Excitement pulsed through a packed stadium where thousands of revved-up fans gathered to watch the Dinoco 400—the biggest race of the year. They honked their horns and waved their flags in support of their favorite racers. The winner would receive the Piston Cup trophy and be crowned champion for the entire season!
While more fans cheered outside, Lightning McQueen, the rookie, was parked in the back of his posh trailer, trying to psych himself up for the race. It had been a huge year for Lightning. He had exploded onto the racing scene like a stick of dynamite, and he already had an impressive list of wins and top finishes. He knew that he had a good shot at winning the Dinoco 400, and if he did, he would be the first rookie in history to do it. Lightning felt his rpm increase at the thought.
“Focus.” He concentrated hard. “Speed. I am speed. I eat losers for breakfast. I am Lightning.” He had two things on his mind: winning and all the perks that came with it, including the Dinoco sponsorship. The sponsorship meant that Dinoco would pay Lightning a lot of money to compete in races.
“Hey, Lightning,” called Mack. He was Lightning’s loyal trailer driver. “You ready?”
Lightning could feel the roar of the crowds in the stands as his tires buzzed.
“Oh, yeah!” The sleek red race car revved his engine. “Lightning’s ready.”
Cameras flashed across the stands like fireworks as Lightning rolled off the rear of his trailer. He made sure he gave them a good look at his lucky lightning bolt sticker and the number 95 on his side.
“Ka-chow!” he called out as his grill flashed across the stadium’s giant video screen.
Lightning made his way to the track. His competitors were waiting. There were more than forty other cars in the race, but Lightning McQueen knew that he had to worry about only two of them. Strip Weathers—also known as The King—had won more Piston Cups than any other car in history. He also had been Dinoco’s golden boy for years, getting all those big paychecks. This would be his last race before retiring. Lightning was sure that The King wanted to go out on top, and he still had the speed to do it.
And then there was Chick Hicks. He was famous for battling through the line—bashing any car who stood in his way. He had never managed to beat The King, though. He was more determined than ever to win and begin a new era—the Chick era.
“Bob, my oil pressure’s through the roof right now!” cried Darrell Cartrip, one of the race announcers. Poor Darrell was in danger of overheating as the green flag dropped. The three rivals lurched into high gear, launching the greatest race of the decade as they roared across the starting line.
“Right you are, Darrell,” Bob Cutlass agreed as he watched the action from the announcers’ booth. “The winner of this race will win the season title and the Piston Cup!”
“The legend, the runner-up, and the rookie,” Darrell said. “Three cars, one champion.”
Lightning McQueen poured on the speed as The King’s sleek tail fin flashed around the track with Chick right behind it. Lightning punched the gas and flew ahead of Chick. But Chick Hicks wasn’t about to lose this race to a rookie. Coming up fast, he slammed Lightning’s rear and spun him onto the infield.
The crowd gasped as Lightning whirled out of control on the grass.
Lightning recovered quickly, tearing up the field as he zipped back onto the track. But now he was in last place! He pushed hard to make up the time.
Still, Chick wasn’t going to let Lightning close in on him. He wasn’t taking any chances. “Dinoco is all mine!” he cried as he slammed into the car beside him, sending it spinning out of control. In an instant, other cars began to crash into a pileup. “Get through that, Lightning!” With a confident sneer, the ruthless race car headed into the pits for fuel and service.
Lightning tried to go around the wreckage, but it was impossible. With no other choice, he did the only thing he could think of: he went through it! Dodging rubble and smoke, Lightning moved spectacularly, gliding between stopped vehicles and leapfrogging into the air over a pile of cars.
“Lightning made it through!” shouted Chick’s crew chief.
And Lightning didn’t stop. While everyone else headed into the pits, he kept rolling … right into first place!
“Woo-hoo!” Lightning cried.
“You know, the rookie just fired his crew chief,” Darrell announced. “That’s the third one this season!”
“Well, he says he likes working alone, Darrell!” Bob said.
Chick and The King bolted out of pit row and didn’t waste any time in trying to catch up with Lightning. The laps flew by, and it looked as if no one would beat him. Finally, Lightning headed into the pits for fuel. He couldn’t win the race on fumes. “No, no, no—no tires!” he shouted as his crew tried to replace his worn tires. There wasn’t any time. “Just the gas!”
“Looks like it’s all gas ’n’ goes for Lightning today!” Darrell observed as he peered down at pit row below him. “Now, normally I’d say that’s a short-term gain, long-term loss, but it sure is working for him.”
The frenzied crowd’s excitement grew as the contenders sped around the track. Then the white flag waved.
LAST LAP, read the stadium’s giant video monitor. “Checkered flag,” Lightning said to himself, “here I come.”
Ka-blam!
“Oh, no,” Darrell cried as he watched the rookie lose speed. “Lightning has blown a tire!” Chick and The King pounded ahead, making up time with every second. But Lightning didn’t give up. He plunged forward…
Ka-blam!
He lost another tire!
“Come on!” Determined to win, Lightning struggled forward, limping on his rear wheel rims.
“I don’t believe what I’m watching!” Darrell cried. “Lightning McQueen is a hundred feet from his Piston Cup—”
“The King and Chick are coming on strong!” Bob shouted. “Lightning’s nearly there, but Chick and The King are almost caught up!”
Lightning dragged himself forward. He was inches away from crossing the finish line—and making history. He could hear Chick and The King coming up behind him. In a last-ditch effort, Lightning took a giant leap and slid forward. He even stuck out his tongue to gain an extra inch.
“It’s too close to call!” Bob announced as he gaped at the photo finish. “The most spectacular, amazing, incomprehensible, unequivocably unbelievable ending in the history of the world, and we don’t even know who won!”
賽車(chē)場(chǎng)上人山人海,歡呼聲此起彼伏。成千上萬(wàn)激動(dòng)不已的賽車(chē)迷正在觀看本年度最盛大的一場(chǎng)比賽——岱諾可400汽車(chē)?yán)?。他們吹著喇叭,揮舞著旗幟,為喜愛(ài)的選手加油。本場(chǎng)獲勝者不僅可以得到活塞杯獎(jiǎng)杯,而且會(huì)加冕為整個(gè)賽季的冠軍!
場(chǎng)外歡呼的車(chē)迷越來(lái)越多,賽車(chē)新秀閃電麥坤正停在他的豪華拖車(chē)上為自己鼓勁兒,做賽前的最后準(zhǔn)備。對(duì)麥坤來(lái)說(shuō),今年真是賺足了眼球。他像一顆引爆的炸彈一樣飛馳在賽場(chǎng)上,贏了一場(chǎng)又一場(chǎng)的比賽,取得了一連串好成績(jī)。他知道自己有十足的把握在岱諾可400汽車(chē)?yán)愔蝎@勝。一旦成功,他將會(huì)成為賽車(chē)史上第一個(gè)奪得活塞杯的新手!想到這兒,麥坤感覺(jué)車(chē)輪都要飛轉(zhuǎn)起來(lái)了!
“集中注意力!”他努力控制自己。“速度,我就是速度!我要把失敗者當(dāng)早餐,我是閃!電!”他的腦子里現(xiàn)在只有兩樣?xùn)|西:勝利以及隨之而來(lái)的好處,包括岱諾可的贊助。這一贊助意味著岱諾可將贊助麥坤一大筆錢(qián)讓他參加更多的比賽。
“嘿,閃電,”麥坤的老伙計(jì)拖車(chē)麥克說(shuō),“你準(zhǔn)備好了嗎?”
麥坤能感受到當(dāng)他飛轉(zhuǎn)的輪胎一摩擦地面,發(fā)出隆隆的聲響,看臺(tái)上的車(chē)迷們就報(bào)以熱烈的回應(yīng)。
“歐耶!”炫酷的紅色賽車(chē)發(fā)動(dòng)了引擎。“閃電已經(jīng)準(zhǔn)備好了!”
麥坤駛出拖車(chē),滿(mǎn)場(chǎng)的閃光燈像層層煙花一樣咔嚓咔嚓閃個(gè)不停。他確定,能給他帶來(lái)好運(yùn)的閃電標(biāo)志以及側(cè)邊的數(shù)字95讓他的出場(chǎng)閃亮無(wú)比。
“咔嚓!”當(dāng)他的車(chē)身閃現(xiàn)在賽場(chǎng)的大屏幕上時(shí),麥坤不禁嘚瑟起來(lái)。
麥坤到達(dá)賽道時(shí),他的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手早已等候在那里。盡管還有其他四十多輛賽車(chē)參賽,但在閃電麥坤看來(lái),能讓他擔(dān)心的只有兩輛。史催普·惠特被人們尊稱(chēng)為車(chē)王,在賽車(chē)史上贏得過(guò)最多的活塞杯。他也是岱諾可多年來(lái)的紅人,囊括了所有的豐厚獎(jiǎng)金。這將是他退役之前的最后一場(chǎng)比賽。麥坤確信車(chē)王期待著登頂,而且他仍然擁有這個(gè)實(shí)力。
接著是路霸。這家伙因霸道而出名,不管什么車(chē)擋路,他都要較量一番。然而,他從未能夠擊敗車(chē)王。但這次,他抱著必勝的信念,鼓足了勁非贏不可。他期待開(kāi)啟一個(gè)全新的賽車(chē)時(shí)代——路霸的時(shí)代!
“鮑勃,我的油壓現(xiàn)在高到不行了!”賽況解說(shuō)員達(dá)倫·卡提普喊道。正當(dāng)可憐的達(dá)倫快要熱昏頭的時(shí)候,綠旗放了下來(lái)。三個(gè)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手傾斜車(chē)身,迅速加足馬力,呼嘯著沖出起點(diǎn)。此刻,一場(chǎng)十年來(lái)最壯觀的比賽正式拉開(kāi)帷幕!
鮑勃·卡特拉斯從演播室注視著賽場(chǎng)上的動(dòng)態(tài)贊同地說(shuō)道:“你說(shuō)得對(duì),達(dá)倫,這場(chǎng)比賽的冠軍將會(huì)是整個(gè)賽季的贏家,更將得到活塞杯!”
“傳奇車(chē)王、兇猛路霸、新人閃電,”達(dá)倫說(shuō),“三輛賽車(chē),冠軍只有一個(gè)!”
閃電麥坤極速前進(jìn),車(chē)王閃亮的尾翼在賽道上風(fēng)馳電掣,路霸緊隨其后。麥坤狠踩油門(mén)飛超路霸。但是,路霸決不會(huì)讓自己敗給一名新手!他加速趕超,砰地撞上麥坤的后尾,狠狠地將麥坤撞出賽道。
麥坤失去控制在草地上打轉(zhuǎn),所有的車(chē)迷都為他倒吸一口涼氣。
他快速調(diào)整車(chē)位,飛速駛出草地,重新殺回賽道。然而此時(shí),麥坤發(fā)現(xiàn)自己已被所有對(duì)手甩在身后!他全力加速,希望把時(shí)間追回來(lái)。
路霸自然不肯讓麥坤靠近自己。他不愿意冒任何的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。“岱諾可冠軍是我的!”他一邊大喊,一邊撞向與他并肩的賽車(chē)。被撞的賽車(chē)旋轉(zhuǎn)著失去控制。一時(shí)間,其他的賽車(chē)亂撞在一起,賽道上一片狼藉。“看你怎么沖過(guò)來(lái),麥坤!”路霸冷笑著朝維修區(qū)駛?cè)ァ?/p>
麥坤試圖繞過(guò)殘骸,但是這似乎是不可能的。他別無(wú)選擇,只能?chē)L試他唯一能想到的方法:冒險(xiǎn)從他們中間穿過(guò)去!他一路躲閃賽車(chē)的殘骸和煙塵,表現(xiàn)得游刃有余。麥坤穿過(guò)一輛又一輛卡在路上的賽車(chē),又一個(gè)縱身越過(guò)前面亂成一團(tuán)的賽車(chē),將他們狠狠甩在身后。
“麥坤成功突圍!”路霸的維修隊(duì)長(zhǎng)驚呼。
麥坤一刻也不愿停歇。當(dāng)其他選手進(jìn)入維修區(qū)的時(shí)候,他繼續(xù)向前飛馳,朝第一位奮進(jìn)!
“歐耶!”麥坤激動(dòng)得大喊起來(lái)。
“這位新人剛才又解雇了一位維修隊(duì)長(zhǎng),這一個(gè)賽季就已經(jīng)是第三位了!”達(dá)倫對(duì)著廣播感嘆道。
“嗯,他說(shuō)他喜歡單干,達(dá)倫!”鮑勃說(shuō)。
路霸和車(chē)王閃電般從維修站沖回賽道,爭(zhēng)分奪秒追趕麥坤。一圈一圈過(guò)去了,看起來(lái)沒(méi)人能贏得了麥坤。終于,麥坤駛?cè)刖S修區(qū)加油。沒(méi)有油,他不可能贏得比賽。“不不不,不要換胎!”當(dāng)維修團(tuán)隊(duì)準(zhǔn)備為他換下磨損的輪胎時(shí),他咆哮起來(lái),沒(méi)時(shí)間了!“只要加油!”
“看來(lái)麥坤今天打算只加汽油就跑完全程啊!”達(dá)倫俯身看著下面的維修站說(shuō),“通常我會(huì)說(shuō)這樣做只能一時(shí)領(lǐng)先,長(zhǎng)久來(lái)看不是明智之舉。不過(guò)這種做法對(duì)麥坤來(lái)說(shuō)是可行的。”
選手們?cè)谫惖郎巷w馳,熱情的觀眾也越來(lái)越激動(dòng)。白旗舞動(dòng)起來(lái)了!
“最后一圈”,賽場(chǎng)上巨大的視頻監(jiān)控器顯示出這樣的字樣。麥坤自言自語(yǔ):“終點(diǎn)線(xiàn),我來(lái)了!”
喀啪!
“糟糕!”達(dá)倫看到麥坤慢了下來(lái),驚呆了:“麥坤爆胎了!”路霸和車(chē)王奮力往前沖,分秒必爭(zhēng)。但是麥坤也不甘放棄。他跌跌撞撞地繼續(xù)前行……
喀啪!
又一個(gè)輪胎爆了!
“加油!”麥坤抱著必勝的決心,憑借后胎輪輞一瘸一拐地向前掙扎。
“簡(jiǎn)直難以置信!”達(dá)倫驚呼,“閃電麥坤距離他的活塞杯獎(jiǎng)杯只有100英尺了!”
“車(chē)王和路霸窮追不舍!”鮑勃激動(dòng)地大喊,“麥坤已經(jīng)快到終點(diǎn)線(xiàn)。但兩個(gè)對(duì)手快追上來(lái)了!”
麥坤拖著車(chē)身向前移動(dòng)。他距離終點(diǎn)線(xiàn)只有幾英尺了,跨過(guò)終點(diǎn)線(xiàn),他將創(chuàng)造歷史。麥坤聽(tīng)到路霸和車(chē)王就要追上來(lái)了。他鼓足了勁奮力一越,向前滑了出去。他甚至伸出舌頭,再爭(zhēng)取了一英寸。
“太接近了,難斷勝負(fù)!”鮑勃目瞪口呆地看著確定名次的照片。“史上最壯觀,最刺激,最難以理解和難以置信的比賽結(jié)果!我們甚至都不知道誰(shuí)贏了!”
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