𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕃𝕖𝕗𝕥 𝕋𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕤

Twenty Five

Time Skip; Daytona Road Course

After the exhilarating All-Star race at Bristol, the team was riding a wave of momentum as they prepared for the unique challenge of the Daytona road course, a substitution for Watkins Glen due to Covid restrictions.

Reflecting on recent performances, the team had been consistent, securing respectable finishes including twelfth at Texas, twelfth at Kansas, ninth at Loudon, and seventh and ninth place at the Michigan doubleheader. These results had Chase feeling optimistic about their prospects moving forward.

The prospect of racing on the Daytona road course thrilled Chase; it was uncharted territory for him and promised a fresh challenge. With no qualifying or practice sessions, drivers would have to rely on their instincts and adaptability, adding an extra layer of excitement to the event.

Despite the lack of traditional preparation, Chase found himself in a favorable starting position, seventh on the grid for the Go Bowling at the Daytona Road Course. It was a testament to his consistency throughout the season and the team's hard work.

Meanwhile, Bailey looked ahead to the upcoming races in Dover with anticipation. With the season beginning to settle into a more regular rhythm after Daytona, the prospect of returning to one race per week was met with enthusiasm by teams, reporters, and television crews alike. It signaled a return to the familiar cadence of the season and the opportunity for teams to focus their efforts on each event more thoroughly.

~~~

"Rain on the way?" Chase inquired anxiously over the crackle of the radio, his eyes flicking to the skies above as he and the other cars rumbled off of pit road, a sense of urgency in his tone.

Alan's voice crackled back through the speakers, his tone reassuring but cautious. "The weather looks fine for the moment," he confirmed, his eyes glued to the radar displayed on his laptop screen. "But you know how unpredictable it can be. Let's keep our fingers crossed."

~~~

A few laps into the race, the tension on the track escalated as the nineteen of Martin Truex Jr. and the eleven of Denny Hamlin made contact, sending Hamlin's car into a precarious left front tire rub.

"The eleven is fading. You were a second faster than him the last lap," Eddie's voice crackled over the radio, updating Chase on the unfolding drama.

"I see him," Chase responded, his eyes scanning the track ahead. "Looks like he's got a tire going down."

As Chase maneuvered through the twists and turns of the road course, on lap 13, fortune smiled upon him as Truex headed to pit road for four fresh tires and fuel, relinquishing the lead to Chase.

"Why wouldn't Truex stay out and win the stage?" Bailey queried, her curiosity piqued by the strategic intricacies of NASCAR's road courses.

"Typically, teams opt to pit just before the end of the stages for tires and fuel," Alan explained, seizing the opportunity to enlighten Bailey about the nuances of road course racing. "That way, during the stage break, they can stay out while others who didn't pit have to make their stop, often allowing those who pitted to shuffle to the front."

"But aren't stage points important?" Bailey queried, her brow furrowing with curiosity as she peered at the race data.

"Typically, yes, but road courses don't give much room for passing, so it's all a track position game," Eddie explained, his eyes fixed on the monitor displaying the race.

"Gotcha," Bailey nodded, swiftly typing out an update for the fans, keeping them informed about the running order of the race.

As Chase approached the start/finish line, Eddie leaned in and advised, "Alright, you'll come green checkered here."