With Sammy racing this well, it was proving awfully tough to cut into his points lead.
But there was something else on Jimmy‘s mind. Although he didn‘t dare get his hopes up — after all, every racer‘s life is filled with disappointments — he sensed that change was at hand. He was excited yet wary; a career as a professional racer in the big leagues was a lifelong dream, but at the same time it was a little scary.
Renee was proving to be a perfect ally at the perfect time. She was solid and steady, reassuring him that things would work out like they are supposed to. She was a cheerleader and a listener and a coach, with the right word of encouragement whenever Jimmy was uncertain.
Jimmy was realistic about his chances of winning the USAC sprint car title; he had two chances, slim and none. Unless Sammy fell out of the rest of the races — let‘s face it, that wasn‘t going to happen — there was no way to catch him. So, Jimmy tried to put any title thoughts out of his mind and keep things simple: just win races.
Jack Harvey was on board with that kind of thinking. He had the Ellison sprinter prepared in every way possible, all shined up and ready to go.
Jimmy made it a point to immediately tell Harvey about his Indy car tests. He also wanted to share the news with Sonny Ellison, but Sonny was finishing up a two-week fishing trip and wouldn‘t be back until late tonight.
Sonny — and Harvey — had always treated Jimmy right, and he wanted to be up front with them on what was happening. He expected Harvey to be grumpy and resentful, but surprisingly enough the big guy said little. As they got ready for time trials Harvey asked Jimmy how it went in Phoenix, and Jimmy filled him in on the details.
Their day at Franklin was symbolic of how this season had gone with the sprint car. They were fast, setting quick time and winning their heat. But Jimmy got tripped up and spun on the opening lap of the feature, and after restarting on the tail spent the next 40 laps battling back to contention. They ended up chasing Sammy — who else? — to the flag, settling for second.
They were really good, but they had just enough bad luck to mess up the day.
They greeted fans in their pit for a solid hour after the race, and Jimmy enjoyed seeing lots of familiar faces. He was surprised that several people asked him about testing the Indy car; he later learned that a small blurb had appeared in this week‘s racing papers. He just downplayed the news and spoke vaguely of the possibilities.
As they drove home, however, his mind drew the opportunity into much sharper focus. He was eager to go to Milwaukee.
The Hotel Miller was a historic fixture in downtown Milwaukee, and Jimmy checked in a little past six. He looked around the ornate lobby, wondering how in the world anyone could ever afford to stay at a place this nice.
“You have a message, Mr. Wilson,” the desk clerk said. “Mr. Warren has asked that you join him for dinner tonight. Please call him in room No. 214 to confirm.”
An hour later Jimmy followed Lou into the restaurant located off the lobby. They were seated in the corner and Jimmy noticed the elegant tablecloths, and how a waiter immediately poured them a glass of water and handed them a heavy white napkin for their lap.
“Dang, 12 bucks for a steak!” Jimmy marveled as they looked over the menu.
Lou looked up from his menu and grinned.
“We can ask the chef to make a hot dog for you,” he teased.
Jimmy managed to laugh at himself, and he shook his head. “I‘m not used to fine dining,” he admitted.
“Don‘t worry, I‘m picking up the check,” Lou assured him. “Get what you want to eat. We can handle it.”