Autumn famous mountain bike god is reborn

Before the start of the seventh lap, Takahashi Ryosuke suddenly asked: "The temperature of the braking system should be close to the red zone. After this round, do you want to slow down and play?"

Faced with this proposal that would normally be of great interest, Fujiwara Takumi refused without hesitation: "No need."

"I just tried it in the widest C39 and it had good acceleration stability and grip, but the stability control was too stubborn and couldn't be turned off," he explained.

In order to ensure driving safety, the internal electronic system caused serious interference to the drift running method that he could master manually, and also made the general rules on mountain roads inapplicable.

In this way, Fujiwara Takumi lost interest in playing with the drift running method and cooperating with the braking system to cool down.

Fujiwara Takumi continued: "The result of this lap should have been infinitely close to the limit value of this car."

Fujiwara Takumi, who has seven or eight years of professional racing experience, will certainly not be tempted by the idea of ​​"running another lap and shortening the time a little bit" like a real novice.

His mental state is still in a high state, but his thoughts are calm and clear: "Even if we continue to run, there will be no significant improvement in just a few laps. Rather than running reluctantly, I want to finish this trip. Go straight back to the maintenance area. Check the tire wear, air pressure and bolt firmness by the way, make sure the fluid level is at a high value..."

After talking to himself, he seemed to suddenly realize that the person beside him was Mr. Ryosuke, and his breathing paused for a while.

When he spoke again, his voice subconsciously softened a lot: "...and add some water by the way. That, Mr. Ryosuke, do you think it's okay?"

Takahashi Ryosuke chuckled and replied gently: "Of course."

Even in winter, wearing a racing suit with fireproof and explosion-proof effects, sitting in a sports car for hours of intense manipulation is definitely not a pleasant thing.

Not to mention it's still a sweltering early summer afternoon.

If it weren't for the existence of the fire mask, the closed full-face racing helmet would have been soaked in sweat long ago.

The ear-piercing tire noise of “creaking——” was produced when EVOIV returned to the starting point like a flash and made a 180-degree U-turn on the spot.

Takumi Fujiwara, who completed multiple shifts in a blink of an eye, and smoothly completed the U-turn, looked at the entrance of the track that had already been run six times, and announced lightly: "Then, I'm going to start."

"and many more."

Takahashi Ryosuke suddenly made a sound.

"what happened?"

Fujiwara Takumi tilted his head in surprise.

The moment he asked this sentence, he captured the reason why the navigator stopped him.

——It was an EVOIV that was exactly the same as the one he was driving, and it was slowly driving out of the nearby garage.

"It seems that the team has decided to temporarily add an opponent for us." Takahashi Ryosuke couldn't hear any emotion in his tone, but was as calm as ever: "Do you want to continue?"

Fujiwara Takumi nodded without hesitation: "Of course."

At this time, the person sitting in EVOIV was actually the Sakamoto driver he had tested in Tochigi Prefecture.

Today was originally a rest day for the first- and second-tier players, and the track will be vacated for paid use by ordinary fans.

Unexpectedly, he was already on the way to Saitama County at the invitation of his friend Akiyama, but suddenly received a call from the manager asking him to come back.

There was really no other way, so Sakamoto had no choice but to call and explain the situation to Akiyama, but after breaking the appointment, he accelerated to the convoy.

"Huh?" After Sakamoto arrived in a hurry, when he heard the manager's request, he almost thought he heard it: "Let me drive EVOIV and compete with Fujiwara Takumi?"

"This is what the president wants to see." The manager said sternly, "Please, Mr. Sakamoto."

"...It's really inexplicable."

Although he couldn't understand this decision and felt very dissatisfied, since it was the boss's order, he had no choice but to obey it.

Even for the sake of overtime pay.

While comforting himself, Sakamoto quickly changed into a full set of equipment, quickly took the navigator and sat in the EVOIV.

The car he drives the most is actually FR.

However, as the new 4WD that has been very strong in the field recently, he has driven the Lancer car series for nearly a hundred times.

But, it's that Fujiwara Takumi...

Although he has never directly competed with the opponent, as an ordinary member of the first team, he is not qualified to have access to the video recording the opponent's performance in driving the EK-9.

But based on the AE86's cornering performance he witnessed on Mount Akagi, coupled with his keen intuition, Sakamoto still firmly believes that the guy's strength is absolutely extraordinary.

But even if it is a genius, in the professional racing world, the most decisive factor is the driving experience.

Obviously a driver who is used to driving FR, but in the two assessments, he drove FF once and 4WD the other time...

I really don't understand what the people above want him to do.

Is it to accompany the newcomer on a test run, let the other party feel the bullshit and friendly atmosphere inside the professional team... or treat it as a real contest, forcing the other party to go all out to see how much potential Fujiwara Takumi has?

"It's really annoying."

Sakamoto, who hated thinking the most, frowned uncomfortably.

In any case, he had already put on this racing suit, so he had to treat it with a professional attitude.

When he saw the EVOIV driven by Fujiwara Takumi turning around on the spot, Sakamoto, who was bored waiting, couldn't help but his eyes lit up.

"Pretty!"

He couldn't help but drank it.

The complaints and dissatisfaction that had been lingering in my heart just now disappeared without a trace.

After seeing this amazing smooth U-turn with his own eyes, he more or less noticed that the opponent's 4WD control was equally superb, and his fighting spirit was immediately ignited.

He flicked off the clutch without hesitation, and the ready-to-go body was shot out like an arrow from the string.

Takahashi Ryosuke reminded lightly: "He has followed."

"Well, don't worry about it for now."

Fujiwara Takumi only glanced at the rearview mirror, and accurately judged the speed difference between the two.

The face that usually looked blank was now almost indifferent and indifferent, and the tone was extremely calm: "——wait until he catches up."

If it is the first two laps to adapt to the rhythm of the road and the performance of the car, the car behind may still have a chance.

But this is the seventh lap when Fujiwara Takumi has fully entered the state and mastered the limit of the car condition.

With the same performance of the cars on both sides, even if the opponent's familiarity with the field may be better... Fujiwara Takumi never thinks that he will lose.

The next development was indeed as he expected.

The EVOIV driver who chose to chase after him was definitely at a professional level, and he also adopted a more changeable rally running method.

It's just that in terms of chasing and attacking, the words "I'm not good at" are almost blatantly written on his body.

What's more, at this time, Fujiwara Takumi adhered to the idea of ​​"going to rest after running this trip", and unabashedly showed his powerful strength that can be exerted within the limit of EVOIV.

Under the guidance of the most trusted navigator, he can devote all his energy to driving without having to bother to recall the maps and routes he has memorized in his mind.

Takahashi Ryosuke clearly and calmly delivered instructions one after another: "The third from the left follows the second from the left, 80 meters, near the shoulder of the road, and the fourth from the right follows the third from the right."

Fujiwara Takumi replied with the same calm and clear voice: "Understood."

"30 meters, gentle slope on the right side, pay attention to the sand and gravel, five to the right, one hundred straight and straight."

Fujiwara Takumi: "Got it."

As if completely ignoring the opponent who was chasing hard behind him, he used his superb center of gravity movement and braking technology with ease, so that the powerful EVOIV could brake at the most suitable time.

After slightly decelerating and passing the apex, he stepped on the accelerator pedal decisively, allowing the re-acceleration performance that 4WD has always been proud of to explode instantly.

If it wasn't for the interference of the stubborn electronic system, those few roads were covered with a layer of fine gravel that hadn't been cleaned up in time, and he used the four-wheel drift method to slide directly over the high-speed curves, and the speed would be faster.

Holding slight regrets, Fujiwara Takumi ended the seventh test run neatly when the car behind him failed to approach them from the beginning to the end.

"So hot!"

As soon as the car stopped in the maintenance area at the finish line, he couldn't wait to take off his helmet and quickly pulled off his mask.

Takahashi Ryosuke turned his body slightly, quietly watching him who was panting hard, and at this moment, he couldn't help but slightly curled the corners of his mouth.

Her lovely tea-brown hair, which would usually look a little disheveled from sleep, was flattened by the heavy helmet and wet with sweat, with only the soft ends sticking out stubbornly.

After the real stop, the tense nerves gradually relaxed, and Fujiwara Takumi, who was still immersed in his professional state, did not notice the focused gaze from the co-pilot at all.

He just felt very hot all over his body.

The body wrapped in the racing suit was scorching hot in protest because it was difficult to dissipate heat. The inside must have been sweating profusely, and the throat was dry and itchy and painful.

"Mr. Ryosuke, let's go out."

He couldn't wait to open the door and get out of the car, looking for the place where the water was drained.

In the end, after walking a few steps, he was stopped by the smiling Maeno: "Mr. Fujiwara, Mr. Takahashi! You have worked hard!"

"Ah, please wait..."

Fujiwara Takumi responded perfunctorily, ignoring him, just looking around, eager to find water to relieve his dry mouth.

"Takumi."

Takahashi Ryosuke suddenly made a sound.

Takumi Fujiwara who was called by his name immediately turned around, was stunned for less than half a second, and reflexively took the thrown thing.

——It was an unopened bottle of mineral water.

"You are looking for this."

Takahashi Ryosuke smiled, his dark blue hair, which had always been combed meticulously, was also rare messy at this moment.

But in Takumi's eyes, it doesn't look sloppy at all, but has a lazy and sexy look that people can't take their eyes off.

After throwing the water to Takumi, those dark blue eyes drooped slightly, and after easily unscrewing the cap of another bottle of water, his jaw lifted slightly, fully revealing his slender and fair neck.

Fujiwara Takumi stared blankly at the clear Adam's apple that was slightly rolling up and down with the movement of swallowing, and it took a long time to look away in a panic.

The thirst that upset him just now has subconsciously dissipated.

Instead, there was a strange embarrassment that he couldn't understand.

It's obviously a very casual movement, but it looks very elegant and handsome.

...As expected of Mr. Ryosuke.

He drank water absently, thinking in a daze.

It's incredible that a handsome guy like Mr. Ryosuke can make people feel nervous and shy even if he just drinks water.

After washing off the sweat in the shower room in the locker room, Fujiwara Takumi and Takahashi Ryosuke had just changed their clothes when they were told by Maeno Manager who was waiting at the door.

Said that the content of the test run just now is enough, President Kitahara now wants to invite them to the meeting room.

"Just signing a part-time contract as a test driver, do you need to be so solemn?"

The more Fujiwara Takumi thought about it, the more weird he felt, and he couldn't help asking Mr. Ryosuke in a low voice.

Takahashi Ryosuke smiled slightly, and was about to answer when he was interrupted by the sluggish Sakamoto hesitantly catching up: "That."

He smiled awkwardly and asked, "Fujiwara Takumi, Takahashi Ryosuke, you all remember me, right?"

The author has something to say: Description of Playtime-Temperature Red Zones and Electronic System Interference, from

"The Track Day Manual (The Track Day Manual)" author [English] Mike Breslin (Mike Breslin), Machinery Industry Press.