Running on Empty by Ken Casper

Author:Ken Casper
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Category, Man-Woman Relationships, Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, General, Stock Car Racing, Love Stories
ISBN: 9780373217977
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2008-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“PIT STOP,” Hugo said into Justin’s ear.

“Two more laps.” He’d already made two pit stops. If he could hold out a little longer, maybe he’d only need one more. That would give him a tremendous advantage.

“You’re firing on vapors now. Come in,” Hugo ordered him.

Justin shot past the turnout onto pit road.

“Justin,” Hugo pleaded, “you have to come in.”

“One more—”

Suddenly there was a sputter, then a heart-stopping loss of power. Will Branch in the No. 467 swung around him on the right and streaked ahead like a thunderbolt.

Justin cursed, at least in his mind. Voicing it on the radio would cost him dearly.

He’d moved up eight places in more than 650 laps and was panting after tenth place—until he’d run out of gas.

He disengaged the clutch and coasted over the white line on the left, then off the paved shoulder to the narrow ribbon of dirt border. The engine had quit.

One advantage of a short track was that you were never too far from pit road and rescue. Before the car had actually dwindled to a halt, a tow truck was on its way to pick up the stalled car. The entrance to pit road was only a few dozen yards ahead.

Qualifying time not only established position in the starting lineup, but determined the pecking order in choosing locations on pit road. Like most drivers, Justin preferred to be at the head of the line. Qualifying in nineteenth place, however, hadn’t given him that option. Hugo had recommended that since he couldn’t be among the first five out of pit road, he should be the first one into his slot there. Justin hadn’t been enthusiastic about the idea, but had decided to go along, since his chances of winning were already greatly diminished. He chose the last space on the long service line, and now he was grateful for it, since it meant his car didn’t have to be pushed the entire length of the utility road.

Four fresh tires and a full gas-up. Optimum standard: fourteen seconds or less. Justin was moving again under his own power in fifteen and a half seconds. But he had lost three precious minutes getting there.

Dammit. He’d started nineteenth, worked his way up to eleventh, and now, because he hadn’t trusted his uncle’s judgment, he’d lost his chance, not only to finish in the top ten, but maybe even in first place. Back on the track, he was in twenty-second place and had lost a lap. He had to do something to salvage his pride. If he could at least complete the race ahead of where he’d started…

By lap 800, with 150 still to go, he had once again managed to make up his lost lap and advance six positions, thanks largely to a wreck in the lead pack that he was able to snake around unscathed. Okay, he was ahead of where he’d started, but it still wasn’t good enough. He had to keep pushing. No less than tenth place was acceptable.

He

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