Chapter 3: Resonance

The race in Daiban Raceway would be a big sign for Japanese race drivers who wanted to Improved further into the Nationals and hone their skills like a razor edge blade from a knife.

This would be another sign for Japan to move quickly in their automotive world, and gave a significant message for Japanese car makers around the country.

---

All the drivers are in the starting grid. Each team mechanics did more final checks before the race started.

Speed Joker entered her car in the starting grid. Then she looked up, and saw the traffic light.

As all of them waited, the commentators spark the crowd of spectators.

"Tonight at the new opening motorsport race track of Daiban Raceway. We will see Japan's first legal race in history!" Commentator 1 excitedly said.

"Before we start, let's see what teams are in the starting grid."

Then Commentator 2 said, "Here comes the first team who got the Pole Position. It is Ravenwest, one of the most targeted team for this race."

"Everyone must be serious about to beat them, am I right?"

"That is true, they have the biggest win rate in all of the races combined. But this time, they brought out fresh rookies for this race."

"This is going to be exciting to see. I've heard they are very talented."

Then Commentator 1 continued, "Here comes the next team, Thunder Group. A very well known team through out America."

"I've heard they are the oldest team in America right after Ravenwest. About the history with both of them, they were rival against Ravenwest."

"Not only that," Commentor 2 said, "I remembered that I watched a live race with both of them matched up. Thunder Group and Ravenwest went toe-to-toe, and it still give me goosebumps seeing both of them here again."

Commentator 1 said, "Next up is from Europe. They are Dexter Torres. A very old team since debut, oldest in the grid."

"Yeah, I'm surprised. But since 1960? That is something fresh to see here in Japan. They also won many off-road races through out decades with many impressive records in hand. They are a very well experienced team through out the door from this one."

"Finally, that you have been waiting for. Racing teams from Asia!" Commentator 2 excitedly said.

"First up, Ino One and Jouhan Racing. A very well known through out Japan. They are pinnacle benchmark precision for any national drivers in the grid."

"Qihian, a racing team from China. An unexpected guess came from our rivaling country. Let see what they can do in the land of the rising sun."

"For the final team, its Tristan Star. They are a unknown team started two years ago. Making waves through out the local Motorsport community. They are the one's should keep their eyes on."

Commentator 2 said, "With all the teams introduction are done. Now we can't hold any longer to get this showdown started." 

With that ended, the countdown from five starts. 

Once its finished, traffic lights turned off, and all cars in the starting grid took off.

Commentator 1 excitedly said, "Lights off and away they go."

Kei Eida (Speed Joker) in the back of the pack, holding on Qihian in the rear. She stuck them like super glue.

She can win this race, if she had the exact skills and strategy needed. But right now, there are few things she can only do. But, she had one in her head.

---

Speed Joker had one advantage, that was regarding about her messed up memory. She had a memory of a forty five year old male race driver named Granz Hermann, a three leg triple crown winner german racing driver.

This memory came from when she was around fifteen years old. With all of that sudden memory surge before her, she use it as her advantage. Using them on the rally scene in her hometown, winning each event and get cash prizes. Which significantly helped her family financial trouble. 

With this experience in hand, she kept quite from her family. It wasn't about the racing scene, its about motorsport in general. Her parents didn't want any of her cousins, including her into it. Because it was very unsafe, and they didn't want any of them to get killed in a race.

But that wasn't the only memory she had about Granz Hermann. Speed Joker had another memory, it was a stallion horse named after her. With both memories in placed, it gave her quite an existential crisis. But she recovered quickly from there.

As for this race, her condition she was in; it was all about experience. But memories, doesn't mean experience. 

---

In front of the pack of the race. Thunder Group and Ravenwest are close with each other. They increased the gap from the mid pack for 5 seconds ahead after the fourth curve.

Commentator 1 said, "Thunder Group and Ravenwest was toe on toe with themselves and forgetting about the rest of the drivers."

Then Commentator 2 said, "It is to be expected. A rivalry from years ago folding in our eyes is just amazing to see. I will see them making a move soon."

While in the mid-pack, absolute pressure of each driver can felt for themselves waited for the right time to defend or attack.

"Oh, this one is crowded. It will be tough for the two teams"

"Yes, both Dexter Torres and Ino One are close within each other's range. Its amazing from Ino One's drivers manage to push the pace from an old tuned race car."

In the rear of the pack. Tristan Star was still hold on Qihuan in the rear, while Jouhan Racing are in front of them with their slow abysmal pace.

"I'm kind of surprised Qihian qualified in the rear. I would assumed to be in the mid-pack."

"From what we had seen in the practice and qualifying. They seemed struggle a lot in the turns, I would assumed the weight of the batteries put stress a lot to the tires."

"It would seemed so."

On the 3 kilometer long straight, Speed Joker saw Qihian make their move. They passed Jouhan Racing in one acceleration pull.

"Qihian make their move and passed both Jouhan Racing drivers, that was an unbelievable acceleration from the their race cars."

They sped tried to passed the entire mid pack of the race. But with the straight was ending soon.

Zhu Yi torpedoed through the first high speed turn and went through a field of grass. He stopped in time and closed enough to the field of gravel. If he did went there, it was over for him.

"Oh no, Zhu Yi went off track. He absolutely didn't brake on time there."

While his teammate Xiao Yu absolutely kept control of the car like it was a single strand of string made of fragile glass.

Speed Joker saw Zhu Yi on the grass and tried to go back into the track. She saw his car received some damage on both front rims of the car, and along its front bumper. 

She silently murmured, "Now I know why I was feeling sympathetic on him."

On second and third chicane, she passed both Jouhan Racing drivers easily without a sweat.

Commentator 1 said, "Look at this! Tristan Star making their move, passing Jouhan Racing like it was nothing."

Commentator 2 said, "I can't believe my eyes what I'm seeing, that was a beautiful overtake from Kei Eida in those chicanes."

The next challenge for her was to over took Dexter Torres, which was about 3 seconds ahead.

Speed Joker managed to close the gap in the finish line straight, and into the second lap of the race.

She overtook teammate driver Dexter Torres, that was Tanner Forster, in the third curve.

{Their skills aren't bad, but shame with their paces are so slow with well balanced cars.}

Then on the fourth curve, she passed the lead driver of Dexter Torres, Rowan Cooper; completely took his position and moved to P8.

"Kei Eida again taking the spotlight, moving to P8," Commentator 1 said.

In front of Speed Joker, there was Qihian teammate driver Xiao Yu. He struggled to turn with his car, felt the entire batteries weight put a lot more wear on the tires.

Xiao Yu was 2 seconds ahead of Kei Eida (Speed Joker).

---

In the mid-front pack, Kono Ikeda made his strategic moved. Because he had been waited for this moment.

"What is this!? Ino One making their move to chase down Thunder Group. What an unprecedented strategy!" Commentator 2 said.

Kono increased his pace to decreased the gap of Thunder Group teammate driver, Noah Pierez; who was 4.2 seconds ahead of them.

They got closed in the first sharp turn, and then went closer in the second sharp turn. Managed to decreased the gap to 3.5 seconds.

Kono Ikeda knew he needed to get closer, because this wasn't enough.

On the hairpin, Ino One managed to closed the gap further into 2.8 seconds.

However, Ronin Endou started to felt his skills wasn't enough for this fight.

"Engineer, I would not push further," Ronin said on the radio.

"Hold on position, don't let anyone get it," His team racing engineer replied.

Now, Kono Ikeda was left alone in this dog fight against Noah Pierez.

They passed through the finish line straight, and onto the third lap. Kono Ikeda got very closed to Noah Pierez, around 0.8 seconds in front of him.

In the third turn, Kono Ikeda take the racing line. He went inside and overtook Noah Pierez.

"What an amazing overtake! Kono Ikeda really show us the way again!"

"You got that right, he managed to close up the five second gap quickly. It was amazing to see his footwork on the car like a piece of art."

---

In the middle pack. Speed Joker had already overtook Xiao Yu at the hairpin before the third high speed turn. Now her target was Ino One team. It was time for her to get more serious.

Ronin Endou holding his position, until he saw the unfamiliar headlights on his rear view mirror. Along with a familiar sound of an Inline 4 engine.

The car behind him was like a hawk stalking its prey. He felt his hands sweated a lot more, the nervousness he felt crawled under his skin, and his instincts screamed of danger.

{Dammit, I can't do it. I've had enough with fighting monsters already.} He thought.

Each second, it would get closer and closer. Until Ronin knew, the headlights of the car was already closed to him. It felt behind him was being gripped by monstrous claw, then slowly covered his entire body, and soon to be pulled back into a black empty void.

{Just who is driving that thing?!}

Speed Joker went inside of the first high-speed turn, it let Ronin Endou saw the LP1440 trailing brake light from behind.

{Eek!}

She completely overtook Ronin Endou.

She pushed her car further. Pushed every inch of grip of burning rubber, every compression bang in the combustion, and every twist and turn on the body. She pushed further until it reached the limit.