It was the big day. The day of the race. Lightning and his driver Mack had been awake all night. Mack drove the last 8 hours to Albuquerque, without one sevond of sleep. Lightning tried to sleep, to be concentrated for the next day but his thoughts were too loud. They drift off to Sally and Doc and Mater, who had stayed at home. It was for the best.

And now McQueen only had like 2 hours of sleep, which was absolutely not conditions for his race. But as soon as they passed through Albuquerque the adrenaline rushed in his veins and he was wide awake.

The old speedway was only used for training races or small competitions nowadays. The morning sun shone onto the cracked asphalt. Lightning McQueen sat in his fuelled car and waited for his enemy to show up. It was the right place and the right time. So where was he?

Lighting drumed on his sterring wheel as a movement caught his attention. A car rolled onto the track. McQueen narrowed his eyes. His heart stopped beating as two persons got out. The one was a man with grey hair, the other a woman. Sally! Doc! He jumped out if his car and ran to his friends. When Sally saw him, she spread his arms and the two hugged deeply. Sally wiped her tears as Lightning took her cheeks and kissed her.

"You're really here!", she whispered. "Of course!", the racer nodded smilingly. Sally buried her dark hair into Lightning's shoulder.

"I knew you would try to save us.", a dark voice interrupted them and Doc Hudson came over. He placed a big hand on Lightning's shoulder. "I knew we can count on you." He smiled. The rookie was so happy to have his friends back. But those feelings were gone abruptly when his his view fell onto the guy behind the sterring wheel. Now he noticed the car being a stock car. And according to the design of the car it was...

"Ryan Harvick?", he murmured. Never ever had he thought that his contender, who always drove next to him on the track, would kidnapp his friends. Anger rised in him.

Ryan got out of his car, his racing helmet under his arm. "Well well... Lightning McQueen. The most famous racer of the last years, extorted to get his friends back.", he smiled mischievously.

Lighting presses his teeth together. "What do you want? Here I am. Do you still want to race? You will lose."

Ryan shrugged. "We will see." He mustered Lightning from toes to hair. "First, you should know why I chose you."

Lighting rolled his eyes. "Because I am your biggest opponent."

Ryan laughed. "Yeah. But that's not all. I chose you because of him." His thumb pointed to Doc. Lightning frowned and Doc crossed his arms without a voice.

"I tried to get some information out of him but..."

"What do you want?", hissed McQueen.

Ryan placed his helmet on the hood of his car. "My uncle was a racer too. One of the best. Racing was his life. He could never imagine giving it up. And then he came, the fabulous Hudson Hornet." Ryans voice was filled with disgust. "One day they had a race toegther. Both drove at the top, fighting for the 1st position. Amd then it happened. My uncle crashed. The Hudson Hornet rammed him. A tyre bursted and my uncle lost balance. He crashed. Everybody thought he wouldn't make it."

Lighting looked over to Doc. Realisation floated over the old man's face.

"After he came out of hospital he was disabled. Paraplegic. Tied to the wheel chair for his whole life. He could never race again. His life was destroyed. Because of the Hudson Hornet." Ryan stared into Lightning's eyes. "That's why I chose you. Because you were coached by the Hudson Hornet. Because when you give up racing, itvwill be a shock for everyone. Especially him." He glared at Doc who seemed lost in thoughts.

"He will never quit.", hissed Sally and grabbed Lightning's hand. "And you know, you won't make this. I gave good connections to the Californian lawyers. And if I remember correctly youre from Cali, so...", she shrugged and Lightning bit his lip, tried not to laugh.

"Boy", said Doc before Ryan could answer Sally. The two racers stared at each other.

"You want revenge, Ryan. I understand that." He smiled convincingly. "I offer you a deal: You race against me. If I win, you let us go and you will forget all this."

Ryan made a grimmace. Sally whispered "Doc, no!"

"If you win", Doc continued "you will have your revenge. But you let us go as well."

Ryan was caught off guard. He frowned, as if this would be a trick. Then he smiled frostly. "Deal."