Chapter 53
Chapter 53:
“How could this happen?” A surge of disbelief overtook Phillip. Fury boiling over, he slammed his fist against the pit rail, leaving a sharp dent in the alloy as metal groaned beneath his knuckles.
Stacey offered a shaky reassurance from behind, fingers nervously twisting the hem of her suit. “Don’t worry, Phillip. We haven’t lost yet p>
Determination etched into his jaw, Phillip locked his eyes on the gap closing between Jake and Britton’s lead. “Jake, do not let Britton’s team claim the first lap advantage. They’re closing in — find a way to hold them off p>
The message was crystal clear to Jake. All the other teams faded into the background; Britton’s drivers were the only real threat. Buying time against them meant that hope for victory remained.
Spotting Jake’s strategic move, Rylie caught on immediately and warned, “Heads up — Jake’s coming up behind you. He’ll try something risky. Make room p>
“If I let him through, I’ll lose momentum and forfeit our lead,” the team’s lead driver sneered, his voice tight with uncertainty.
Rylie didn’t flinch. “Trust the plan. We can sacrifice a little time — keeping everyone safe is the priority p>
She understood all too well the kind of desperation that would drive Phillip to bend the rules.
Britton threw his support behind Rylie, saying, “You heard her — follow the boss.” Reluctance written all over him, the lead driver eased off, letting Jake slide ahead so they finished the lap neck and neck for third and fourth place.
Thunder rumbled as the race pressed on, and the rain only fell harder.
Cutting through the storm, Anna Foster — Britton’s third driver — put on a masterclass in precision, nailing every drift in a series of S-curves and surging up to second place.
Britton’s excitement was evident as he drummed his fingers across the screen. “Anna’s tearing it up! We’re only one and a half seconds from the lead now!” From her post in the pit, Rylie wiped rain from her goggles, listening as Britton kept his eyes on the weather feed. “Looks like it’s finally clearing up on the summit p>
A thoughtful frown creased Rylie’s brow. “I doubt it. When I flew in by helicopter, I saw a thick cloud mass building over the summit. I’d bet hail’s on the way p>
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With a sly grin, Britton replied, “Their team’s rookie hasn’t raced in weather this brutal. If she ends up running the final lap like you predict, they’re in real trouble.” Earlier laps saw Britton’s and Phillip’s crews racing side by side, their times separated by mere fractions.
That neck-and-neck struggle was all part of Rylie’s plan. She’d timed her last run to coincide with Stacey’s, pitting them head-to-head and making any gap between them crystal clear.
By the time the fifth lap brought the field to the mountain’s peak, the sky that had looked promising just moments before had darkened. Only a dozen cars remained.
Raindrops thickened, transforming into marble-sized hail that hammered the vehicles with every hit.
“Boss, I can barely see ten yards in front of me!” the fifth driver, Chad Blake, reported shakily through the communicator. “Braking distance has increased at least threefold p>
Eyes fixed on the data, Rylie kept her composure. “Smooth on the throttle. Let your instincts guide you. Start slowing down a good 200 yards before turn seven — don’t risk it p>