by Jake Maddox
READY OR NOT
Jason trained nonstop for the next two weeks. He and Stephen spent every spare moment they had at the park. Jason practiced hopping over the tops of hills and controlling his speed around the corners.
“Always keep pedaling,” Stephen read from the BMX book. “Never coast.”
“What if I get tired?” Jason asked.
“You can coast after the race is over,” Stephen said.
“Does it say that? For real?” Jason asked. He hoped Stephen was kidding.
Stephen leaned over to show him the entry. “It does say you could try braking a little around the corners,” Stephen said. “It’ll help give you some control.”
“I’ll try it,” Jason said. He was suddenly anxious to get moving. “Let’s ride.”
The two friends took off down the trail again. Jason hit a rise in the path, and his bike was launched high off the ground.
“Did you see that, Stephen?” Jason shouted. “I caught some major air!”
Stephen nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “But the book says that jumps might look cool, but you’re slowing yourself down by jumping too high. Stay low on jumps. You’re faster on the ground.”
“Huh,” Jason said. “I wonder if Paul and his BMX big shots know that.”
“I guess we’ll find out,” Stephen said, closing the BMX notebook.
* * *
On the last day of training, Stephen was far behind Jason on the path.
“Wait up,” Stephen called. “Are you trying to lose me?”
Jason shrugged and slowed down. “Isn’t that the idea?” he asked.
“I think you’re getting the hang of it,” Stephen said, smiling. “You might finish the race tomorrow after all.”
“I hope so,” Jason said.
“It’ll be different with other riders on the track,” Stephen told him. “It won’t be easy.”
“I just don’t want to look stupid out there,” Jason said. “It’ll be cool to show Paul how far I’ve come.”
As they rode back toward the main park area, Jason realized something. I’m actually excited for the race, he thought. Maybe after the Dirt Cross, I’ll tell Paul he was right.
“One last thing,” Stephen said. He turned and rode toward a group of picnic tables. “And it’s pretty important.”
Stephen stopped near a bench and pulled out the BMX book. He flipped to the page he was looking for and nodded.
“What?” Jason asked. He felt like he’d already learned everything he could.
“You have to learn how to balance at the start gate and how to get the hole-shot,” Stephen said.
“The what-shot?” Jason asked. He didn’t like the sound of that.
Stephen laughed. “The hole-shot is what they call it when you’re the first one out of the gate,” he explained. “Great BMX riders can tell when the gate is going to drop. They’re pedaling before it hits the ground.”
Jason sighed. “Isn’t it enough to just pedal really fast?” he asked.
“There’s a little more to it than that,” Stephen said. “Ride over to that wall.”
Jason rode over to the brick wall along the side of the park with Stephen.
“Okay, now get as close to the wall as you can with your front tire,” Stephen said, reading from a page in the book. “Get close enough that the tire is touching the wall. You’ll want to do that at the starting gate.”
Jason did as he was told, but he still didn’t understand.
“Use the wall to keep your balance,” Stephen continued reading. “If you get tight enough up against the wall, you can keep both feet on the pedals. That way, you’ll have the strength of both legs right away when the gate drops.”
Jason nodded. “And that’s how I’ll get this holy-shot,” he said.
“Hole-shot,” Stephen corrected him.
“Whatever,” Jason muttered, trying to balance.
It was tricky at first, but after a few tries, he mastered it. He knew it’d be different with other riders around, but at least he’d sort of look like he knew what to do.
Sort of.
CHAPTER 8
DIRT CROSS
“You have to be kidding me,” Jason said as he stepped into the outdoor arena of the 12th Annual Dirt Cross on Saturday morning. He couldn’t believe how many people were there. The stands were packed with spectators.
“I told you,” Stephen said. “You don’t want to back out, do you?”
“No way,” Jason said. “I didn’t spend the past two weeks in training for nothing.”
He wheeled Paul’s BMX bike to the check-in table and lined up. Jason watched the other riders pin their racing numbers to their shirts. Suddenly, he felt out of place.
Jason glanced around at the other riders at the registration table. Some of them were wearing shirts with logos on them.
“How come their shirts have bike names on them?” Jason asked Stephen.
“They’re probably sponsored or on a racing team like Dave was,” Stephen said.
I didn’t know I’d be racing the pros, Jason thought. He’d hoped his race would have at least a few guys who raced for fun. “Last place, here I come,” he muttered quietly.
After Jason filled out some forms, the woman at the desk handed him his racing number. Number 13.
“Oh, man,” Jason said, groaning. “This can’t be good.”
“Lucky 13,” Stephen said, smiling. He watched Jason pin the number to his sweatshirt. “Perfect!”
The Pee-Wee race was just ending when Jason and Stephen walked over to the course.
“Looks like you’re racing next,” Stephen said. He clapped his friend on the back. “Are you ready?”
Jason nodded. “I think so,” he said. “Any last tips from Dave’s notebook?”
“Yeah,” Stephen said. “Pedal fast. Real fast.”
Great tip, Jason thought.
* * *
At the starting gate, Jason pulled on his helmet. Someone gave him a light shove from behind. When he turned around, he saw it was Paul.
“You actually showed up!” Paul said. “I’m impressed.”
“Don’t be too impressed yet,” Jason said. He tightened his chinstrap. “You might not get your bike back in one piece.”
“Tell you what,” Paul said. “If you beat me, you can keep the bike.”
Jason looked at the little bike Paul had let him use. It wasn’t super fancy like the some of the others lined up next to him. Even so, Jason had learned a lot on it.
“Deal,” Jason said. They shook on it.
“Riders, line up,” a voice said over the loudspeaker.
Jason edged his front tire so that it was pressed against the gate and stood up on both pedals. He was ready to surge ahead as soon as the gate fell.
As the last of the riders took their places, Jason had a terrible thought. What if Paul tried to mess with him on purpose?
He bet his bike on this, Jason thought. He’ll want to make sure he wins.
Jason took a deep breath and looked over the twisting stretch of track. A horn sounded. The gate dropped.
The race was on!
CHAPTER 9
MUD SANDWICH
It took Jason a second to realize the gate had dropped. By the time he started pedaling, most of the riders were off.
So much for that hole-shot, Jason thought. I’m already behind.
Jason heard Stephen shout, “Let’s go, Jason!” Jason’s tires rolled over the metal gate and picked up speed on the first hill. He held the grips tight as he raced to the first jump.
Jason heard the other bikers hit the jump next to him. Then he was in the air. He stiffened up and prepared to land. Then he remembered what Dave had written.
Make your body like a set of shocks. Don’t tense up!
Jason relaxed a bit as the tires hit the dirt. He wobbled but kept his balance.
So far so good, Jason thought. He crouched low and pedaled hard as he raced toward the next stretch of rollers.
As he
hit the first bump, Jason leaned back and pulled a manual. He popped his front wheel up and stopped pedaling.
Bringing his front wheel back to the ground, he cranked the pedals with his legs and continued over the course. He sped over the bumps like he was on flat ground.
Nice! Jason thought, setting his front wheel down. He barreled into the first berm and rode the curve high and outside to pass three other riders. He could see the four leaders in front of him. Paul was trying to pass the rider in first place.
If I stay here, I’ll end up in fifth, Jason thought. But then I won’t get to keep this bike!
With a surge of speed, Jason pedaled hard. He kept his eyes on the upcoming tabletop. He hit the ramp at the same time as another rider. Even so, Jason kept his jump low, just like the BMX book had said.
Jason leaned forward to cut through the wind and landed clean on the other side. The other guy wasn’t so lucky. He wiped out and flew over the top of his handlebars. Jason didn’t dare look back. He blazed along the track, heading into the next turn.
He was getting close to the end, so Jason pumped the pedals with everything he had. He was gaining on the other riders. He hit the next series of rollers. Bam! Bam! Bam! In moments, he was right behind Paul and the other three leaders.
As they moved toward the last berm, the rider in second place twisted his handlebars too far to the left. His bike hit Paul’s. The blow was hard enough to knock him off of his bike. As Paul fell, his bike veered into the second-place rider.
Before Jason knew it, all four of the leaders had crashed into the bank of the berm. He tried to steer away from the wreckage, but he couldn’t. His tire rammed into the pile of fallen bikes, and Jason found himself on top of the heap of riders.
CHAPTER 10
THE BIG FINISH
Get up! Jason thought. He could almost hear Stephen’s voice. It’s what he’d said anytime Jason fell during training. Thanks to those falls, Jason was good at getting back on his bike. As the others tried to untangle their bikes, Jason was already up.
The crowd cheered as Jason grabbed his bike. The pedals and chain were full of mud, but it didn’t matter. No one would wait for him to clean off his bike.
He remembered what the BMX book said: Get back on and ride like you’re on fire!
Jason swung his leg over the seat and jammed his foot onto the pedal. He cranked hard and rode away from the crash. Jason heard the other riders shout after him as they climbed onto their bikes.
Jason tore along the track. The rush of racing was unlike anything he’d ever felt. He hit the hip jumps, remembering to stay low, and landed clean. He didn’t bother trying any fancy moves. The race wasn’t about showing off. It was about finishing.
Jason rode high going into the last turn and cut in to gain more speed. He coasted and did a manual over three short rollers. Behind him, the riders grunted as they pedaled as hard as they could.
Then Paul shouted at him, “Take it, Tillman! Win this thing!”
Does he actually want me to win the race? Jason thought, surprised.
The other riders were getting closer. Jason’s legs burned from pedaling so hard. The wind whistled through his helmet, and his fingers tightened on the grips.
Jason looked up and saw the finish line just ahead. He glanced over his shoulder. Another rider was right behind him, fighting to catch up. Paul was in third.
With a final burst of speed, Jason surged forward. The crowd cheered as Jason tore across the finish line.
First place!
“Yes!” Jason shouted. He raised his arms in victory.
CHAPTER 11
A GOOD SPORT
“I can’t believe it,” Stephen shouted as he ran over to where Jason and Paul were standing.
Paul smiled at Jason. “You tore it up out there,” Paul said. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks, man,” Jason said. “But I can’t take your bike.”
“It’s yours,” Paul said. “A deal is a deal. Besides, you’ll need that bike for next time.”
“Thanks, Paul,” Jason said. “You know, I was wrong about BMX racing. It’s a lot harder than it looks. I had fun, though!”
“Keep at it,” Paul said. “You were born to ride a baby bike.”
Jason laughed. Paul isn’t such a bad guy after all, he thought.
“Thanks, man,” Jason said.
Paul hopped back on his bike and rode off toward his friends. “See you at the track sometime, Tillman,” Paul called over his shoulder.
“I’m still amazed,” Stephen said, shaking his head. “First place. I didn’t think you’d even finish.”
“I got lucky,” Jason said. Then he frowned. “Hey, wait a second. You didn’t think I’d finish?”
Just then, a man in a Mudd Ripper Bikes jacket appeared. He smiled at Jason and held out his hand.
“Otto Jones,” he said. “I represent the Mudd Ripper racing team.”
“Hi,” Jason said, shaking Mr. Jones’s hand. “I’m Jason Tillman.”
“That was one of the best races I’ve seen in a long time,” Mr. Jones said. “You really kept it together after that crash.”
“Thanks,” Jason said.
“We’re looking to fill a few spots on our team this summer,” Mr. Jones continued. “Are you interested in racing for us on the weekends?”
Jason blinked and nodded. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. For once he was speechless.
Mr. Jones handed Jason a business card. “Give me a call after you’ve talked with your parents,” he said. “We could really use a guy like you on the team.” With that, he turned and headed toward the parking lot.
“Wow,” Stephen said. “The one time you should open your mouth, you keep quiet!”
Jason stared at the card. He thought about what Mr. Jones had said.
We’re looking to fill a few spots.
“I’ll be right back,” Jason told Stephen.
Jason zipped through the fans, ducked under a rope barrier, and slipped between two cars in the parking lot. He spotted Mr. Jones just as he opened the door to his car.
“Mr. Jones! Wait a second,” Jason called. He braked to a stop next to Mr. Jones’s car.
Mr. Jones seemed surprised, but smiled kindly. “What’s up, Jason?” he asked.
“First of all, I’d love to join the team. I’ll see what my folks say,” Jason said.
“Excellent,” Mr. Jones replied.
“You said you needed to fill a few spots on the team, right?” Jason asked. “You should add my friend Paul, too. He’s the one who got me into BMX biking.”
Mr. Jones frowned. “Was he here today?” he asked.
“Paul took third place,” Jason said. “He probably would’ve won if he hadn’t gotten knocked over.”
“He showed promise too,” Mr. Jones said. He nodded. “Have him call me. We’ll give him a shot.”
Jason shook Mr. Jones’s hand again. Then he watched the man climb into his car and drive away. A moment later, Stephen ran over.
“They’re handing out the trophies soon,” Stephen said. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” Jason said. “Just returning a favor. I’m using my big mouth to do something good for once.”
“About time!” Stephen said, laughing.
Jason turned to his best friend and put an arm around his shoulder. They walked back toward the stands together.
“You know, Stephen,” Jason said. “If I’m on the Mudd Ripper BMX team, I’m going to need a coach….”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Thomas Kingsley Troupe writes, makes movies, and works as a firefighter/EMT. He’s written many books for kids, including Legend of the Vampire and Mountain Bike Hero, and has two boys of his own. He likes zombies, bacon, orange Popsicles, and reading stories to his kids. Thomas currently lives in Woodbury, Minnesota with his super cool family.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
When Sean Tiffany was growing up, he lived on a small island off the coast of Maine.
Every day until he graduated from high school, he had to take a boat to get to school! Sean has a pet cactus named Jim.
GLOSSARY
astronaut (ASS-truh-nawt)—someone who travels in space
barrier (BA-ree-ur)—a bar, fence, or wall that prevents something from going past it
berm (BURM)—a mound of earth
cluster (KLUHSS-tur)—a group of the same thing growing closely together
crank (KRANGK)—a handle that is attached at a right angle to a shaft and turned to make a machine work
minimize (MIN-uh-mize)—to make something as small as possible
soil (SOYL)—dirt or earth
sprocket (SPROK-it)—a wheel with a rim made of toothlike points that fit into the holes of a chain; the chain then drives the wheel
tense (TENSS)—nervous or worried
track (TRAK)—a prepared path or course
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Did Jason do the right thing when he accepted Paul’s dare? Why or why not?
Why does Jason get into so much trouble with dares? What are some other ways he could deal with dares in the future?
At first, Jason doesn’t think he’ll like BMX riding. Talk about something you enjoy that at first you didn’t think you would.
WRITING PROMPTS
Write about a time that you accepted a dare you wish you hadn’t. What was the dare? What were the consequences?
Has a friend ever helped you learn something new? Have you ever helped a friend? Write about it.
What do you think happens after this story ends? Write a chapter that tells what happens next.
MORE ABOUT BMX
BMX is a cycling sport made up of extreme, motocross-style racing on tracks with incline starts and obstacles all over the course. The sport allows riders to have a lot of personal creativity. BMX stands for two things: bicycle motocross racing (the “x” stands for “cross”) and the style of bike itself. Here’s how BMX got its start: