Since Hart already had a spot in the Challenge, his qualifying would involve three laps�instead of the regular two�with a four-tire-change pit stop. She and Charlie followed Hart’s team as they pushed the car to pit road, leaving Hart behind to change into his race gear. The entire event was scheduled to last approximately forty-five minutes, and Hart would go out seventh. Ronnie McDougal was up first.“How are you liking it so far?” Russ asked as he came up behind them. He sat down on the pit road wall and gestured. “Take a load off. It’ll be a while.”Kellie glanced around. The cars were lined up, and people walked up and down in between. She recognized other drivers because they were already in their uniforms, most of them unzipped and folded down at the waist.“Mom, that’s Kyle Doolittle,” Charlie said, pointing. “And next to him is Dusty Burke.”Kellie glanced over. Indeed, the front-runner for rookie of the year and the former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion were standing just about ten feet over, deep in their own conversation.
