Chapter 30 - A Final Challenge
We were all now heading back home to Bern, with our dreams of getting to a true racing series in mind.
As we were travelling through the native Alps, through the mountains, we decided to take a brief stop...only to find ourselves caught among a ton of old supercars.
Then suddenly, a man started trundling towards the small window box of my tiny Giulia TZ2 which I was driving. He started talking to us with an Italian accent.
"Eh, what are you-a doing here? This is not a place for stopping to rest now!"
"Oh, sorry...what is going on here anyway?"
"We have a top supercars here from the old times. We are all going to be racing these in the track you see here."
"Oh...right."
Then a second man came up to my Giulia, then started speaking to the Italian with a German accent this time.
"Oh, Franco? What is the problem with this person here?"
"Oh, Erik, he has pulled into our garage without us knowing of our race."
"Tell you something...bet you he could race in that with us."
"Eh?! Ridiculoso! Is no good in this race! How much power, you?"
"What, this? Some...190hp."
"...Bwahahaha! Is no good! You have silly idea! No horsepower! None! Ha!"
"Heh, that is weak."
"...What? You call this weak?"
"Yeah, not compared to our three Miuras, no?"
The German - Erik, I guess, pointed his way over to three Miuras. One was presumably owned by the Italian man, Franco, and the third still had its driver occupied at this time.
"...So? Bet you I'm lighter anyway."
"Bwahaha! Lighter is no better! Is all power for here!"
Then Katie suddenly showed up on the other side of my car, and immediately began ranting at them.
"...You calling this thing weak?"
"Oh...who are you? This lady has no time for our business either!"
"...You might find this Alfa has nearly beaten classic Corvettes with 400hp+ on board actually. And-"
"Wait...you mean like those?"
Franco now pointed at two Corvettes lying at the back of the spaces the cars were parked in.
"Bwahaha! That's nothing! They're at the back of the field."
"That's not what I meant. Tell you what...how about we join in this race and show you a new side to lightweight. You got any space?"
"...Bwahahaha! This person is crazy! He can no win, and nor can she!"
"I'm up for it myself, actually."
"Oh, OK. Do you want a bet?"
"What you want then?"
"...How about...the girl?"
"What the-"
"No."
"Yes...come on, it'll be humiliating to see you lose her out now."
"...Only if I get extras otherwise. What happens if I beat you then?"
"...Hmm. If you beat me, Erik and Harry over there, you keep her and we also give some race winnings too, no?"
"Better. And if I don't?"
"We get her for a day."
"...Pfft. Nothing like a free set of extra race winnings, eh?"
"Bwaha! Stop making it sound easy! You know you're gonna lose, right?"
"Uh...no actually. I won't."
"Oh, well then...good luck! You'll need it...and you won't have it! Bwahahaha!"
"...Them guys..."
Suddenly, the Giulia's door opened the other side and Katie climbed in.
"Oh...Katie..."
"...You are walking a very fine line, Jase."
"Oh...right."
"I'm riding shotgun for this race, just to keep watch with you. Now, don't even think about moaning about extra weight..."
"...Pfft. Don't be silly. That isn't happening, hah."
"It had better not. If you lose this race though...don't expect to remember me well."
"Hmm..."
"I already lost one potential boyfriend of mine previously..."
"Huh?"
"...Don't worry for now. I can tell you it later."
"...I see...shall we do this then?"
"Yes. Don't disappoint."
"I won't. Not for you, Katie..."
Starting Grid
1. Franco's Yellow Lamborghini Miura
2. Erik's Yellow Lamborghini Miura
3. Harry's Yellow Lamborghini Miura
4. White Lamborghini Countach
5. Black Lamborghini Countach
6. Yellow Ferrari 512BB
7. Blue Ferrari 512BB
8. Green Jensen Interceptor
9. Red Jensen Interceptor
10. Red Chevrolet Corvette C3
11. Green Chevrolet Corvette C3
12. Jason's Red Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2
"Bwahaha! Is another easy victory for the Lamborghini parade."
"We shall lead the Miura force home...again."
"This Miura trio is too hard to stop."
"Oh...how I wish I could have a 5000QV!"
"And what about Diablo too...oh!"
"Yellow is the most commonly underrated colour for all Ferraris."
"...Pfft...this is completely the wrong colour..."
"Ooh, I'd better hope the lardy tub doesn't fail me here..."
"Hope I can keep it running without any door parts falling off!"
"Yeah, this straight looks awesome!"
"Was that a corner I just went past? Oh, help!"
"If I could prove this as the best supercar of the pre 80's...oh, the irony."
"...I don't fully support our chances."
"Oh, come on Katie...this little Giulia has done far bigger deeds than this...and you know me now."
"Oh, you...you're gonna be a hero, for sure."
She put her hand on top of mine, planted to the steering wheel at this point.
"There's no time to waste now though. Let's go!"
Immediately there was a Corvette within decent sight.
"Pfft. If only Alexei were here with his Vette!"
"Oh, no, this corner is too long, I'm gonna break it!"
"Those Vettes are just too slow."
"Right...now if we can keep that up for the rest of the 7 laps."
"Ah, no! How can something so small be better!"
Then the red Vette went down very swiftly as well.
"And I demonstrate it here again."
"Whoa! That's swift."
"Oh god, where's the straights?!!"
Next up were the two Jensens.
"What is that, a British taxi or something?"
"They brought the wrong Brits."
"...What else could they have brought?"
"An E-Type. Or an AC Cobra, come to think of it."
"Cobra? That's a Shelby, not a-"
"Silence. That's not a matter now."
"Oh, you!!! You want me to lose or what?"
"Uh...no, really."
Still, at least my predictions for its performance were rather correct.
"Oh wow, that thing is sloooow."
"Oh, gosh! My Jensen must be breaking down at this point!"
Then I encountered a slightly nasty corner on the track.
"Whoa! What is that-"
"Ahh! Watch it!"
I rejoined with the Jensen in close proximity still though.
"Oh that wasn't too bad."
"Damn...that was uncomfortable."
Then I passed it straight away.
"And another one bites the dust."
"Oh, dear...my Jensen's performance really does seem to be compromised here."
Only for me to run wide again.
"Ahh! Off again!"
"No!"
I stayed ahead of the Jensen, but ahead of the road there was nothing to be found.
"...Where's everyone else?"
"Keep driving. They'll show up somewhere if you keep up the pace."
"I can see a slight speck up there..."
"That might be one of the Ferraris then."
"Yeah, we're catching it."
Within a few more corners I had it within range.
"Ah, no...that is the real power of Italian red! Is...Alfa?"
"Can't he just find a GTO?"
"What??? How?!!"
"...Bet you with that kind of driving he won't be affording one any time soon."
Our joy though was short lived as our lack of power compounded our cornering prowess.
"Oh...you don't know how much I'd gotten used to this in the race at Monza."
"It's only a mere lightweight machine. It can't manage good speed down the straights."
"Hahahah! Feel the Ferrari power!"
But then the lightweight Giulia showed its ability in the corners, while going part motorcycle...and scaring the living daylights out of Katie.
"Raagh! Have this!"
"Aahh!!! Waah! Airborne!!"
"And that's with your weight on that side of the car..."
"...Is that an insult?"
And as the 512BB skittered wide and we made full contact with the Earth again, we went back up into 7th.
"That's not an issue right now...we're back past this thing again."
"It is to me."
"Oh no...and now I cannot catch up with this thing again!"
The yellow 512 was quickly caught.
"And looks like we're gonna pass another thing."
"Uh oh...got a lot of warning lights on the dashboard now!!!"
Not that it would have mattered anyway...it really did just seem to break.
"Oh god...the thing is breaking!"
"...That thing does not look too good."
"Not that we care, bring on the Lambos!!"
It really was time to round up some bulls. We had 5 ahead of us, and all of them were looking like wanting a challenge.
"These Countaches...why aren't they the Quattrovalvolve thingies or something like that?"
"Oh..they're brilliant. I'd have one of those."
...But not before frightening Katie again.
"Whoa!"
"Waah!!!!! Stop it!!! It's scary!!!"
"I can't help it..."
"But at least make sure I'm alive by the end of this, please..."
But as we went into lap 4 the Countaches were well within sight.
"Right, let's have these two."
"One..."
"Whoa! That's quick!"
"You see, this Countach is no good enough to beat this...Alfa? What?!!"
"Two."
"You make it look so easy, Jason."
"Sigh...this Countach is not fast enough."
Now the three Miura Bros. just remained.
"Right, three laps, three Miuras...are my chances high?"
"Uh...I can't tell."
Well either way, I caught up to the first one, Harry, well enough.
"Hmm...this Giulia does seem to be a bit of a bother."
"There's one already."
"One down, two to go!"
"Oh no...I'd better hope my team mates are gonna keep them out."
They weren't, not if we had anything to say about it. Erik was within distance by the end of the lap.
"That Giulia guy? ...Seriously?"
And within mid-lap he was gone.
"The second target is down...now just for that damn Franco guy to show up!"
"He can't pass me! No!"
He was right there for the taking.
"There he is!"
"Now, go!"
"Going for a pass!"
"Wait...is this..."
We made it through. Then, with no warning...
"Yes! We're there- whoa! Slidey!"
"Aah!"
"No! Oh...is he?"
"I can't stop it!!"
"We're gonna crash it!!"
"Haha! In the face for you!"
"..."
"Gasp!!"
"Bye bye! Losers! Hahaha!"
"Jason..."
"...No. I won't lose."
"...Jason?"
"I will still win this..."
"...Hah. That Giulia guy's taken it too far."
"I won't lose to this!!"
"Oh, what is this guy doing here again?"
I was now fully in sync with my Giulia. I was pushing it harder than I ever could.
"Come on!!"
"Jason!! Don't push it!"
I was ignoring Katie. I had no time to get with anyone else's business. I had to be all myself.
"Those two Miuras..."
"...shall not beat me!"
Erik was passed quickly.
"Whoa! This guy..."
"One more..."
I was racing with all my might to reach Franco again.
"No one shall steal my win!"
"He is not worthy of stealing such a victory from me!"
"Now, be gone!"
"...He's been passed...! You're leading...Jason!"
"Ah! But you do no see..."
There was no time for celebration yet though. He still had a whole straight to catch me with.
"The straight...will win me the race!"
"Now I need to keep him behind here!"
"I'm coming!"
"Come on!"
"Iiii'm comiiiing!!!"
"Faster!!"
"He's gonna get ya!"
"You won't!!!"
"No!! You bastard!!"
"You will not win!!!"
"Graaaah!!"
"Come on......!!!!!"
"No!! You stupid 🤬 ****!!" *honks
(the very comical) horn*
"It's...there..."
"Jason!!! We've won it! How?!!"
"...Yes..."
I arrived back at the pits, more exhausted than I could ever imagine.
"Wow...I nearly lost myself in sheer driving."
"Aw, Jason...that was a hard race, weren't it. Here...have my own reward."
Katie gave me a little kiss on the cheek.
"Ahh...thank you. What I need after 7 laps of working out my Giulia..."
"Wow, you are sweating all over...how tough really was that?"
"Too tough."
"Aww...don't worry. I'll drive you all the way back in my LFA."
"Thanks...me and my Giulia need that."
"I can only imagine."
Katie then leant down on my shoulder.
"You did brilliant, Jason. Thanks for the experience."
"Any time, Katie."
"I think we should head back home for real now...enough of this tiring racing now."
"Indeed. Whoo...what a time we've had."
And with that, Jason now returns home to Bern after a hugely grinding race with his Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2, beating out three Lamborghini Miuras around a speedy mountain track. Now with the gang returning home, it is now time for them to decide their near future. What will the lot decide after all this time?
Stay tuned to Grand PriX to find out!