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you’re game, I’m thinking of giving you a position at the garage. It won’t be anything fancy. You’ll have to sweep up and do a lot of gofer work to start. But the guys there can teach you things and help you develop your gift. Who knows where it could take you. Some of the best crew chiefs in—”
    “Crew chief? Is that what you think I should be?”
    “Some of the best crew chiefs got their start by knowing the ins and outs of the engine. They can listen to a car and tell whether or not it’s going to finish strong. They know they can’t drive, but they’re even-keeled enough to take the heat of the war wagon. They’re good with people, they’re not full of themselves, and they know that everybody contributes—not just the driver and the pit crew but everybody who works on that team. Yeah, I think you’d be a great mechanic. You’d be a great crew chief someday. But you have to work on it and keep learning every aspect of the car.”
    Tim looked out at the lawn mower, and something inside clicked. No one had ever talked to him this way—not even his father. His dad had told him he could fix engines and maybe be on a team, but to nail his dreams and give Tim real hope was new. He’d always felt like he’d wind up on life’s garbage heap, poking around the edges to find scraps of happiness and fulfillment. But to hear Dale Maxwell, it sounded like he believed Tim could be anything he wanted to be. That not even the sky was the limit to what he could do.
    “When could I start at your garage?” Tim said.

Chapter 7
Chad’s Shadow
    JAMIE STARED AT CHAD a few seconds, like a ghost had walked into the room.
    Rosa and Kurt obviously knew of him and his dad, because they asked questions and wouldn’t stop. Chad just smiled and answered politely, but he didn’t take his eyes off Jamie.
    Finally Kurt and Rosa said good-bye and left the two of them alone. Jamie didn’t know whether to thank them or yell at them to get back to the table.
    â€œWhat do you think?” Chad said. “Of me being here and all?”
    â€œI think you can’t keep a promise,” Jamie said.
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œDon’t you remember what you said back at the Pit Stop? You sat in that booth and told me you’d never be a problem for me again. Never block me or run into me on purpose.”
    â€œI never did that anyway,” Chad said. “Besides, you take everything personal. It’s not—it’s just racing.”
    â€œSo it’s my problem and you’re innocent of everything.”
    â€œYou’re a good driver. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t. But not everything that happens on the track is about you.”
    Jamie rolled her eyes. “Like you being here, jumping in when the rest of us have worked really hard to stay.”
    â€œThat has nothing to do with you.”
    â€œCan’t you see how it makes us feel for them to let you in this far into the session?”
    Chad threw up his hands. “Ask them that. My dad talked to the people running it, and they thought it would be good for me to mix things up a bit. It’s not my fault.”
    â€œWhat about your wreck? I thought your pinched nerve or whatever it was in your neck knocked you out. You could have been killed.”
    Chad bit into his burger and chewed like Brad Pitt in a nonspeaking scene. “That was a big deal over nothing if you ask me. But I did lose a good car.”
    Jamie shook her head and tried to calm down. “You’ve already been on the simulator, haven’t you?”
    â€œI got on it late last night and took a few spins to catch up with you guys. Didn’t do half bad.”
    A couple of guys from the school slapped Chad on the back and gave him high fives. Roger and Kenny were both hotshots as far as Jamie was concerned, so she looked the other way while they talked.
    â€œGood to see you up and around,” Roger said. He was short with