Jake Maddox - Stock Car Sabotage

Jake Maddox Books are published by Stone Arch Books
1710 Roe Crest Drive
North Mankato, Minnesota 56003
www.capstonepub.com

Copyright 2010 by Stone Arch Books

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Maddox, Jake.
Stock car sabotage / by Jake Maddox; text by Eric Stevens; illustrated by Sean Tiffany.
p. cm. (Impact books. A Jake Maddox sports story (on the speedway))
ISBN 978-1-4342-1603-8 (library binding)
ISBN 978-1-4342-8888-2 (ebook)
[1. Stock car racingFiction. 2. Automobile racingFiction.]
I. Stevens, Eric, 1974 II. Tiffany, Sean, ill. III. Title.
PZ7.M25643Stj 2010
[Fic]dc22
2009004291

Creative Director: Heather Kindseth
Graphic Designer: Hilary Wacholz

CHAPTER 1

In garage 9 at the River City Raceway, Danny Mason pushed a broom across the floor. He wasnt doing much good sweeping though. His attention was on the TV monitors that lined the walls. Come on, Cole! he shouted at the TVs.

Dannys older brother, Clean Cole Mason, was driving car 9. Todays race was the River City classic. Cole had to do well if he hoped to win the series of races.

Now he was in third place. It was good enough to stay high in overall league standings. But Danny still hoped his brother would come in first.

Before long, the checkered flag was waving as Harvey Nickel in car 14 drove across the finish line. Close behind him was Scott Stanley in car 11.

Clean Cole Mason came in third.

Darn! Danny said to himself. Still, Cole had done well. He was one of the best racers on the regional circuit. If he kept racing the way he had for the last few months, hed make it to NASCAR for sure.

Danny dropped the broom. He jogged out of the garage to wave at his brother as car 9 pulled in.

The car came to a stop in the garage.

Some of the pit crew helped Cole climb out. Great race, Cole! Danny called out. He gave his brother a high five.

Thanks, bro, Cole said. He pulled off his helmet. He was smiling, but Danny could tell his brother wasnt feeling very happy.

Are you disappointed about coming in third? Danny asked.

Cole shook his head slowly. Harvey Nickel, he said. Hes just too good.

You havent been able to beat him this series, have you? Danny asked.

No, Cole answered. I mean, Scott Stanley is no big deal. I think were well matched. I outrace him sometimes, and he outraces me sometimes. But Harvey... I just cant seem to pass him.

Do you think he has a better machine? Danny asked.

He had noticed that a lot of the guys in the pit crews said machine when they talked about cars. Danny wanted to sound like all of the other guys.

I think our machines are about even, Cole replied.

Maybe you should let me on the pit crew! Danny said. Ill cut your pit time in half.

Cole laughed. You know youre too young to be in the pit crew, Danny, he said. Youre only fourteen. Wait a couple of years.

Danny shrugged. It was worth a shot, he said. So why does Harvey keep winning?

Cole put a gloved hand on his little brothers shoulder. Some drivers, he said, are just better than others. But, boy, Id do just about anything to beat him once.

CHAPTER 2

The following weekend, race time came around again. This time, the Mason boys were at the Lakeville Speedway.

You ready to race, Cole? Danny asked.

Cole pulled on his helmet as the pit crew pushed car 9 out of the garage.

Sure am, Danny, Cole replied. I have a really good feeling about the race today. I just know Im going to beat Harvey Nickel this time.

Danny patted his brother on the back and headed into the garage to watch the race on the TV monitors.

About halfway through the race, Danny stood in the garage. He was leaning on his push broom, staring at the monitors.

He watched car 9, Clean Coles car. Cole was driving hard, but just like last week, he couldnt pass Harvey Nickel.

Suddenly, Danny felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned.

It was Jim Yolk, one of the new guys on Coles pit crew. Danny knew that Jim was the eighth man on the crew.

Normally, only seven men were allowed over the wall and onto the track during a pit stop. Sometimes, though, an eighth man could go over.

The eighth man wasnt allowed to do everything. He could only do things like bring water for the driver or clean the windshield.

Most of the time, though, Jim didnt have anything to do during a pit stop.

Jim was a tall, broad man, and he smiled all the time. It wasnt a nice smile, though. It was creepy. Danny thought there was something weird about him.

Hi, Danny, Jim said.

Hi, Danny replied.

Your brother is really giving his all out there today, Jim went on, glancing at the TV monitors.

I guess so, Danny said. He already has Scott Stanley beat. I know he wants to beat Harvey Nickel, too.

Jim winked. He sure does, he said. Id say hed do just about anything to beat Harvey Nickel, wouldnt you?

Danny shrugged. I dont know, he said. He thought about it for a moment. Well, I dont think hed do anything .

Jim patted Dannys shoulder and turned to leave. Well, dont worry too much, Jim said. I have a feeling hes going to win this race.

With that, Jim Yolk headed back to his place with the pit crew.

Danny watched the rest of the race closely. With three laps to go, Harvey was still in first place, and Cole was still in second. They led the pack by a long way, but Cole was no closer to getting around Harvey.

I guess Jim was wrong, Danny mumbled to himself.

But suddenly, as Harvey came around a curve, his engine cut out completely. Car 14 just rolled to a stop!

Danny gasped as Cole sped toward the stopped car. His brother was a great driver. He was able to steer around the stopped car and take the lead.

But the third-place driver, Lou Dyver in car 5, couldnt swerve in time. He rear-ended Harveys car, sending both cars into the wall!

CHAPTER 3

After the crash, the warning flag came down right away, and the other drivers slowed to a stop. Moments later, Harvey and Lou climbed out of their cars and waved to the crowd. They were both okay, but out of the race.

Danny sighed with relief. At least no one was hurt, he said to himself.

Soon the race started again, with only two laps to go. Cole won easily.

Car 9 pulled into the garage. Danny watched as the crowd went crazy.

How about that, Danny? Cole said after he climbed out of the car. Lucky break, huh?