The Future of Racing

Mickey's team had been racing for a few years together before they decided to venture off of the British Island.  Each race cost the shop in part because Sean and Jack would race, and were paid to do so, and also because Mickey liked being at the races.

A race would last a long weekend.  They would close the shop early on Friday to travel to their destination, the race would be Saturday, and then after a long night celebrating, Sunday they traveled back to Manchester.

Dave went too.  He functioned as a second pair of eyes to make sure the cars were tuned.  So there was no production and no sales on racing weekends.

But the racing team had garnered Mickey's shop the spotlight they sought.  Jack and Sean were winning a lot of races and people from all over the Isles came to buy cars from Mickey.  So when Jack asked Mickey if they could compete in a race in Ireland he knew the chances were good for them to go.

"The trip would take longer than racing here, but you and I can take a short vacation back at the homeland too.  You haven't been back to Ireland in a couple years, right?"

"I've been thinking about going back.  When's the race?"

"September.  We have to enter this week if we want to go.  And there are two races: one that goes to Dublin and one to Galway."

"Which race should we run?"

Jack was happy Mickey had agreed to go.  "Galway.  It's going to have less cars but more fanfare.  The west has enjoyed the car scene much more than Dublin, but Dublin is buying more cars."

Less cars meant less prize money, but more fanfare meant more publicity for Mickey.

"Your family's from Galway."  Mickey asked Jack, knowing the answer.

"Yeah."

"It will be good for you to see them.  Family is important."

"Great, I'll go tell the guys."

Mickey relaxed into his office chair and poured himself a drink.

"Hey boys, you ever been to the Emerald Isle?"

"I was on Sarah Brown's Isle last night," Sean said, "But it wasn't green!"

Jack sat down in a chair and grabbed a bottle Sean had been sipping off while tuning up a car.

"We're going to Ireland for a race next month.  It will give you a chance to see God's country with your own eyes."

"I told you, I saw God's country last night."

"Your pretty proud of yourself Sean."  Said Dave while he tooled under a car.

"Have you seen her tits?"  He held his hands out like he was carrying two melons against his chest.  "You would be proud too!"

"So half the town is proud like smart monkeys, alright."

Sean walked over to Dave and crouched down to see him.  "Dave when was the last time you were laid?"  He turned over his shoulder, "Are the girls easy in Ireland?"

Jack shrugged.

"We will get you laid in Ireland.  I heard they're a rowdy bunch.  The girls like to sing and dance on the tables.  We will take full advantage of their propensity to drink."

Sean grabbed his coat and hat from the rack by the door.  "I'm going over to the pub.  See you guys tonight."

Jack nodded.

Dave stayed under the the car for a minute while Jack nursed his drink.  Jack looked past the walls in front of him to a place in his mind that seemed elsewhere.  Dave finished and walked over to the table to pour himself his first of the night.

"Should we race the V-8 in Ireland?"  Dave asked and looked up from his pour while he did.

Jack smiled, "Maybe.  Will it be ready?"

"It's ready now, at least for a test drive."

Jack had the same look on his face as he had before.  He was half excited and half content.  He and Dave had been trying to add speed to their cars for the last year and almost by accident they realized all they had to do was slap two V-4 engines together and they would have twice the power as they had before.

Jack took his legs off the desk and sat straight up.  "Well we have a race tomorrow, but then maybe we take the V-8 for a drive on Sunday.  Hopefully it runs well enough for us to race it by the end of the season."

Dave had a big smile on his face.  "I've been waiting for you to say go!"

Jack patted Dave on the back.  "Let's go join Sean for a round.  We need to make sure he doesn't drink himself under the bar before the race."

They two locked up the shop and headed to the pub.