CHAPTER 15
The phone rang. Mark opened his eyes. He grabbed for the phone.
“Hello?”
No one answered.
“Wake up call,” Mark muttered.
He looked around the hotel room. There was no one in the beds except for him. They must be at breakfast, Mark thought. Mark got out of bed and grabbed his crutches. Mark hated crutches. He had been on them 4 times before. He crutched down to the lobby and into the restaurant where the team was sitting. It was Tuesday morning in Colorado Springs. The day before the team had gone to a little track and ridden. Mark wasn’t riding yet but he planned to start the next day.
“Where’re we going today?” Mark asked.
“Supercross track,” Jordan said.
“Oh,” Mark said.
After they finished breakfast, they walked out to the van. They drove about half an hour to an old dirt road where they turned off. They drove for 5 more minutes until they came to the entrance to the track. They drove over to where the trailer was parked. The team got their bikes out. All except Mark headed for the track. Mark sat down in a chair. He had been sitting there a little while when he heard his name behind him. He turned around.
“Mark Peterson.” Standing there was a guy in a yellow and blue shirt that said “Suzuki” and “Rockstar Energy” on it.
“Yeah?” Mark asked.
“I’m Bud Smith, manager of Team Suzuki Amateur Motocross.”
“Hullo,” Mark said.
“Would you mind taking a walk with me?” Bud asked.
Mark hesitated then said, “Sure.” He got up, got his crutches, and started walking with Bud Smith.
“You’ve been doing great in the US series.”
“Yeah, I’m doing alright,” Mark said.
“Alright?” asked Bud. “You are at the top of the point standings.”
“Yeah, well-”
“How are you liking riding for TPA?” interrupted Bud.
“Oh, they’re pretty good,” Mark said. “I mean, they take me everywhere, and supply me with everything I need to race.”
“Do they supply your bikes?” Bud asked.
“Well, no,” Mark said.
“Have you always ridden Hondas?” asked Bud.
“No. When I raced 50’s and 60’s I rode KTM’s.”
“Never a Suzuki?” asked Bud.
“Nope,” Mark said.
“TPA is a fairly new- ”
“What do you want?” asked Mark.
“Excuse me?”
“What do you want?” Mark repeated. “Why are you asking me these things? Why are you walking with me?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” Bud smiled. “I’m offering you a spot on Suzuki Amateur Team.”
“What?” Mark exclaimed. “Really?”
“Yup,” Bud said. “What do you say?”
Mark thought for a minute. “You see Bud, I don’t see why I should switch. TPA supplies me. We’ve got mechanics, a semi all that stuff. What would I get for switching to your team?”
“Mechanics,” said Bud. “Do you have a personal mechanic?” Mark shook his head. “On Suzuki you would get a personal mechanic.”
“What about bikes?” asked Mark.
“We supply them,” Bud said.
“I’ve ridden an RM85 and it’s not as fast as my CR85,” Mark said.
“Mark, when Suzuki gets done with you engine it’ll be 50 times better than stock condition,” Said Bud.
“Why do you want me so bad?” Mark asked.
“Because you’ve got a lot of potential,” said Bud. “Today it’s the USMXN series. Tomorrow it’s Loretta Lynn’s. The next day, Supercross Lites.”
“What about Supermini?” Mark asked. “Suzuki doesn’t make a 150, and I really like the 150.”
“We can get you an RM85L bored to 112cc and have more engine work done on it. It will be faster than your 150,” Bud said.
“I’ll have to think about it and talk it over with my Dad,” Mark said. “I don’t want to be unfair to TPA.”
“Mark,” Bud said. “It’s not about being fair or unfair. It’s about what’s best for you. Here’s my card. Get back to me.”
Mark walked back to the TPA semi, where the team was taking a break.
“Who was that guy you were talking to?” Keenan asked.
“None of your business,” Mark said. He didn’t think he wanted everyone knowing he got an offer to get on Factory Suzuki.
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Back at the hotel Mark spotted Bobby and his dad checking in. He walked over to him.
“I need to talk to you,” said Mark. “Let’s go out to your trailer.” They walked out to Bobby’s enclosed trailer and got inside.
“What’s up?” Bobby asked.
Mark told him all about his walk with Bud Smith and his offer on the Suzuki team. “Do you think I should take the offer?” Mark asked.
“It’s up to you isn’t it?” said Bobby. “If you want to be loyal and stick with TPA, or move up to first class with Suzuki and have 4 of your own RM’s lined up with your personal mechanic polishing them.”
“I better call my dad and talk it over with him,” Mark said.
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“Hello?”
“Hey dad,”
“Hey Mark, what’s up?”
“Oh, nothing really, just wanted your advice on something,”
“Shoot.”
“What would you do if you got an offer to be on Factory Suzuki with free bikes and parts and stuff, and you were on TPA. Which would you pick?” Mark asked.
“You got an offer from Team Suzuki?!”
“Yeah, today at the track. Bud Smith the manager was there and he talked to me about it.”
They talked about it for a while. Then finally Mark asked,
“Should I take it?”
“Do you want to take it?” Mark’s dad asked.
“Yes. I like the idea of all that stuff,” Mark said. “I’m gonna call Bud and talk to him.”
“Talk to you later, buddy.”
“Bye, Dad.”