CH011 Practice Race

Max's POV

Pulling up to the airfield I quickly checked to see if anyone was watching before changing forms into my P-51. Taxing to the runway I quickly took off into the air pulling straight up into a vertical climb.

Behind me I could see the airfield getting smaller and smaller as I reached higher Into the clouds and broke through to the 'Highway in The Skies'.

As I broke through, the wind came like a storm. Pushing against my body and taking me with the stream. As I was still pointed straight up, the wind took full control over me, like as if I was a sail, and I started moving forward while still pointing straight up. Pulling my nose down I picked up speed and reached speeds that made me look like a blur zipping past.

"WOOHOOOOO YEAH BABY!!!"

Screaming out with exhilaration as I sped off, dipping and rolling and performing tricks. When I finally controlled myself I looked down to see Dusty coming around getting ready for his last run on the course before the day ended.

Rolling over inverted I pulled into a vertical nosedive, the air screaming past me at high speeds, smirking to myself I changed a small section of my underbelly to create a decent sized Stuka dive bomber siren inside a sealed compartment, once completed I opened the small doors allowing air to rush into it and the iconic Stuka scream rang out in the countryside.

***Dusty's POV***

Today was the last day before qualifying and the last time going through the course. Everything was normal

Too normal….

Anyway as I lined up to go for my last run I listened to skipper motivate me to give it my all.

When suddenly!! A loud piercing siren went off overhead, freaking out, I could hear skipper and sparky gasp and yell "STUKA!!", and before I knew it a shadow and a blur went past me. Pulling up in front of me was none other then the P-51 that we had been looking for the past days!!

I could hear him laugh over the radio and smirk at me cause of the little joke he pulled, however I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

I raced after him as we entered the course, my revs right up in the red, my engine screaming as we entered the silos. sticking behind him, I watched as he performed an impossible perfect turn through the silos. It was like he glided from side to side in order to go around them. His speed neither decreased or increased. It was like he was waiting and watching.

Waiting and watching me!! He was testing me!!

Pushing myself I kept up with him as we shot out of the silos and through the pastures, our speed creating wind and tipping over tractors as we passed them.

I was pushing myself into and over the red line as we began our climb over the river. Climbing above the river we both inverted and began our dive towards the ground and finish line on the other side of the river.

Coming down into the straight away we were both neck and neck with him being slightly in front. As we were rushing towards the finish line, out of the corner of my eye I could see a shadow flicker into view as we went past it and left it behind us.

-Meanwhile up in the sky-

An unsuspecting freight carrier was minding their own business flying along the countryside, singing along and listening to Shake It Off, by Taylor 'Suzuki' swift.

-Back To The Race- (Dusty's POV)

As the finish line sped towards us, I couldn't gain anymore on the plane, I could hear the guys yelling and cheering me on, looking down I could see I was fully in the red, maxed out, full torque if you will. I knew I wouldn't win this one.

However I knew that I was getting better. In just these few days I went from falling behind and this plane leaving me in the dust, to sitting right on his tail as we cross the finish line set out.

"Hahaha" laughing out loud, i watched as he slowed down.

"What are you laughing at?" He asked, tho he still had a smirk on his face

"Dude… I almost had you!!"

He just smiles even more and says "it doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile, 'Winnings Wining'"

(A/N :Fast and Furious BABY!!)

"Come on slowpoke let's get back to ground, we've got to rest if we're qualifying for the big race tomorrow."

Confused how he knew I asked, "how did you know I was training for the race?"

He just looks over at me and looks at me skeptically with his eyes squinting, "you know you guys aren't the quietest around here, yeah?" "I could hear you guys talking about it for the past couple of days, even outside my motel room window. Specially that fuel truck. He doesn't stop talking!!"

-3rd POV-

Dusty looked away sheepishly "yeah, Chug can get carried away when excited, sorry."

As Max and Dusty came around the airfield in line they could see Skipper and the others waiting by the end of the runway.

Dusty spoke, "well looks like everyone really wants to meet you, finally."

As they both came into land, Skipper, Sparky and Chug pulled up to them while they were still on the runway.

In the end max ended up introducing himself as a travelling veteran, who just wanted to test himself in the Wings Around The Globe Rally and happened to stop at Propwash Junction along the way when he noticed them training.

Dusty and the rest told max that they were going to head over to the Airfield where qualifying would be held the next day, but Max had plans to leave tonight and sleep there in a room he had called ahead for.