Chapter 64: The Gatorade Duels
Ashley headed to the Hollywood Hotel. On the way she bumped into Brendan Gaughan.
�Hi,� Ashley greeted him. �Sorry I bumped into you.�
�Its ok,� Brendan forgives her.
�Well I better get going,� Ashley said. �I would talk but I gotta go to the Hollywood Hotel. And I don�t want to be late.�
�Ok,� Brendan said. �Talk to you later. Bye!�
�Bye,� Ashley said. Then Ashley was on her way to the Hollywood Hotel. When she got there the door was locked. Then she knocked on the door but no one answered.
Ryan Newman was walking by when he noticed Ashley was knocking on the door. �Hi Ashley,� Ryan greeted her.
�Hi Ryan,� Ashley said as she spun around and looked at him. �You seen Chris or Jeff?�
�Sorry Ashley but I haven�t seen them but I just saw DW coming this way,� Ryan answered.
�Oh thanks Ryan for letting me know that fact at least,� Ashley thanked him.
�Your welcome,� replied Ryan.
Ashley then walked off to get DW. Then Ashley spotted Jeff and Chris coming. Ashley walked up to them and said, �Hello.�
�Hi Ashley,� Chris and Jeff said.
�Just thought I�d come since the Gatorade Duels are soon,� Ashley told them.
�Ok,� Jeff said. �Did you see DW anywhere? We were looking for him.�
�Ryan said he spotted him coming this way,� Ashley reported.
�Ok,� Jeff said. �Thanks for letting us know.�
�Your welcome,� Ashley said. �Um where�s the camera man?�
�He is waiting for you in Dale Jr.�s pits,� Chris answered.
�Alright,� Ashley said. Ashley headed over there right then. Then she saw the camera man. �Hello.�
�Hi Ashley,� the camera man said.
�When does the pre-race show start?� Ashley asked.
�In 5 minutes,� the camera man answered.
�When�s are first interview and with who?� Ashley wondered.
�It will be in 7 minutes and you are going to do your first interview with Jr,� the camera man told her.
�Alright where is he right now?� Ashley asked. �Wait�I know how to find. Hold on I�ll call him.�
�Ok,� the camera man said.
Ashley dialed his number on her cell.
�Hello,� Jr answered his cell.
�Hi its Ashley,� Ashley told him. �Where are you since I got a interview with you in 6 minutes?�
�I am just coming to my pit right now,� Jr answered. �I will be right there in 3 minutes.�
�Deal,� Ashley said. Then Ashley waited for Jr to arrive to his pit stall.
Jr hurried over and when he got there he gave her a big hug.
�Hey sweetie,� Ashley greeted him. �Are you ready for your interview? Its in 4 minutes.�
�Yes I am honey,� Jr said.
�Ok.� Ashley said. Ashley just stood there waiting quietly.
Then the pre-race show started. After a bit of talking, Chris Myers said, �And lets go to Ashley who�s with Junior.�
�Thanks Chris,� Ashley thanked him. �I am here with Dale Earnhardt Jr. How is your car?�
�Good,� Jr answered. �Really good in fact.
�Do you think you will win the Gatorade Duels today with your car?� Ashley asked.
�I think so but I mean I wouldn�t mind if Mikey won it either since I�m already qualified due to my wonderful pole lap,� Jr answered. �I just want to at least make sure Mikey is going to start up front with me tomorrow.�
�Ok,� Ashley said. �We are going to head to Matt who will be talking to Brendan Gaughan.�
�Thank you Ashley,� Matt thanked Ashley. �Brendan how is your car today?�
�My car is running well but if we do good with it we might win one of the Gatorade Duels,� Brendan told Matt.
�Ok,� Matt said. �So how does it feel to be a rookie in the Nextel Cup Series?�
�It feels good to be one of the rookies who is running for the rookie of the year title this year,� Brendan answered.
�Cool,� Matt commented. �Lets go to Krista Votia who�s with Scott Riggs.
�Thanks Matt,� Krista thanked him. So Scott how is your car today?�
�Ok,� Scott answered.
�Do you have a chance to win the Gatorade Duel your in or not?� Krista asked.
�I don�t think we can win but maybe finish in the top 5 at least,� Scott answered.
�Ok,� Krista said. �Now we are going back up to Chris and Jeff in the Hollywood Hotel.�
Well Chris and Jeff were talking Ashley was looking for Mikey. Then Ashley remembered that she does have Jr.�s cell number so she calls Jr.�s cell and asks him what Mikey�s cell number is.
�Mikey�s cell is 215-4646,� Jr told Ashley.
�Ok thanks Jr,� Ashley thanked him.
�Anytime Angel,� Jr assured her.
Ashley then said bye and then she called Mikey.
�Hello,� Amanda answered the phone.
�Hi Amanda,� Ashley said. �Do you know where Mikey is?�
�Yea I�m with him right now in his pit stall,� Amanda answered.
�Ok,� Ashley said. �Well I would like to do a little interview with him. So just let know to stay over there because I am coming to his pit stall ok?�
�Ok,� replied Amanda.
�Ok,� Ashley said. �I will be there in 3 minutes.�
�Ok bye,� Amanda said.
�Bye,� Ashley said. Ashley and the camera man went to Mikey�s pit stall. When Ashley and the camera man got to Mikey�s pit stall he was already in his car.
�Race starting soon,� someone from the control tower. �Take pit stall positions.�
Ashley still had a few minutes so she went and interview Mikey quickly. �And I�m with Michael Waltrip,� Ashley reported. �How is your car?�
�My car is very good,� Mikey told her.
�Alright,� Ashley said. �Jr said he might let you win this race. What�s you opinion?�
�Hmmm that will be fine with me,� Mikey told her.
�Alrighty then,� Ashley said. �Lets go to Chris.�
�Thanks Ashley,� Chris thanked her.
�Well Chris we haven�t mentioned the biggest story yet,� Jeff pointed out.
�Ok,� Chris begun. �The biggest story is that Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson will not be running in the 500 because of their deals with Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kevin Harvick and friends. There will be a court session held tomorrow morning.�
�Now we are going to head upstairs to Larry Mac to pick his driver to win the first Gatorade Duel,� Chris said.
�Its between Jr and Mikey,� Larry pointed out. �I flipped a coin and it said Mikey.�
�What is your pick Darryl?� Chris asked.
�Can I pick the same as Larry?� Darryl requested.
�Sorry DW but you can�t,� Chris denied the request.
�Break the brotherly love,� Darryl commented. �Ok Jr is mine.�
�Ok and what�s your pick Jeff?� Chris asked.
�The good ones are taken so I pick Matt Kenseth,� Jeff picked.
�Ok,� Chris said. �We have to take a commercial break and we will be right back.�
Meanwhile Ashley was chatting with Jr before the start of the Gatorade Duels.
Then someone in the tower said, �Drivers the race will start in 5 minutes.�
�Well I better go and get into the car,� Jr said. �Talk with you after the race.�
�Ok bye sweetie,� Ashley said as she gave him a good luck kiss.
Then Jr got his stuff on and then went inside his car; Ashley then went to see Amanda. Amanda was at Mikey�s pit box when Ashley saw her. Ashley went over to her and said, �Hey.�
�Hi Ash,� Amanda greeted her.
�How�s your dad been?� Ashley asked.
�My day has been fine,� Amanda answered. �What about you?�
�So far so good,� replied Ashley.
�That is good to hear,� Amanda commented.
�Yea well its been kind of busy,� Ashley added.
�Ok,� Amanda said.
�Yep,� Ashley said. �So what did you and Nicole do after I left?�
�We just walked here but Nicole went to Robby�s pits,� Amanda answered.
�So she is now leaving Martin and Steve for Robby,� Ashley assumed. �Very Interesting. Well Kev and Robby are in the 2nd Gatorade Duel.�
�Ok,� Amanda said.
�Anyways the race is about to start,� Ashley said.
�Ok,� Amanda said. Amanda went and sat on Mikey�s pit box as Ashley took her position on pit road.
Then the announcer said to everyone, �Please stand up and remove your hats.� They all stood up and they played the national anthem.
Then the grand marshal said, �Gentlemen start your engines!� the started their engines and the first set of drivers started their pace laps.
Then the race started. When the green flagged dropped, DW said, �Boogity Boogity Boogity!�
Jr and Mikey started pulling away from the field. It was 5 laps in the Gatorade Duel and Mark Martin crashed in turn 2. The caution flag came out and all the cars went to pit road. Mikey and Jr took 4 tires while Matt Kenseth took 3 and came out with the lead. After a few laps under caution they went back green. Jr and Mikey tried to pass Matt Kenseth and they succeeded.
�Mikey went to 3rd place,� Ty called to Jr. �He just got passed by Matt.�
�Alright me and Mikey need to do a quick race chat and come up with a plan,� Jr radioed back. �Something like the shootout plan.�
�Ok,� Ty said. �I am going to let Mikey spotter know and then he will let Mikey know ok?� Ty suggested. �Or you can switch radios stations and let Mikey know what plan you want to do.�
�10-4 bud,� Jr said. Jr then decided to change the radio stations and let Mikey know what his plan was. �Mikey here�s the plan. Its so similar to the shootout one. We got opposite of what Matt goes. So lets say I go high and he also high then we both go low and trick him out ok?�
�10-4 Jr,� Mikey agreed with the plan.
They tried the plan and the result was Mikey hit Matt and Matt crashed in turn 4. The caution came out and the top 4 were Jr, Mikey, Kurt and Brian Vickers. All the leaders went to pit road except Jr or Mikey. When they came off the pit road Brian and Kurt had switched places. After a few laps of caution they went back green. It was just 8 laps left in the first Gatorade Duel.
Jr switched over quickly and told Mikey, �Mikey keep this in mind. Brian is Jimmie and Jeff�s teammate so watch out. There may be a set-up. Also Kurt is Matt�s teammate so he may be hot and watch after the race for Matt. He may be hot too.�
�10-4,� Mikey said.
With 5 laps to go a big battle started. With one lap to go Jr was still in the lead. Brian led Kurt under Jr and Mikey and Brian was right beside Jr for the lead and Jr pulled out and won the race. Mikey got by both of them and finished 2nd.
Ashley headed to victory lane to report. As she was about to say something to Jr after he celebrated, Mikey came running to tell him something important.
When Mikey got there, he whispered in Jr.�s ear, �Congratulations and I need to let you know something.�
�Can it wait till after Ashley reports?� Jr asked.
�No,� Mikey answered.
�Ashley can you hold on for a second?� Jr asked. �Me and Michael to go to talk about something important.�
�Sure,� Ashley said rolling her eyes.
Jr and Mikey went somewhere where no one was.
�Ok here is what I am going to tell you,� Mikey started. �Brian is going along with Jeff and Jimmie�s plan.�
�Oh no,� Jr said. �Ok I�m going to start first, your starting 3rd and he is starting 5th?� and Harvick is second also? Oooo this is going to be interesting in a bad way probably.�
�I know,� Mikey agreed.
�Alright watch your back,� Jr warned Mikey. �Go let Kev, Robby, Martin and the rest of the gals know except Ash. I�ll tell her after the interview deal?�
�Deal,� Mikey said.
Jr then went back to victory lane as Mikey left to go see Kevin and Robby who were chatting
