The Daytona 500
The door of the truck lowers down and reveals the fire breathing machine I’ll use to try and win this race. I start the engine. VROOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!!! I roll out of the truck, the fans pour into the pit to see the roaring car. My 425 hp Plymouth Superbird runs to the garage quickly. My crew gas up and refit tyres onto my car. The special announcer, yells “ Drivers, start your engines!” Vroom!Vroom!Vroom!Vroom!Vroom! All the cars are screaming at the top of their pistons. The cars race out in order of qualification. I’m starting 30th of the 48 cars. The pace car, a 2014 corvette stingray, carefully leads us around the tri-oval . The green flag waves. “BOOGITY BOOGITY BOOGITY BOYS!!” Shouts the commentator. The cars roar across the line. I’ve already passed 2 cars! It’s going to be a long race.
Lap 79
“ Alright boys, time to pit. We’ll grab some back tyres, 25 litres of fuel and 5 litres of water so he can survive the race.” Shouts my crew chief Dan Inman. I’m racing around the 2nd turn and someone blows a tyre! POOF! He starts rolling and I swerve just in time to avoid him and three others he hit. Bad news is, I end up spinning onto the infield. Dirt is flying everywhere. Dan see’s this and says “ Logan, you can take the yellow flag as an advantage to pit, then you could race out in front of the pace car.” I get going again. I sprint into the pits. The squeaking sound of the tyre guns ring in my ears. Faintly I hear the sloshing of the water getting poured into the tank. GLUG GLUG GLUG! The pace car is coming around one last time. I get going at max pit speed to beat the pace car. It’s going to be close. I get past the pit and I gas it. I just beat the pace car. I rev the car as fast as it will go. Green flag! I roar across the line. VROOM! I race around and around the tri-oval.
Lap 195, 6 laps to go.
I’m in second place. Right behind the 1979 Chevrolet Impala. I’m 3.56 seconds behind and gaining. 2 seconds, 1 second then, BANG! I blew a flat. I have to retreat to the pits. My team quickly change the tyre and off I go.
198, 3 laps to go.
I come out back in second because we were so far in front. I still have a bit to catch up. I roar around turn 1 I’m catching up. 3 seconds 2 seconds 1 second. As we cross the line onto lap 199, I pass him. I rev the car hard, I speed away but I realise I’m running out of fuel and the 88 is catching up. I gas it. Coming around turn 5. Across the line. White flag is out, final lap. Dan says to me, “ Come on Logan, one lap to go.” Turn 1, I slide to block Earnhardt jr, big mistake. I was to close now I am spinning. I start drifting and I get back on track just behind Dale jr. We come out of turn 2 and I gas it. Once again I get passed. Turn 3. I change from 5th gear to 6th. I fully pass Dale jr. Turn 5. Coming around the final turn there is 13 centimetres between me and the 88. I see the checkered flag waving. I take the 1st place! I win the the Daytona 500!.
