CHAPTER 1
In garage 9 at the River City Raceway, Danny Mason pushed a broom across the floor. He wasn’t doing much good sweeping though. His attention was on the TV monitors that lined the walls. “Come on, Cole!” he shouted at the TVs.
Danny’s older brother, “Clean” Cole Mason, was driving car 9. Today’s race was the River City classic. Cole had to do well if he hoped to win the series of races.
Now he was in third place. It was good enough to stay high in overall league standings. But Danny still hoped his brother would come in first.
Before long, the checkered flag was waving as Harvey Nickel in car 14 drove across the finish line. Close behind him was Scott Stanley in car 11.
Clean Cole Mason came in third.
“Darn!” Danny said to himself. Still, Cole had done well. He was one of the best racers on the regional circuit. If he kept racing the way he had for the last few months, he’d make it to NASCAR for sure.
Danny dropped the broom. He jogged out of the garage to wave at his brother as car 9 pulled in.
The car came to a stop in the garage.
Some of the pit crew helped Cole climb out. “Great race, Cole!” Danny called out. He gave his brother a high five.
“Thanks, bro,” Cole said. He pulled off his helmet. He was smiling, but Danny could tell his brother wasn’t feeling very happy.
“Are you disappointed about coming in third?” Danny asked.
Cole shook his head slowly. “Harvey Nickel,” he said. “He’s just too good.”
“You haven’t been able to beat him this series, have you?” Danny asked.
“No,” Cole answered. “I mean, Scott Stanley is no big deal. I think we’re well matched. I outrace him sometimes, and he outraces me sometimes. But Harvey . . . I just can’t seem to pass him.”
“Do you think he has a better machine?” Danny asked.
He had noticed that a lot of the guys in the pit crews said “machine” when they talked about cars. Danny wanted to sound like all of the other guys.
“I think our machines are about even,” Cole replied.
“Maybe you should let me on the pit crew!” Danny said. “I’ll cut your pit time in half.”
Cole laughed. “You know you’re too young to be in the pit crew, Danny,” he said. “You’re only fourteen. Wait a couple of years.”
Danny shrugged. “It was worth a shot,” he said. “So why does Harvey keep winning?”
Cole put a gloved hand on his little brother’s shoulder. “Some drivers,” he said, “are just better than others. But, boy, I’d do just about anything to beat him once.”