Trackside

Who Is This Girl?

Chick isn't prepared to handle Cruz in an interview.

___

"What's her name again?"

"Cruz. Cruz Ramirez."

Chick stared at his assistant as if he was speaking a different language. The retiree was to present the trophy to Cruz in Victory Lane in five minutes, and for the first time, he had nothing - no background, no race history, nothing to bring up and discuss.

"You could just give her the trophy, congratulate her, and drive off-stage." the forklift offered. "That's what most presenters do."

"No, no, no." Chick shot him down immediately. "This is being broadcast through my studio. I have to get as much dirty laundry out to my viewers as I can."

His assistant just shrugged and started to drive back to their reporter's trailer. "You're on your own then."

Chick grumbled under his breath and made his way to the back of the stage. A race official gave him the trophy without so much as acknowledging him, further dampening his mood. For there being so many other cars around celebrating his life's sport, he felt isolated and ignored. He missed being the star of the spotlight. Being a presenter and show host just wasn't the same.

Another official gave him the green light to go ahead and make his appearance. Chick let out a pent up breath and put on his best interviewer face as he drove around the backdrop to the front of the stage with her trophy.

Cruz was just sitting there in the center of the platform, smiling for the cameras, completely caught up in the moment. She didn't notice the older racecar until he purposefully caught her attention. He cleared his throat and pushed the trophy towards her so that it sat in between them.

"Oh!" she was surprised, and backed up to face him. However she stopped before she looked at him, utterly enamored at the sparking gold statue that stood before her.

"Champion for the ages, Chick Hicks here." he started in on his signature introduction, looking towards the sea of cameras. "I'm here today with Cruz Ramirez, after what was probably one of the biggest upsets in the history of - "

"Oh my gosh!" Cruz interrupted, finally recognizing him beyond the trophy.

Chick paused, caught off guard. The racers of this generation usually didn't cut him off, and he found himself unprepared to deal with it. Luckily for him, Cruz also liked to talk.

"I know you!" she continued, acting as if the press wasn't there, recording everything. "You host that one show on RSN! And you've been voted most ruthless racer eight times! Eight!"

"Uh, yeah, well, I'm flattered, but - "

"You know, Mr. McQueen told me to watch out for cars like you." she was toying with him at this point. She knew full well who he was and what he was up to, and she wasn't about to let him trash talk her or her mentor.

"Speaking of, you're the new replacement for ol' Kachow, eh?" Chick saw his opportunity and took it. "After a win like that, Cruz, your legacy is gonna leave his in the dust! Just like that old town he - "

"Oh no, I'm no replacement." Cruz interrupted again. "I can only dream of being as absolutely legendary as him. But don't get me wrong, I intend on learning all his techniques so I can be my best for team Dinoco."

The crowd went crazy, shouting questions and blinding them with camera flashes. Cruz's attention was again drawn away from Chick.

"Yeah! That's right!" she announced, confirming rather than bragging. "I'm not going to race for the Rusteze team, not under the current management anyway. I've been offered the spot on team Dinoco, and you bet I'm gonna take it! It's the opportunity of a lifetime!"

"Wha - Dinoco?" Chick was for once completely speechless. He looked across the crowd. They were all focused on Cruz, this newcomer that got the sponsorship he'd always dreamed of, but was never offered. In the distance he saw McQueen talking to Cal and the King in front of the Dinoco tent. Things truly were changing, and for the first time, he began to feel old.

"Yeah!" Cruz heard him utter 'Dinoco', and thus remembered she was being interviewed. "Isn't it crazy? I never would have been able to do any of this without Mr. McQueen supporting me all the way. He's the best mentor I could have ever asked for."

"Huh." Chick was still at a loss, his fear of being shamed in public starting to eat away at him. He looked from her to the trophy and back again. Maybe his assistant hadn't had such a bad idea after all. He reached out to push the trophy towards her a little more, watching her grin grow even larger.

"Here you go, Cruz. You deserve this one." he said a gentler tone, turning to go back stage again. "Keep up the good work, we'll be watching."

"Thanks, Chick!" she beamed, and unsure what else to say as he left, added on a well-wish. "Good luck with your show!"

Her last statement pierced straight through his charade and hit some untouched chord in the back of his mind. No one had ever wished him luck, no one that mattered, anyway. He almost smiled. Maybe she really did deserve that sponsorship.