The Pursuit Race, or the Collective Pursuit, is a professional league hover car race, and the third of the New York Masters.
History[]
Early History[]
During the growth of the hover car industry, and the accompanying racing sports, the professional league established the Masters Series of races. Chief among them were the four "Grand Slam" races, which included the New York Masters. The third of the Masters races was the Pursuit Race, which would take place on the outskirts of New York City, challenging racers to stay within 15 seconds of the leading car. Only those races who finished in the top four of the Pursuit Race would be able to proceed on to the final race of the Masters, the Quest Race.
Hover Car Racer[]
Following the end of the Manhattan Gate Race, Angus Carver was in the lead for the New York Masters, with both Alessandro Romba and Fabian tied for second. Meanwhile Jason Chaser was placing second-to-last, and determined that, with the point system having changed to afford less points, he would need a top-two placement to continue to the Quest Race.
During the second lap of the race, as the racers passed beneath the Williamsburg Bridge, the ion waterfalls activated to enforce the 15-second rule, and the last-placed Dwayne Lewicki failed to get by before his car was coated and lost power, sending him into a dead-zone and eliminating him from the race.
Fabian and Etienne Trouveau, still put out by Jason's continued presence in the Masters, both began calculated swipes at the Argonaut, attempting to put him out of the race. By Lap 6, they managed to force Jason to decelerate enough that he fell into last place, and Jason began struggling to keep apace of the leading Romba's almost 15 second lead. This continued on for almost 100 laps, during which Jason's mech chief Sally McDuff used their pit stops to gain him a few seconds to catch up to the rest of the other racers.
On Lap 105, Pablo Riviera, having fallen into last place and struggling to keep within the 15-second rule, gave in to desperation and made a play for the second Meat Grinder shortcut. However, due to either a lack of skill or nerve, Riviera didn't enter the tunnel fast enough. As the walls began closing in, Riviera realised his folly as the outer pieces of his car were sheared off, and the crumbled remains of the car - including Riviera in the reinforced cockpit - tumbled into the river as it emerged from the Meat Grinder, eliminating the racer.
During Lap 110, two separate incidents changed the positions of the race drastically. First, Carver attempted to pass by Romba to take the lead, but the Italian racer refused to give, causing both of them to collide and spin out over the demagnetising light strips. Secondly, Fabian and Trouveau boxed in Jason and forced him towards Ward's-Randell's Island, intending to make him crash or force him into the Meat Grinder. Jason chose the latter option, flying into the Grinder at top speed. Though the closing walls briefly grazed the tips of the Argonaut's wings, Jason successfully made it through to the other end, with the shortcut putting him in first place.
As Jason led the pursuit, Romba and Carver, their incident costing them both the lead and leaving them well past the 15-second rule, nevertheless continued on until the next bridge's ion waterfall blocked their path, with Romba coming out ahead of Carver and thus securing himself the points that would come from 5th place.
Though both of the French racers were outraged that their maneuver had put Jason in first, it was Trouveau, who needed the points more, who ultimately attempted a run at a Meat Grinder on Lap 115, putting him right behind Jason. For the next few laps, Trouveau hounded Jason relentlessly, before realising that the young racer was nervous making the hairpin turn at Liberty's Elbow. As they made the turn on the final lap, Trouveau's attempt to overtake him forced Jason into taking the elbow hard, with the g-forces behind the turn ultimately making him black out.
Fortunately, though Jason was unconscious, his feet remained hard-pressed against the pedals, and so his navigator, Bug Chaser, leaned over his seat to steer the Argonaut over the finish line just ahead of Trouveau, winning them the Pursuit Race.
As a result of their placings in the Pursuit, Jason, Trouveau, Fabian and Romba all earned enough points to go on to the Quest Race (Carver's sixth-placement got him no points, while Mark Skaife, despite having finished fourth, had failed to get enough points throughout the Masters).
Race Details[]
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The 15-Second Rule[]
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The Meat Grinders Shortcuts[]
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Final Positions[]
- Jason Chaser
- Etienne Trouveau
- Fabian
- Mark Skaife
- Alessandro Romba (Eliminated by 15-second rule)
- Angus Carver (Eliminated by 15-second rule)
- Pablo Riviera (Did Not Finish)
- Dwayne Lewicki (Eliminated by 15-second rule)
Trivia[]
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