Trackside

Doubt

Cruz loves Team Dinoco, but after Lightning passes the title of crew chief on to Cal, she's not sure she's ready for the new dynamics.

___

Cal looked at the readouts from the pit box. Something felt off, but he couldn't quite place it.

"She did good today, boss," one of the crew commented in passing. "And good call on those adjustments."

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled. "Good work today, boys."

Cruz dipped off the track and onto pit row, ending her practice session. She approached the team's pit box slowly, not bothering to simulate pit row speed one last time.

Cal looked from the data readouts to the incoming racecar and back again. His brow furrowed. Something wasn't right.

The crew surrounded Cruz as she came to a stop in front of them.

"Yeah, put it here, Cruz!"

"Good run, kid."

"Gonna smoke those boys this weekend!"

Cruz smiled and thanked them for their compliments. She looked to Cal. His expression seemed hesitant and empty. She looked away.

Cal opened his mouth to commend her as well, but stopped himself. Her numbers were way off and he wasn't going to lie to her. This wasn't what McQueen had shown him that she was capable of. This wasn't anywhere near how she ran at Florida earlier that same year. However, the data did reflect the struggles the team had experienced since McQueen had handed the reins over to Cal. Cruz wasn't doing so well. Was it his fault?

"That's a wrap today, guys," he announced instead. "Let's give it another shot tomorrow morning before everyone else starts arriving for practice, alright? But take the night off."

A chorus of collective cheers went up from the crew as they began to depart. Cruz quietly started to follow them.

"Uh, Cruz, stay here a minute?" Cal asked. "I wanna talk to you."

Cruz cringed. 

The races at the Motor Speedway of the South were a big deal for Team Dinoco. Over the last thirty years, nearly a third of the races at the track had been won by a Weathers. A third. Over thirty years!

But this wasn't her best track, not by a long shot. And things without McQueen as her crew chief were... different.

"I did horrible, didn't I?" she blurted. "I'm sorry, I don't know what it is, I tried - "

"Cruz, it's okay," Cal said in a gentle tone, coming around the barrier to face her directly. "You did fine. Not as good as you have been doing, but hey, that's why we're practicing, right?"

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "I want to do better but - "

"But what?" Cal asked patiently. He didn't want her to panic. "Come on Cruz, let's take a little drive. Tell me what's on your mind."

They had free reign of the entire speedway except for a few milling workers, getting things ready for race weekend. Cal led Cruz underneath the stands and up into the suites and business center. Cruz followed, unsure where her crew chief was taking her. She'd seen the inside of a million racetrack operations, what made this one any different?

Cal noticed Cruz fall into line behind him. He pulled to the left and slowed down to put her beside him.

"Tell me what's on your mind," Cal repeated. "I want you to be able to trust me, Cruz. Do you?"