common area in their trucks and Carlos stopped typing on his laptop.
“Told you it would bite your ass.” Leroy said to him.
“Josy agreed with the post.” Carlos said “She thought it ‘is hilarious and has to be in the compilation’, actually.”
“Are you trying to use my daughter as a shield?” Judd asked.
“A little bit.” Carlos said with a fake innocent smile “Does it work?”
*#######################*
“Hey look” Carlos exclaimed “Do you think he would like this?” he asked Judd and showed him the huge fire truck “It even includes the batteries for the lights and you can put real water in for the hose” he added with a huge smile “Dooodeeedooodeee” he then exclaimed and Judd raised an eyebrow.
*#######################*
He held her by her waist while she had her hands on his shoulders, setting her onto the floor slowly.
“I should go to my apartment.” Carlos said after a moment “Wrapping the truck before he sees it.” He said and grabbed the truck “Good night”
“Good night!” Josy said after him. She turned back, seeing her father stand on the top of the stairwell.
“He is a racer, Josy.” Judd simply said.
“Yes, I know.” Josy answered.
*#######################*
“YES! That’s my boy!” Senior yelled at the tv in their Madrid house, Reyes just shaking her head.
Carlos finished in tenth while Malcolm blamed his team again. He shoulder checked Carlos in the paddock, but Carlos couldn’t care less.
*#######################*
“Hello everyone! Welcome back to Carlos Diary and welcome to the first night race! Another city, another track and for this weekend … a different day and time! This week, training and qualifying will be on Friday, the race itself on Saturday night, starting at 10pm local time, I will blend in the other time zones later, I always forget which is where” Carlos said, starting to record.
*#######################*
“YES! BEAR CLAW!” Kyle said excitedly, growling after it, imitating a bear. Judd chuckled into coffee mug. “I get my cape!” Kyle said just after he finished his pancake and ran upstairs.
“His cape?” Carlos asked.
“His superman cape.” Josy said. “He always wears it when riding his bike.”
*#######################*
“Could you sign my boob?” then one of them asked and Carlos’ eyes almost bugged out of his head when she pulled down her shirt and pushed her boob up to him.
*#######################*
“I just reacted to his action.” Carlos said, trying to hide a smile.
“It was just a statement, not an accusation. Stay focussed.”
“Yes, mom.”
“Shut up and drive.” Lucas said, his smile obvious in his voice.
*#######################*
“Alright, I’ll go, see you tonight!” Carlos yelled through the trailer.
“See ya! Oh, by the way, Josy is arriving today, so no farting in the hallway when you come back!” Judd said.
“I will remember.“
*#######################*
“Hey, there you are! I was looking for you.” Lando said.
“You were looking for me?” Carlos asked surprised.
“Well, I wanted to thank you in person for the baby gifts and of course” Lando handed him an envelope “the thank you card.”
*#######################*
“You look really relaxed for a race engineer.” Logan said and Lucas shrugged.
“He knows what to do. This is not F1, I don’t need to constantly update him on how to take corners, break balance or tire degradation.” Lucas said and they watched Carlos for a bit, inching up to the Keating car, giving it a little nudge.
*#######################*
Carlos made his way back from the showers to the truck when he heard loud voices. He stopped for a moment, waiting if they would seize, but they got only louder and more aggressive. Carlos walked towards them, seeing Josy and some guy standing close to the entrance, fighting loudly.
“Hey, everything okay?” he asked from a couple steps away.
*#######################*
Carlos’ car finally came to a stop, by now only a pile of banged up metal. There was a collective gasp heard from the spectators. The driver that caused the crash ran towards Carlos and his car, ripping open the door. He waved towards the middle, hurrying the first responders.