[bosky]

Thanks for the kind words MattV. I'm also sad to have missed the days when new Car Wars material was being produced and they had annual tournaments and all.

This forum seems to limit post sizes so I can't paste the entire story in. However I thought I'd post an excerpt from the start of the story, concerning the autoduelist Sunny in his eighth match. In terms of the actual story I'm up to about 15,000 words (including a battle with a semi-truck towing three trailers), so again check out the full story for the rest.
Once I finish the story I'll post the full file (in a variety of formats like text, doc, pdf, etc.) somewhere and link it here. But for now...


Excerpt 1
The roar of the arena awaited him. Sunny could hear the cheering crowd fighting to be heard over the revving of engines. Occasional gunfire quickened his pulse as he waited in his vehicle.
Young and with an innocent gleam to his features, the rookie looked like an unlikely demolition derby driver. But seven victories in matches all across the southern United States proved that looks can be deceiving.
Agitated mechanics and backstage spectators edged around his car. The air vibrated with excitement and expectation as he waited for the ramp light to glow green. Many drivers confessed that waiting solemnly in their seat was the tensest part.
Grinning away the thought, the cocky youth tapped out a half remembered tune on the steering wheel. Instead of worrying about his upcoming conquest, the rookie reminisced about another victory from the previous night. She had been a blond, eager fan that Sunny was more than happy to "show around the garage". His mind drifted through the gutter as he imagined more followers throwing themselves at his podium.
The buzzing electronic voice overhead rudely shook him from the indulgent day dreams. "Sunny Miller on-ramp in five minutes. Final weapon check in two." He sighed at the return to reality. Restoring his grin the rookie waved over his loyal pit mechanic Ned.
"Well, I guess you can run another check on the guns," Sunny said, shrugging and not the least bit worried about technical difficulties. In fact he hadn't worried about much since his first two Division 5 victories.
Named for the limit of $5,000 a vehicle, such matches ended quickly in fiery explosions and overjoyed locals. Under armored, under gunned, and under powered death traps were the cake and biscuits of such matches.
The battles had provided him with an easy entry into the arena circuit. Drawing inexperienced drivers from each small town, Div 5 matches were normally a big seller for the sheer amount of carnage involved. Sunny was happy to be past that stage in his budding career and already well on his way to Division 20.
Short and stocky and clad in overalls, Ned nodded at the request. "I wish I could have talked you out of this configuration. You know that relying on ramming is a-"
The driver tuned the lecture out, having heard it before the past four matches. Pleasing the crowd and sponsors was part of Sunny's goal each night, and unique armaments and tactics helped achieve that. Besides, Ned was a good mechanic, but Sunny was a good driver. Ned didn't have a racer's reflexes or a gunner's aim, and all of his advice wasn't founded on experience.
Idly Sunny watched the man expertly run his fingers over the three weapons on the vehicle. A large bore machine gun dominated the lower half of the front hood. The rear of the vehicle sported two jutting rockets, painted in a checkered pattern of blue and white. Cleverly linked and bound to a sensitive bumper trigger, the projectiles would fire as soon as the back collided with a solid object.
Sunny tried to visualize the upcoming match. He wasn't certain of who he would face until they both drove out from opposite sides. Checking the gauges on his dashboard, he was at least certain of his car. Intimate knowledge of the limits and short comings of a vehicle could mean the difference between walking or being carried off the track.
Best known for a gaudy yellow paint job, custom of course, the Sunspot IV was a maneuverable sedan. Thick sheets of advanced plastics armored every side of the vehicle. The large engine and thick puncture resistant tires had sped Sunny around all different types of tracks. Tonight he'd have the pleasure of battling in Yuma, Arizona.
Sunny planned to chip away at his opponent with distant machine gun fire. Hopefully he could avoid any severe retaliation thanks to a sharp turn now and then. He figured once the armor was penetrated on a side he'd swing the Sunspot around and speed backwards into the exposed victim. A high speed collision coupled with automatic rocket fire should put an end to the festivities. The roar of the crowd reminded him that daring, dangerous skids were cheered more than slow cunning.
Ned successfully finished his checks. Cleaning his hands on a stained rag he herded the wide eyed crowd away from the vehicle. The start of the match was a minute away, and it was time for Sunny to focus.
The ramp light switched to a solid blue, prompting Sunny to flick various switches to activate his weapons. Without hesitation he cranked the ignition and redlined the engine immediately, much to the surprise and joy of everyone in the pit. With a barely audible click the light switched to flashing yellow. Sunny breathed deeply, put the car in gear, and smiled his self assured smile.
The signal pulsed yellow, yellow, yellow, and finally green.