Rock Force wouldn’t let him finish. “Thanks for helping me out back there,” he said. “See you on the Snake Track tomorrow, kid.” Then, quickly, without another word, he drove away.
For the rest of the night, Speed practiced the new technique of taking the Mach 5 up onto two wheels to maneuver around sharp turns. It was difficult at first, but little by little he gained confidence and was able to do the technique successfully—most of the time. Even though he hadn’t yet mastered it, he was determined to try it out at the Super Car Race.
Part Three: The Showdown
The day of the Super Car Race, Speed was at the starting line in the Mach 5, mentally preparing himself. He navigated the course in his head over and over but was still a little nervous about trying the new technique without having practiced it more. Soon enough, a car he recognized pulled up: the red race car driven by Rock Force.
Rock and Speed nodded at each other.
The roar of the engines echoed throughout the stadium as the drivers readied themselves for the start of the race.
After a few moments of preparation, it was time. Speed took a deep breath and lowered the visor on his racing helmet.
The racing official waved the green flag to start the race, and in one thunderous movement the race cars shot forward.
The Mach 5’s engine roared as Speed blasted it past the other race cars on the first straightaway. The Mach 5 had taken the lead! Rock Force’s red car followed closely behind in second place.
At the first curve, Speed hesitated. Suddenly unsure of using the new two-wheel technique, he downshifted the Mach 5 and decelerated to safely take the turn. A mistake. Rock Force took his race car up onto two wheels, slipping right past the Mach 5 and pulling into the lead.
The Snake Track was turning out to be even trickier than the drivers had imagined. Many of the other drivers were not as lucky as Speed or Rock. Some of their cars slid off the track entirely. One car after the other smashed into the walls and into one another, unable to safely maneuver past the very first turn. It was a mess!
Rock and Speed maintained their lead. Speed took great advantage of the second straightway and caught up to Rock’s car. At the second curve, Rock maneuvered his car up onto two wheels, and, without hesitation, Speed did the same. Both cars zipped around the curve on two wheels, astonishing the crowd!
But toward the end of the curve Speed nearly lost control of the Mach 5 and had to take it back down to four wheels to prevent himself from flipping over.
What a close call!Speed thought. Ijustdidn’t have enough time to practice the new technique. I’d better not try that again or I’ll surely crash.
More of the other race cars lost control around the second turn. Now only a few racers remained. Rock maintained his lead, but Speed was right on his tail.
I’m just going to have to beat him on each of the straightaways, Speed thought. He slammed the Mach 5’s accelerator down to the floor and shot past Rock’s red race car!
The Mach 5’s engine hummed as Speed took the lead again.
Speed’s and Rock’s race cars went on like this throughout the entire course. Rock would take the lead at each of the curves, and Speed would move past him at each of the straightaways.
At the seventh and final curve of the Snake Track, only Speed and Rock were left in the race. All the other race cars had either slid off the course, crashed into the wall, or stalled out.
Rock once again took the lead around the curve, but the last stretch of the course before the finish line was a straightaway and Speed was quickly catching up.
“Go!” shouted Sparky and Trixie.
“Pass him, Speed! Pass him!” Spritle shouted as the two cars neared the finish line.
Speed and Rock were dead even. Speed pulled ahead, then Rock pulled ahead, and they went back and forth like this all the way past the checkered flag.
The crowd cheered loudly as the two race cars zipped past the finish line.
It was clearly going to be a close race to call, but after a few minutes, the announcer shouted over the loudspeaker, “Rock Force wins!”
The announcer continued, “Both racers crossed the finish line at almost the same instant, but Rock won by a hair and gets the trophy! ”
Minutes later, Rock and Speed stood proudly atop the winner’s podium, in first and second places respectively.
“Congratulations, Mr. Force. You’re an incredible driver,” Speed said.
Rock smiled and patted Speed on the shoulder. “With a little more practice, Speed, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble using my technique in the next race,” he said.
“I will practice, and I’ll win the next race,” Speed replied, grinning. He’d made use of a new technique, but more than that, he’d conquered his fear of the Snake Track and stayed in the race until the very end.
“Oh, I think I’ll win the next race,” Rock said with a chuckle.
“Just you wait, Mr. Force,” Speed said. “I’m never going to stop practicing, no matter how tough the next race turns out to be! ”
The Secret Engine Page 6
