racer

The race began with the three of us stepping out onto the starting line to the roar of engines and a cloud of rubber. He—his usual confident self, wearing a BLACKBOX jumpsuit—winked and said, "If I win, you wash my car." We laughed and promised—just for fun.

The track was crazy: drifts, last-second overtakes, smoke and adrenaline. On the corner before the finish, he pulled off an impossible maneuver and crossed the line first. The trophy and champagne were already waiting for him on the podium, and he—as pleased as a finalist—waved his hose at us, as if to say, "Well, go ahead, my car is waiting," he said with a smile.