Liam sits inside his Civic Type R, adjusting his helmet in preparation for the race. The announcer's voice booms over the PA system as the racers line up at the starting point.
Announcer: ¡Corredores y observadores! Prepárense, la carrera comienza en 20 segundos. (Racers and spectators! Prepare yourselves. The race starts in 20 seconds.)
Liam lines up in his designated spot as his fellow racers eye him, sizing up the competition. None of them believe a street racer belongs on the same level as a professional. Logan had warned him that his "kind" wasn't respected in the pro scene, but Liam is eager to prove them wrong. As he gets in the zone, the engine of his Civic Type R whirs with aggression. The announcer begins the countdown.
Announcer: Diez, nueve, ocho, siete, seis, cinco, cuatro, tres, dos, uno... ¡Vamos! (Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one... Go!)
The moment the announcer yells "Go!", a confetti cannon fires, but the sound is drowned out by the deafening roar of engines as all the cars launch off the starting line. Smoke billows from screeching tires, briefly clouding Liam's vision, but he powers through. He finds himself in the middle of the pack, accelerating down the first straight alongside the other racers. Spotting a narrow gap between a Mitsubishi Evo and an Audi RS7, Liam makes a split-second decision to push through, narrowly squeezing between them without making contact. The announcer immediately takes notice.
Announcer: ¡Ay Dios mío! ¡Mira eso! ¡Un adelantamiento temprano de Liam Allard en el Civic Type R! (Oh my God! Look at that! An early overtake by Liam Allard in the Civic Type R!)
Logan's voice crackles through the radio.
Logan: Nice! Good job, Liam, but don't take unnecessary risks. We can't have you crashing.
Liam: I got this!
The racers approach the "Elf" turn, braking sharply to navigate through it. However, the Volkswagen GTI ahead of Liam brakes too late and skids off into the grass but avoids crashing. Liam seizes the opportunity to take the GTI's lost position.
Announcer: ¡El número treinta y cuatro se ha salido de la pista! ¡Ay! (Number 34 has gone off the track! Yikes!)
Logan: Oof, unlucky. Don't worry about racers who crash, alright, Liam? This is the pro scene—you'll see a lot of incidents.
Liam: No worries! I'm not stressing!
Shifting into fourth gear as he exits the turn, Liam finds himself blocked by the car in front of him, preventing him from overtaking. As they approach the "Renault" turn at high speed, he notices a Mercedes AMG GT hugging the inside line too tightly. Spotting a weakness, Liam moves to the outside, preparing to overtake. The AMG driver quickly reacts and blocks him, but Liam fakes left before swiftly cutting right, creating a small gap. He seizes the opening, riding the apex and flooring the gas pedal. His Civic roars with power as he surges past the Mercedes. The crowd erupts in cheers.
Announcer: ¡Un bonito adelantamiento del número siete al número setenta y seis! (A beautiful overtake by number seven on number seventy-six!)
Logan: Holy—! Liam, you're killing it! I feel like you actually want to win this, don't you?
Liam: It may be an exhibition round, but I'm treating it like a real race.
Logan: Spoken like a true racer! You're in fourth. Keep it up!
The racers approach the "Repsol" turn. In front of Liam, the WRX attempts to drift around the corner. Liam capitalizes on this, drifting right behind him, staying close but unable to pass. The WRX driver starts to feel the pressure as they approach "Seat". Waiting for his moment, Liam watches the WRX initiate another drift. The instant it does, he veers left, taking the inside line while the WRX slides wide on the right. He slingshots past, securing third place.
Announcer: ¡Liam Allard, el novato, ha conseguido el tercer puesto! ¿Conseguirá su primera victoria? (Liam Allard, the rookie, has taken third place! Will he claim his first victory?)
Logan: Good! Good! Keep it up!
At the "Würth" turn, Liam observes the BMW M8 ahead taking a unique racing line. He studies the driver's approach, waiting for an opportunity. As they near the next turn, "Campsa", the M8 begins its early turn-in. Recognizing his chance, Liam slams the gas and rides the curb. The M8 driver, seeing Liam on his right, is forced to brake to avoid a collision, giving Liam the position.
Announcer: ¡Guau! ¡Un adelantamiento arriesgado de Liam Allard! (Wow! A risky overtake by Liam Allard!)
Logan: Jesus, Liam! That was risky! Don't do that again! But... good job.
Liam: Don't worry, Logan. I'm in full control of this car.
Approaching the "La Caixa" turn, the Mustang ahead of Liam brakes too late, losing control. It slides off the track into the dirt, then flips and smashes into the tire wall. Liam is momentarily shocked but stays focused, realizing he's now in second place.
Announcer: ¡No! ¡Un gran desastre en La Caixa! (No! A huge crash at La Caixa!)
Logan: Keep going, Liam! Don't worry about him!
Liam: I'm not.
Logan: Good—keep it that way!
Now in second place, Liam locks onto the race leader—an Aston Martin Vantage with the number 17. The Vantage accelerates hard out of the "Banc Sabadell" turn, creating a small gap, but Liam pushes his Civic to the limit, keeping up. As they approach "Europcar", the Aston Martin brakes early, allowing Liam to draft behind him. Coming into the final turn, "New Holland", Liam makes his move. He dives to the inside, initiating a perfect drift. His rear bumper nearly clips the Vantage, forcing the driver to back off slightly—just enough for Liam to slip ahead.
Announcer: ¡Ay Dios mío! ¡Liam Allard llegó a primera! ¡El novato! ¡Un novato! ¡Ha vencido a estos corredores profesionales en su propio juego! (Oh my God! Liam Allard has taken first! The rookie! A rookie! Has beaten these pro racers at their own game!)
Logan cheers wildly through the headset.
Logan: Woo! Holy—! Oh my God! Liam! Liam! Oh my God! You won! I can't believe it!
Liam lets out a triumphant cheer as he crosses the finish line.
Liam: Oh my God! I did it! I really did it!
The crowd erupts into a frenzy, jumping from their seats and cheering for Liam.
YOU ARE READING
Start Small, End Big.
AdventureLiam is an average car lover who could name every manufacturer without looking at their logo. Having recently gotten his driver license, he's poised in making it to the motorsports scene. His parents barely support him, but they still understand. Ho...
