The Winston – 2000

Noelle and Hollie sat under the Budweiser tent, watching the fans trying to catch a glimpse of their favorite driver or even better yet, a chance to talk to them or get an autograph. They had been there the majority of the day, talking and discussing random topics. Hollie had decided to stay in town an extra week and being that she worked for their father, getting more vacation time wasn’t an issue.

“So what are…” Noelle started to say before being interrupted by a shrieking woman.

“Oh my God! It’s Junior and Tony Stewart!” she screamed, causing Noelle to cover her ears. Hollie turned and looked to see the guys heading in their direction. “I love you, Junior! Will you marry me?”

Junior’s eyes got big as he walked up to the woman. “I don’t think my girlfriend would like that too much.” He signed a picture that she shoved in his face.

“Girlfriend? You don’t have a girlfriend!” The persistent woman yelled. Noelle laughed and covered her mouth when the woman looked at her. “What are you looking at tramp? You couldn’t even get Junior to so much as glance at your skanky ass.”

“Excuse me?” Noelle bolted off her seat toward the woman. Junior grabbed her before Noelle could punch the lady out.

“I thought you said she’s more bark than bite.” Junior looked at Hollie who was laughing as he tried to restrain Noelle. “Will you calm the fuck down, Noelle!!”

“Oh I’m calm…but I’m going to punch the shit out the next person who calls me a skank!” Noelle yelled at the woman as she walked away. The lady walked away and Junior loosened his grip on her arms. When he was sure that Noelle wasn’t going to go flying over the rope and at the woman, he let her go completely.

“What the hell is up with you today?” he asked crossing his arms over his chest. He heard Hollie mumbling and looked at her.

“Ummm…..last count was 10 buds.” She held up Noelle’s empty can. “She’s got me beat by three.”

“Jesus, Noelle.” Junior shook his head and looked at her. He noticed her eyes were glossy. “I should take you back to the coach and let you sober up before you go down to the pits.

“I’m not drunk.” Noelle leaned against him and he could smell the alcohol on her breath.

“Shit man, you can’t even kiss her or NASCAR will pull you outta the race for a DUI.” Tony laughed as he took Noelle’s seat next to Hollie. “But you two go do what you gotta do, were headin’ back to my coach for a bit.”

“Have fun…I’m gonna take her back to so she can lay down for a bit.”

“I’m fine, Junior.” Noelle looked up at him.

“No, you’re not.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her unwillingly to his coach where once they were inside he made her go lay down in the bed. “Just sleep it off.”

“I’m not drunk!” She yelled, loud enough that Dale Sr. came walking in to see why they were yelling at each other.

“She’s drunk.” Junior leaned against the door to the back room and nodded toward Noelle who was sitting on the bed. “She about decked out a fan, she smells like a brewery.”

“No wonder you’re dating her.” Dale Sr. laughed as he looked at Noelle. “She looks fine to me. Just don’t let her drive. You two take it easy for a while…we’ll see you both in the pits before the race. And Noelle…no more beer.”

“Yes, daddy.” She laughed as he shook his head and walked out of the coach. She eyed Junior and a smile spread across her face.

“What?”

“Come here.” She motioned for him to come closer to her. He moved in front of her and looked down at her. “Closer.”

“I’m as close as I’m going to get without being on top of you.” Junior laughed. Noelle reached up and unbuttoned his jeans. “Noelle…”

“You bitch because we don’t have sex that often, so guess what….I want sex.” She tugged his jeans down and smiled as he stepped out of them. “I knew that would shut you up.” He pushed her back on the bed and kissed her. “I knew you’d give in.”

“Let’s see if we can be loud enough that Tony and Hollie hear us three coaches over.” Junior whispered in her ear.

*******

The pits were a madhouse when Noelle and Junior got down there. He was immediately taken off to for driver introductions and the customary lap around the track in the back of a truck. Noelle sat on the pit wall and watched the guys push the car to the front straight-away. She glanced down the pit and saw Hollie talking to a few of Tony’s pit crew, who she had befriended.

“You fucking Tony and Junior now?” a voice asked. Noelle turned around to see Kevin behind her. “Amazing I see you leave with Junior earlier this afternoon, but then you reappear with Tony. Lemme guess, you’re doing threesomes with them.”

Noelle went to say something, but decided against it. She wasn’t going to let him know that the girl with Tony was her sister, much less her twin.

“You could have been better off with me.” He said as Junior walked up to them. “Hey buddy.”

“Hi.” He glanced at Noelle who rolled her eyes and turned back around to watch the pit crew doing last minute preparations. “What are you doing over here?”

“Just came by to wish you good luck and all. Have a great race.”

“Oh you can count on it.” Junior smiled. “Believe me.” Kevin walked off and Junior sat down next to Noelle. “What the fuck?”

“Got me…thinks I’m having threesomes with you and Tony. He saw me leave with you and then reappear with Tony.”

“That’s Hollie.”

“I know that and you know that, but he doesn’t know and doesn’t need to know.” Noelle laughed. “Catch my drift?” Junior nodded as someone yelled for him. “Have a great race, baby.” She kissed him and just as they pulled a part, cameras went off in their face. “Oooh…great.”

“The price of being famous.” Junior kissed her again. “See ya in a couple hours. Keep the headphones on. Maybe I’ll give ya cryptic messages or something.” Junior grinned at her as he walked toward the car.

Noelle tried to find Hollie in Tony’s pit, but she had gone to get something to eat. Noelle wandered back down and decided to sit with Tony Jr. and watch the race.

“This is fucking awesome!” Junior yelled into the headphones when he slid into third.

“What’s the language, Junior.” Tony Sr. warned.

“I don’t fucking care! I’m excited!” Junior’s voice was full of excitement and Noelle had to smile. She was excited for him too. He had a great car this week and it was showing.

The second segment of the race started it took Junior only five laps to get back into fourth place.

“Nascar says you’re running a half second faster than any car out there, Junebug.” Tony Jr. said into the radio.

“I don’t need no friggin’ computer to tell me that. I can feel it!” Junior yelled. “Woooooohoooo! Hell yeaaahhhh!!”

They watched as Junior swung into turn four a little wide to pass Rusty Wallace and slammed into the wall.

“Good job, there bud boy.” Noelle laughed after she knew he was ok. Junior kept his foot on the pedal, but now the car was running the same as the others on the track.

“We finished third in that segment.” Junior said when he came into the pits for a tire change and to check the damage. We’re still haulin’ ass.”

“You’re doing good, baby. Keep it up.” Noelle said from the pit wall. He looked at her and winked.

“Do I still get that reward if I win?” he asked. Noelle nodded and he gave her the thumbs up sign before he took off again.

“What reward?” Tony Sr. asked. Noelle shrugged. “You two, I swear.” Noelle jumped up on the pit wall and craned her neck to see Junior. “Gotta love Dale Sr.’s car this week.”

“Is that the neon looking thing that Junior’s riding the ass of?” Noelle asked. Tony Jr. nodded. “What the hell?”

“Got me.” Tony Jr. joined her on the wall and they both watched as Junior passed him. “My God…he may have a chance at this thing.” Noelle started jumping up and down as Junior passed car after car.

“Go baby!” Noelle yelled as if he could hear her. She was on pins and needles as Junior flew by Dale Jarret on turn 3. The while flag signaled one more lap and Noelle was already screaming and clapping. Tony Jr. hugged her and so did Tony Sr. The pit crew was going wild. Junior was screaming in the radio and having a good time as he took the checkered.

“We won the fucking Winston!” He screamed as he did some donuts for the fans on the front straight.

The pit crew hurried to Victory Lane and waited for Junior. Nascar had to send a pace car out to guide him back since he was taking so long driving around waving at the fans and celebrating on his own.

Noelle had beer after beer dumped on her, along with the other pit crew in celebration.

“Hell, I didn’t need to drink any today.” She told Dale Sr. when he came up to hug her. “I smell worse now than I did earlier.” He laughed and smacked her on top of her head.

Junior pulled up and climbed out of his car and onto the roof in a quick motion. Someone threw him a beer and he guzzled it with no problem to the cheer of the fans.

Noelle watched as the crowd got louder as Dale Sr. gave Junior a huge bear hug and then swiped the Winston Winner’s cap from his head and hugged him again. It was actually very touching to watch and Noelle couldn’t say anything for a moment when Junior motioned her on top of the car with him. He grabbed her and swung her around and then kissed her.

“No more of that…” Dale Sr. laughed as he jumped down. “You two save that shit for later.”

Noelle left Junior to do his post-race interviews and waited with Tony and Hollie in the #8 garage. Jade had told Junior that there had been an accident when the fans were leaving and a bridge had collapsed. It wasn’t a pretty site. Junior had went from being high to being worried and sobered up pretty quick.

“When do we get to leave?” Hollie asked swinging her legs over the side of the car that was now parked in the garage, waiting to be loaded onto the hauler.

“Don’t know.” Tony shrugged. “Maybe Junior will know more when he gets back. But he better friggin hurry, I’m hungry.”

“Go get something to eat.” Noelle laughed. “Your coach is still here.”

“Hell no, it left before the race was over.”

Junior came back from his interviews, looking pretty somber. There was no more news and the only thing he could tell us was we’d be leaving in a few hours. It ended up being an extremely long night and not much celebrating was done.

Chapters: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30