Peak Performance

"Like a snappy lube on steroids," Payton Reese grumbled to himself. Team members hustled this way and that, the buzz of engines getting last-minute adjustments bounced off the trailers and the pungent smell of oil and gasoline filled the early-evening Virginia air. "What did I get myself into?""Whaddya say?" His cameraman, Neil Bukowski, flipped his baseball cap backward and got ready to tape.Payton refocused, reminding himself this duty was temporary. This job and these interviews were a means to an end. Six more months max and all the noise, the crowds and smelly stock-car fumes would be nothing but a bad memory."I said where the hell is Rachel Murphy?"NASCAR had arranged for him and his television station, WJAZ 11, to have unlimited access to the entire Murphy family for the weekend. Since qualifying runs, which determined starting positions for tonight's race, he'd had plenty of time with Justin Murphy, Justin's uncle Hugo and the Fulcrum Racing team, but not one second with Justin's sister, Rachel."Might be a long shot," Neil said, his southern twang edged with sarcasm. "But I'm gonna guess that an engine specialist spends a bit of time in the garage."His co-workers had been giving Payton crap since the day he started on the job several months back. In the beginning, most of their comments had been downright nasty, but then Payton had hung some pictures on his office walls of Denali, K2, Cerro Torre and other mountains he'd climbed through the years, and suddenly all that ribbing had turned decidedly good-natured.They had a point, though. Charlotte's newest sports-caster should know a thing or two about NASCAR. Then again, how complicated could this sport be? Popular as all get-out, but it wasn't rocket science."Yeah, but which one is the Fulcrum garage?" he asked."Over there." Neil balanced his camera on his shoulder with his right arm and pointed with his left. "See the one with the No. 448 car in it?"Justin Murphy's car. Duh. Payton passed several garage stalls at the Richmond track and ignored the throbbing in his back. He'd have to get some heat on it pretty soon to make it through the race.Keep moving. Just keep moving.Justin's carefree laugh sounded above the rest of the ruckus before Payton spotted his dark brown head bent in conversation with his uncle Hugo, Fulcrum's crew chief; his second cousin and spotter, Dennis Murphy; and another man Payton had yet to meet. He signaled to Neil. "Start taping.""Now?""You never know what clip's gonna come in handy." He smiled. "Hey, Justin."The driver glanced up, and his expression turned cautious, as if bracing himself for an onslaught from some crazed fan. Payton couldn't blame the guy, especially not after watching him at the hospitality tent. Everyone had wanted a piece of him, from teenagers to grandmothers, toddlers to grown men.Once he recognized Payton, he visibly relaxed. "Well, if it isn't Mister J-A-Z."Payton nodded at Justin's uncle and cousin. "Hugo. Dennis.""Payton, have you met Wade Abraham?" Hugo patted the back of the man sitting next to him. "He's our car chief."Hair, skin and eyes all dark, the man looked more model than mechanic to Payton."Wade, this is Payton Reese, WJAZ's sportscaster for a brand-new show they're calling On the Road.""Hey, Payton."Payton shook the man's hand and immediately noticed the strong muscles in his forearms. Coulda been a climber."How do you like working for Fulcrum, Wade?""Dream come true, that's for sure." Wade grinned."I'm learning a lot working for Hugo."Payton studied the darkening sky. "Think the rain'll hold off until after the race?""Not a chance," Dennis said."I don't know about that," Hugo said. "Last time I checked, the radar was looking pretty good." He tipped his head toward Neil. "You still taping?""Yes, sir, if it's all right," Payton said. "We'll wrap things up tonight after the race is over. That is, if I can get some time toBrenna, Helen is the author of 'Peak Performance', published 2008 under ISBN 9780373217892 and ISBN 0373217897.