//------------------------------// // The Teacher // Story: Run That Race // by The Unseen //------------------------------// 25TH SEPTEMBER 2023 ------RICH RACING HEADQUARTERS, LAGUNA SECA CIRCUIT------ It was now 10:00am here in California. Soaring Surfer was at the headquarter track of one of the rival teams in the 2024 season of the FIA Road Car World Championship. In this case, it was Laguna Seca, the home of Rich Racing. The team was owned by Filthy Rich, a Canterlot-based businessman who was known to Surfer as a spa magnate. He was also into heavily into motorsports. His team, Rich Racing, had also participated in Formula 1, Formula 2, and WRC. The team had won two WRC championships, three Formula 2 championships, and a lone Formula 1 championship, so they were pretty good. The team's star driver was Rash Rider, which, by his name, told everything about his personality. Rash Rider was known for being quite a dangerous driver sometimes, but he had driven for Rich Racing in the lone season of Formula 1 where they had taken the championship. He was quite a good driver. However, he also came from a rich family, and had pretty much bought his way into his first racing team, when he was still a rookie in Formula 3. He had also bought his way into Rich Racing as well. Rich Racing's other driver had also gotten into the sport the same way. Both their primary drivers were just rich brats who had bought their way into motorsports. This was the first foray for Rich Racing into racing sports cars, and for this, they had gotten the best. As Surfer drove his rented Lincoln Navigator into Laguna Seca, he saw Rich Motorsports' new cars taking their test laps. Rich Motorsports had gotten themselves some Ferrari 296 GT3s for this. However, they had been covered with the camouflage that car companies used when they road-tested new cars, so all that Surfer could tell was that they were Ferraris. They had been the first team on the grid to already get their new cars, despite the fact that the first race was in March. All of the other teams wouldn't be getting their cars until December or even January. The reason Surfer was here was because of the condition put forward by Porsche as part of the deal to supply cars to Thunderbolt Motorsports. He wanted to recruit a skilled racing driver as a training driver as part of their gamer recruitment program. However, all of the drivers he had contacted so far were not willing to join Surfer, because they felt his idea was either downright ridiculous or straight-up dangerous. Now, only one was left on the list, and he was working here, at Rich Racing. As he continued driving, meanwhile, in the Rich Racing pits, the man Surfer was looking for, was lying under the third Rich Racing Ferrari, which had suffered a transmission issue, and had been taken off track. He was currently trying to figure out why the car's transmission case had cracked. He had orange skin, and brown hair. His name was Comet Flash, and he happened to be a former Formula 1 driver. He was now working as one of the top mechanics for Rich Racing. As Surfer pulled his Navigator into the parking lot, he knew the reason why a former F1 driver was now working as a mechanic, at a team like Rich Racing, despite his apprehensions. Surfer knew that when he used to race, Comet Flash had hated rich drivers who had bought their way into motorsports. Surfer walked into the main building of Rich Racing, where he was greeted by the receptionist. "Hi, what can I do for you, Sir?" asked the receptionist. "Well, young lady, I'm here to see a man by the name of Comet Flash. He's one of your pit crew." replied Surfer. "Ah, I see. I'll inform Mr. Flash that you have arrived." said the receptionist, grabbing her telephone, and began phoning. In the pits, the pit boss got the phone, and called up Comet Flash from under the Ferrari. "Yo, Comet, some guy in a suit has come to see you. Make it quick. Rider wants that car fixed by the end of the day." said the pit boss. "Okay, tell him to come to the pits, I'll meet him there." said Flash, sliding out from under the Ferrari. He went off to grab a towel and wipe up, before meeting Surfer. At the entrance, the receptionist told Surfer that he could go to the pits to meet Flash. Surfer thanked her and went off towards the pits. At exactly 10:30am, Surfer and Comet Flash met up outside the pits, near the pit lane. They watched one of the Rich Racing Ferraris come back in for a quick change of tires and fuel, before it went out for another few laps. "Alright, what were you talking about on the phone yesterday? You seemed stressed." said Flash. "Well, yes, I am. My team is new, and I am taking a very big gamble with the plan I have in mind." said Surfer. "What is this plan?" asked Flash. Surfer quickly briefed Flash about the plan, and his eyes widened in surprise. "What is the team getting out of this, huh? More PR, and being called crazy?! You want to take some kid who plays a video game in his or her bedroom, and putting them in a machine capable of going more than two hundred miles per hour? It'll tear them to pieces!" "These players have clocked more track time than you have in your whole career. Plus, our plan convinced one car manufacturer. Porsche is supplying us the cars for the season, provided we hire a certified chief engineer and training driver, which is why I contacted you." said Surfer. "Damn, I can't believe you convinced Porsche to get you the cars with this plan of yours. You do realise that if someone messes up out on a track in real life, they can't just hit reset!" said Flash. "Well, that's where you come in. You're going to train them to drive real racecars, and the best one will be our second driver for the season. We can't get a reserve driver, however, as all of the wildcard slots for this season are filled." "Look, it's been almost nine years since I last raced, and I'm not sure I've got the skills to train someone, especially people who haven't driven a racecar before." "Well, you're my only choice. You were a pretty good driver back in the day." "Are you sure I'M your only choice? I've been a mechanic for almost nine years! Did you try any other drivers, ones who still race?" asked Flash. Surfer just sighed at that. That was when Flash realised. "None of the other drivers you called were willing, huh?" "Yes." sighed Surfer. "But look at this! Don't you want to take racing away from these arrogant pricks, who can just buy it all?!" asked Surfer, trying to motivate Flash. "Well, I'll have to think about it. I'll call and tell you my decision later." said Flash, heading back towards the pits. Surfer hoped that Flash would respond to his decision, or else, it was game over for Thunderbolt Motorsports. He thought about this as he walked out of the place, to his Navigator, which was parked outside, and drove back to his hotel in the city of Monterey, which was twenty minutes from Laguna Seca. Meanwhile, Flash headed back towards his place in the pits, and got back under the Ferrari, where he had figured out the issue. The transmission case on the car was cracked. It was due to Rash Rider cutting a track corner and hitting a cone. Despite the fact he hated rich kids like Rash Rider, the reason he was working at Rich Motorsports was to keep afloat in these times, as he had no intention of actually racing again. But still, he hated rich kids like Rash Rider. They had all just used their money to buy their way into racing without much actual skill, were hot-headed, drover recklessly, and always mistreated their cars. All they cared about was winning at all costs, even if they killed someone. Later that night, the main parts of Rich Motorsports, including Rash Rider and Comet Flash, headed into Monterey for dinner at a very fancy Italian restaurant there. Filthy Rich would be meeting them there to discuss how well the team's performance for the 2024 season was going. Flash drove there in his car, a brand-new bright blue Toyota Supra Mk. 5, while Rash Rider was chauffeured there in a black Rolls-Royce Cullinan, along with his teammate. They had also changed their clothes, from their work wear to suits. Flash was wearing a blue suit with a white tie, while Rash Rider was wearing a black suit with a black tie. On arriving at the restaurant, he noticed a few other fancy cars there, including a white Rolls-Royce Phantom, a purple Lamborghini Huracan, and a white and black Bugatti Veyron, which Flash recognised as Filthy Rich's car. Flash felt a little regretful, parking his humble Supra next to cars like the Veyron and Cullinan. It reminded him what he could have been, had he not quit racing. If not for that one fateful day, he would have been at this level. Fancy cars, a mansion in Malibu, probably running his own team. Almost nine years since that day. Flash remembered that day. Lying upside-down in his flipped car, with rescue staff gathering around. Just a few laps were left, he was in second, and had a pretty good lead on the guy in third. He could have just been satisfied with a podium finish. But no, he had to be too pushy for the win, didn't he?. Flash quickly blinked away the memories of that horrifying day, straightened his tie as he got out of his Supra, locked the car, and walked into the restaurant. Everyone was taking their places, including Filthy Rich, who was already waiting for them. He was wearing his classic apparel, a blue suit, and a red tie with a dollar sign emblazoned on it. "Alright, team. How is our progress for the inaugural season of the FIA Road Car World Championship?" asked Filthy Rich. "Good, Mr. Rich. Testing is going good. I still don't understand why you wanted us to get our cars now, even though the season doesn't start till March. Also, how did you persuade Ferrari to already deliver our cars?" asked the crew chief. "Well, I just paid them an advance to get the cars to us early. Also, I want you to get to know your cars better. The other teams will be getting their cars later, so we will have an advantage in knowing your driving techniques better. That way, we will have a chance at taking the championship. Last year, we didn't have that great a season in Formula 1 and WRC. This year, in this new championship, we will. You're a good driver, Rider." said Filthy Rich. At that statement, Flash had the 'I ain't so sure about that' face, which Rash Rider noticed. "You got something to say, mechanic?!" asked Rash Rider, angrily. "Well, you were a little slow coming out of Turn 8. You had to push it there, that, and you managed to crack the transmission case by going wide and hitting that cone. Look, you're a good driver, Rash, but, you get emotional, and that messes up your perf-" said Flash, as Rash Rider banged the table angrily, shaking the plates, and making everyone look at him. "Look, if I want racing advice, I'll talk to my crew chief, not some old man who couldn't make it out there all those years ago!" shouted Rash Rider angrily. That made everyone except for Comet Flash laugh. Instantly, he got up from his seat. "I quit. I got a job offer, and I'm taking it. I'm done at Rich Racing." said Flash, as he put on his suit jacket, and stormed out of the restaurant. As he headed towards his Supra, he called Surfer's number on his phone. The second Surfer answered, Flash spoke. "Hey, Surfer. I'm taking up your offer. I'm training your gamers. Just show me what they can do. I'm going home to pack up, and then book the first flight to Canterlot City." "Oh. What changed at Rich Racing?" asked Surfer. "I'll tell you at the Thunderbolt Motorsports HQ. I'm just sick of rich kids in motorsports." said Flash, hanging up, as he climbed into his Supra, and turned the car on. The car's BMW-sourced six-cylinder engine roared to life, and Flash peeled the Supra out of the restaurant's parking lot, heading towards his house in Monterey, as if he were reliving his days as a racing driver. Flash had one goal now. To show the world that you didn't need to be rich to enter the world of motorsports.