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“ Yes. But I won’ t drive them and they are just going to rot in here. There is a banked oval test track where the horse track used to be. The keys are in it. Take Justin for a spin,” Sam said and pointed at the half dozen helmets hanging on a rack.
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Eddie climbed behind the wheel and cranked the engine. Sam urged Justin toward the helmets. He grabbed a couple, returned and got into the passenger seat.“ How fast will that car go?” Tanya asked, hearing the deep growl of the engine.“ One eighty without much problem. Two twenty, but you really have to know the car. At least that is what John said,” Sam shrugged.“ Does he look good behind the wheel or what?” she asked Tanya and Nicole.“ Eddie you can’ t drive a hundred and eighty miles an hour with my son in the car,” Tanya yelled, as Eddie donned the head gear.“ I will be surprised if he hits one-twenty,” Sam said, jumping on the golf cart. Tanya and Nicole climbed on board.“ You don’ t know Eddie,” Tanya said.
The road that led to the track was wide and paved with smooth concrete. Eddie pulled out of the garage and stepped on the gas. The tires squealed. Eddie kept the car under control as he left a patch of rubber and the car fishtailed. The women followed the blue car with the white racing stripes and chrome roll bar.“ How fast are we going to go?” Justin asked, as they approached the track.“ Until one of us starts to scream. Buckle up,” Eddie said casually. Sam turned on the radar gun, aimed down the front straight away. The large digital display at the corner of the track came to life.“ John let his buddies try out their Porsche’ s and Ferrari’ s. They never came close to one-fifty.” After two laps the tires started to warm and Eddie began to push the accelerator. The car hugged the surface for a few more laps at the one-twenty mark. He felt the car move through the curves and pushed it down the back stretch. Sam was surprised when he topped out at one hundred and fifty-eight miles an hour. Tanya was a nervous wreck. Nicole stared in amazement.
The cart and three ladies arrived back at the garage as Eddie and Justin were climbing out of the parked vehicle.“ What a rush! I can’ t imagine going over two hundred miles an hour,” Eddie admitted. Tanya could not be mad at Eddie since Justin was safe and smiling from ear to ear. Eddie thought he might try a little faster without Justin in the car, if Sam didn’ t sell the car too quickly.“ John couldn’ t do it either. Mario Andretti showed him it could be done. John was part of his pit crew in‘ 93 when he won the IndiCar event in Phoenix,” Sam said as everyone milled about among the cars.“ Does this mean the car has twelve cylinders?” Tanya asked, looking at the markings on a maroon Jaguar. The small two-seat, cockpit sat behind a long nose.“ Get in,” Sam said, climbing into the passenger seat. Tanya sat in the black leather drivers seat.“ It’ s an automatic. Start it up,” Sam encouraged. Tanya turned the key and felt the smooth engine come to life.“ They have to be driven every once in a while, so do me a favor and take a few laps,” Sam said. Tanya eased the car from the garage and headed for the track. Eddie and the kids followed in the golf cart. Sam coached from the passenger seat, looking very relaxed.“ Now that you know how it handles, give it some gas. The car really hugs the road at a hundred. You are almost there anyway,” Sam said, glancing at the display that read eighty-seven.
The car seemed to lower itself and the steering became lighter as Tanya continued to make laps. Sam told her to feel the car and to stop looking at the speedometer.“ It’ s starting to feel loose,” Tanya said.“ It does that at one hundred and thirty,” Sam laughed. Tanya took her foot off the accelerator and looked at the track side digital read out that marked her top speed.“ Good job! Take it home,” Sam said. Tanya turned off the track and pulled into the barn.“ Mom. Where did you learn to drive like that?” Nicole asked, as Eddie parked the golf cart.“ When you were five and cut your hand on a broken glass,” Tanya said. Nicole still carried the scar where the curved shard sliced her palm and wrist. Helping Mommy clean the dishes, Nicole did not notice the cracked glass. The pressure of her tiny hand spinning inside the dirty glassware caused the pieces to separate. Tanya wrapped her hand in a towel as the dishwater turned crimson. Forty-six stitches put the skin back together after a mad dash to the hospital.