( Chapter 2 )

Spin Out

Michael felt the back end of his mini racer push out to the right. He knew right away he was in trouble. If he didn’t control his car, he could spin out completely. Or worse, he could skid off the side of the track and hit the retaining wall.

Michael squeezed the steering wheel, as if he were strangling it. He jerked the wheel around to the right. He was trying to regain control of the car.

All he needed to do was get it headed straight down the track, and he’d be okay. He knew that Buzz was behind him, but there was only one turn left in the race. He could hold Buzz off and win.

But he only had a fraction of a second to keep the car headed down the track, and Michael overreacted. He turned the wheel too far back to the right. Instead of the right back end of the car spinning around, now the left side was moving forward.

In a flash, Michael was spinning. The car spun around twice before it stopped with two wheels lifted up in the air. For a split second, Michael thought the car might roll.

But the two wheels crashed back down on the ground with a loud smack!

Now Michael’s car was facing the wrong way on the track. His engine had stopped. There was only one thing he could do. He had to sit and watch the other cars whiz past him, gunning for the finish line.

Michael looked across to the other side of the track, just in time to see Buzz Shaw cross the finish line first. Billy Watkins was second, and the other five racers zoomed in behind them.

Michael knew that when he walked over to the results board, he would see his own name in last place. Buzz had done it again.

Quick as lightning, Buzz pulled his car into the winner’s circle. He unbuckled his shoulder harness and crawled out the side of the racer. He pried off his helmet and held it high above his head.

Michael couldn’t get his car started again. When the car tipped sideways, the engine must have flooded, he thought. He was left sitting on the track.

Michael unbuckled his shoulder harness and crawled out. He’d have to get his brother to come help him push it out. Before he could do that, however, Michael had another problem.

Out of the corner of his eye, Michael saw Mark sprinting out of the pits. He was heading straight for the winner’s circle. As Mark got close to Buzz and his crew, he started yelling.

“I saw that!” Mark was screaming. “I saw what you did! You rammed his bumper on purpose!”

Buzz didn’t even raise an eyebrow.

“Get out of here, kid,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

But Mark didn’t stop. “One of these times, you’re going to really hurt someone,” Mark continued. “You’re going to get someone killed!”

Buzz let out a chuckle. “Just racin’ to win, pal,” he said. “Maybe your brother should come over to my place sometime. I could give him some lessons.”

At that, Mark was ready for a fight. Michael ran over and arrived just in time to hold him back. “Mark!” Michael yelled. “Let it go. He’s not worth it.”

The brothers walked away, and the race judge handed the trophy to Buzz. Buzz held the trophy over his head, smirking as his family and crew cheered.