Lady Racer

Chapter 3

I waited in line as they announced the drivers who came out. I was third out on track. Being a sprint car, they run us for hot laps and qualifying races before getting us off the track and running the other classes. Sprints will be the last feature race on tonight's schedule.

I did my hot laps and my fastest time was 13.5, it was one of my better times. It placed me 2nd in the third qualifying race. As long as I placed in the top three, I would advance to the feature. After the hot laps, I had a pretty good feel for the car. I felt the huge engine in it and the power that it had. In the straight stretches, I let it go full power.

During my qualifying race, I stayed in 2nd place until the last lap and then I flew by the guy ahead of me and ended up placing first. I headed off the track and stopped in front of the trailer. I had probably 3 hours until the feature, so I had time to walk around and go see mom.

"That was great out their kid!" Greg said and high fived me.

"Thanks uncle Greg. That car is a beast, that's for sure." I tell him and he agrees with a nod.

"It will take you right out to victory lane tonight and then we will all be out there to celebrate your first feature win." He says. I have never won a feature since I've started racing as Blake. I knew that if I won then I'd have to take off my helmet and everyone would see that I was a girl. With this new sponsored car opportunity, I wasn't going to settle for second place, I was going the full way and if I did take the helmet off, I'd be able to surprise everyone and maybe show other girls that this isn't just a mans sport.

I said goodbye to Greg and made my way over to the check in booth where my mom would still be. I had my hat and sunglasses on so no one could tell who I was. "Hey momma." I say as I open the door and sit beside her.

"That was great out there sweetie. You have a front row spot in the feature." She says and gives me a side hug.

"I know. I'm trying for first. I want to get to take my helmet off in victory lane and prove that girls can do it just as good as guys can." I tell her and she gives me a smile.

"I know you can do it. You will be great." She tells me and I thank her. "Now get out of here. Go find some friends or something, you don't want to sit in here the whole race." She shooed me out of the office. I took off walking for the snack stand. I was hungry for a pretzel.

"Hey!" I heard a stern voice of a guy from behind me. I turned around and I immediately wished I didn't have. It was one of the sprint car drivers that I had just beat and he was known to be not so nice. "That little stunt you pulled, was illegal. You should have been disqualified from the race."

"I didn't pull no stunt. I beat you fair and square." I tell him and try to make my voice sound deep like a mans. Apparently he didn't buy it because next thing I know, my hat and sunglasses are in his hand.

"You're a girl! I knew something was off. You only won because your a little kiss ass and you own the track. They help you cheat to win every time." He accused.

"I don't own the track, my family does. How could they help me cheat when I was the one driving? I was just better than you and pulled out of the turn faster." I said right back.

"You're a bitch! You cheated, I had that race won." He said and got all up in my face. I flinched and tried backing away but he followed me. I was on the verge of a break down but I needed to stay strong. He was still calling me all sorts of names and telling me how I cheated but I tuned him out. I focused on breathing.

"Hey, do we have a problem here?" A deep southern voice spoke from behind me.

"Not a problem that involves you." The guy spits out.