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So fairly and cheating for a good cause And sometimes, in the heat of competition, I’ve slipped south of fair So I understand the te…don’t cheat me I take it personally

And I was pretty sure I hada red suit He was driving a flashy car with a big 69 painted on the side And he was going too fast I had my binoculars trained on hiht to the curve

I was standing on the flat roof of the Ho a bird’s-eye view of the scrubby Florida landscape Heat waves shimmered on the track below h-octane gas, and the euphoria NASCAR brings to a race I ith forty-two guys on the roof I was the only one on the roof wearing a pink lace thong At least I was al since I was the only feht black jeans and a Stiller Racing shirt The shirt had short sleeves, hite with black and gold trio was embroidered on the front The ee joke: Motor Mouth I’lossed, bleached blonde hispers into Hooker’s ear while he sweats his brains out in a black-and-gold fire-resistant jumpsuit each week

This week Hooker was running his black Metro-sponsored car around and around the Homestead 15-mile oval It was the last race of the season and I was looking forward to a change of pace I love irl just wants to shimmy into a sexy little dress and sip a cosmo at a restaurant that doesn’t feature barbecue Not that I don’t like barbecue, but I’d had a lot of it lately

Hooker’s voice was loud and clear in my headset “Earth to Motor Mouth Talk to me”

“I’o public”

“Are these thoughts about getting naked?” Hooker asked

“No, they’re about getting even”

“Listen, it was an accident, I swear I was drunk and I don’t re I don’t kno I ended up in bed with that salesclerk Darlin’, you know I love you”

Mental head slap “Not that, youabout the race”

Hooker got his start on Texas dirt tracks He’s raced open-wheel karts, trucks, and everything in between He’s e kid Sun-bleached blond hair, and a nice body that’s got some muscle and stands a couple inches taller than e kid is in Hooker’s eyes There are lines at the corners that tell his age and grit And there’s a depth that co from it

I’d done soh school Strictly local amateur stuff I’d wreck the cars, and then I’d fix thee in Balti theree instead Hooker isn’t worth anything as a mechanic, but he can really run a car I’ve worked as his spotter and also as part of his R & D team for an entire season, thirty-six Cup races, and I’ressive attitude and his ability to drive

There are those who question Hooker’s balls-to-brain ratio I’ve never seen an X-ray of his head, so I’er on his brain, but I’ve seen the other equipment in question and I’m pretty confident the ratio is two to one

I’d been involved in a romantic relationship with Hooker when I’d taken the job with Stiller And I’d been idiot enough to think the relationship was serious Hooker had proved otten splashed onto every tabloid I was now over Hooker…prettyI was currently serious about was

“You’ve done two hundred and forty-four laps,” I said “You have twenty-three laps to go The red sixty-nine car is four car lengths in front of you”

The 69 was sponsored by Lube-A-Lot and owned by Huevo Motor Sports, a Mexican powerhouse with ood cars, but so to put al technology

“Four car lengths,” Hooker said to ”

“I can tell you when it’s safe to pass, and when it’s okay to pit, and when there’s trouble ahead Being that I’m up here on the roof, and you’re down there on the track, and I’ve leftto be hard for ”