Return To Stadhaven 2

The tension in the pit was thick with anticipation, though a muted, drizzly gray still hung in the air despite the creeping noon. Luca sat on a bench in the Trampos Racing garage, head tilted back, his gaze on the ceiling as he listened to the steady thrum of heavy metal in his ears—a personal ritual to settle his nerves. But his focus was broken when a teammate leaned over, breaking into his solitude.

"You've got 33% backing you today, Luca. They've put your name at the top of their list," the crew member urged, his voice somewhere between motivation and pleading. "If you can't win it for anything, win it for us. That 33% aren't clueless—they know why they put their money on you."

Luca gave a crooked smile, the hint of a smirk. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, McCauley interrupted from behind, shoving the over-eager crew member aside with a scoff.