Paxton pushed his foot down hard on the gas pedal1) as he steered his go-kart2) out of turn six and onto the racetrack's long straightaway3). Even with his crash helmet4) and earplugs， the roar of the engine was loud. Paxton loved the sound. At the speed he was going， spectators flashed by as fast as thoughts.

Nothing beats racing， Paxton said to himself.

Paxton hadn't come from a \"racing family\"， and he had no sponsors for his kart. But with the help of his uncle Bobby， who worked as a mechanic at the local repair shop， Paxton's kart was fast enough to compete.

On the long straightaway， Paxton pulled alongside the race's leader， Mark， who so far had stayed just out of Paxton's reach.

Only five laps5) to go. Paxton glanced over. Mark had so many sponsors that his go-kart looked like a rolling billboard6). Mark turned， and for a moment his eyes met Paxton's. Both boys wanted to win. No other karts were close to the two leaders.

Paxton returned his attention to the road and pressed harder on the gas， but his go-kart was already at top speed. Mark's kart pulled away. Paxton had no choice but to fall behind7) him as they slowed to go into the next turn.

A moment later， the boys roared past the pits8).

Uncle Bobby gave Paxton a thumbs-up and held a sign that said \"Go Get Him!\" Paxton had never finished higher than fifth in a race. Still， he wasn't going to be satisfied with second place today. The winner would get tickets to the pro championship race—presented9) by two-time champion L.J. Richards!

Mark pulled farther ahead of Paxton as they entered the S-curves10)—a series of quick right and left turns. Paxton's kart fishtailed11) as he came out of the last short turn. He'd almost lost control. But Paxton wasn't ready to give up. He concentrated as he made a long right-hand turn， then accelerated onto the straightaway， his foot pressed hard against the pedal. Still， the engine on Mark's kart was too powerful， and Mark pulled away.

In the curves， Paxton would catch up， sometimes almost tapping the back end of Mark's kart. But in the straightaways， he'd fall behind.

Meanwhile， the laps counted off: four to go， three to go， two to go， one to go.

On the last turn， Paxton drew directly behind Mark. As they rounded out of the turn and onto the final straightaway， Paxton floored12) it. He pulled beside Mark's kart. Their engines screamed. Then， as it had so many times before， Mark's kart pulled ahead.

The finish line was zooming13) toward them. Closer， closer ...

The race was over.

It was not Paxton who would hoist14) the winner's trophy15). Paxton had come in second.

As Paxton pulled into the pits， his vision blurred16) with tears.

\"Good race， Paxton，\" Uncle Bobby said， helping him climb out of the kart.

Paxton flipped up the visor17) on his helmet. \"Thanks， but I didn't win， Uncle Bobby.\" Nothing could alter the fact that he'd crossed the finish line looking at the back of Mark's kart， not at a checkered flag18). Good race? He remembered what other drivers had sometimes said: \"Second place is just first loser.\"

\"Great work， kid，\" said a man's voice.

Paxton turned. He couldn't believe it. The man was L.J. Richards!

L.J. Richards reached out to shake Paxton's hand.

\"Thank you， Mr. Richards. But I only came in second.\" Paxton looked around， wondering if the great driver had mistaken him for Mark， who was now jumping up and down in celebration on pit row. Paxton pointed in Mark's direction. \"You're probably looking for him， Mr. Richards.\"

\"Oh， I'll get there，\" L.J. Richards shrugged. \"Every race has a winner， Paxton. But that's not the only thing racing is about.\"

Paxton was surprised to hear such words from a two-time champion.

\"Getting 100 percent out of your kart is the most important thing，\" L.J. Richards said. \"And to do that， you have to get 100 percent out of yourself. That's what it's all about.\"

Paxton nodded.

L.J. Richards continued， \"And today， you got 100 percent.\"

Paxton thought about this. Had he done the best he could do? After a moment， he smiled. \"Yeah， I guess I did.\"

當(dāng)帕克斯頓將卡丁車開出第六跑道、開上賽車場的長直道時，他狠狠地踩了一腳油門。盡管戴著防撞頭盔和耳塞，但是發(fā)動機(jī)的隆隆聲還是很響。帕克斯頓很享受這種聲音。隨著賽車快速前行，觀眾一晃而過，速度之快就像他此時的思緒一樣。

什么事都比不上賽車，帕克斯頓對自己說。

帕克斯頓并非來自“賽車家族”，而且也沒有人給他的卡丁車贊助。但是他叔叔博比是當(dāng)?shù)匾患移囆蘩淼甑臋C(jī)械師，在叔叔的幫助下，帕克斯頓的卡丁車車速已經(jīng)快到可以參賽了。

在長直道上，帕克斯頓驅(qū)車靠近了這場比賽的領(lǐng)先選手馬克，到目前為止，馬克也就比帕克斯頓快一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)。

只剩下五圈了。帕克斯頓掃了一眼馬克的卡丁車。馬克的贊助商太多，搞得他的卡丁車看起來就像個移動的廣告牌。馬克扭過臉來，就在那一刻，他們四目相對，這兩個男孩都想贏。其他賽車都被他們遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)地甩在后面。

帕克斯頓將注意力轉(zhuǎn)回到賽道上，然后更加用力地踩了下油門，但是他的卡丁車速度已經(jīng)達(dá)到極限了。馬克的卡丁車揚(yáng)長而去。此時，他們剛好減速進(jìn)入了下一個彎道。帕克斯頓別無選擇，只好落在了馬克后面。

片刻過后，賽車手們的車呼嘯著開過了賽道旁的檢修加油站。

博比叔叔朝帕克斯頓豎起了大拇指，還舉了個牌子，上面寫著“追上他！”帕克斯頓還從未在比賽中拿過第五名以上的成績。今天，他仍然不會滿足于第二名的位置，因為冠軍將會得到職業(yè)車王爭霸賽的門票，而且門票將由蟬聯(lián)兩屆卡丁車比賽冠軍的L.J. 理查茲頒發(fā)！

S形彎道是一系列急速的右轉(zhuǎn)彎和左轉(zhuǎn)彎，當(dāng)他們進(jìn)入S形彎道的時候，馬克把帕克斯頓甩得更遠(yuǎn)了。帕克斯頓駛出最后的短彎道后，他的車左右搖晃，他幾乎失去了控制，但是帕克斯頓并不打算就此放棄。他集中精力完成了一段很長的右轉(zhuǎn)彎，然后用力踩著油門，加速進(jìn)入了直道。但馬克的卡丁車發(fā)動機(jī)動力十足，他再一次揚(yáng)長而去。

在彎道上，帕克斯頓眼看著要追上馬克了，有的時候，他幾乎就要碰到馬克的車尾了，但是一上直道，他就又被甩在了后面。

與此同時，圈道進(jìn)入了倒計時：還剩四圈，還剩三圈，還剩二圈，還剩一圈。

就在最后一個彎道上，帕克斯頓緊跟在馬克后面。當(dāng)他們駛出彎道上了最后的直道時，帕克斯頓一腳將油門踩到了底。他追上了馬克的卡丁車，他們的發(fā)動機(jī)發(fā)出刺耳的轟鳴聲。接著，就像之前的好幾次一樣，馬克的卡丁車又揚(yáng)長而去了。

終點(diǎn)線迅速向他們靠近，近了，更近了……

比賽結(jié)束了。

舉起冠軍獎杯的人不是帕克斯頓，他只得了第二名。

當(dāng)帕克斯頓把車開進(jìn)檢修加油站的時候，淚水模糊了他的視線。

“開得不錯，帕克斯頓?！辈┍仁迨逡贿呎f，一邊幫他從卡丁車?yán)锱莱鰜怼?/p>

帕克斯頓掀起頭盔上的面罩，說：“謝謝您，博比叔叔，但是我沒有贏！”當(dāng)帕克斯頓穿過終點(diǎn)線的時候，他看到的是馬克卡丁車的車尾，而不是冠軍能看到的方格旗，沒有什么可以改變這一事實。開得不錯？他記得有賽車手曾經(jīng)說過：“第二名只是第一個失敗者?！?/p>

“很棒啊，孩子?！眰鱽硪粋€男人的聲音。

帕克斯頓轉(zhuǎn)過身。他簡直不敢相信，說話的這位男士竟然是L.J. 理查茲！

L.J. 理查茲伸出手，與帕克斯頓握手。

“謝謝您，理查茲先生。但是我只得了第二名?！迸量怂诡D四下張望，懷疑這位優(yōu)秀的賽車手是否把他誤認(rèn)成了馬克，而馬克此時正在檢修加油站旁的賽道上躥下跳地慶賀勝利呢。帕克斯頓朝馬克的方向指去，說：“理查茲先生，您要找的或許是他。”

“哦，我會過去的，”L.J. 理查茲先生聳聳肩說，“帕克斯頓，每場賽車都有一個獲勝者，但那并不是賽車的唯一目的?！?/p>

蟬聯(lián)兩屆賽車冠軍的這番話令帕克斯頓甚是吃驚。

“將你的卡丁車用到極致才是最重要的，”L.J. 理查茲說，“為了做到這點(diǎn)，你必須全力以赴，這才是賽車的真諦?！?/p>

帕克斯頓點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭。

L.J. 理查茲繼續(xù)說：“而今天，你已經(jīng)全力以赴了。”

帕克斯頓思考著這番話。他是否已經(jīng)盡力做到了最好？想了一會兒，他笑了：“是的，我想我做到了?！?/p>

1.pedal [#712;pedl] n. (自行車、摩托車等下部用腳蹬的)踏板，腳蹬子

2.go-kart [#712;ɡ#601;#650; kɑ#720;t] n. 卡丁車

3.straightaway [#716;stre#618;t#601;#712;we#618;] n. (跑道的)直道

4.crash helmet: (摩托車手等戴的)防撞頭盔，安全帽

5.lap [laelig;p] n. (跑道的)一圈

6.billboard [#712;b#618;lb#596;#720;d] n. (戶外)告示牌，廣告牌，招貼板

7.fall behind: 落在(……)后面

8.pit [p#618;t] n. [常作the ~s] (賽車道旁的)檢修加油站

9.present [pr#618;#712;zent] vt. 授予

10.S-curve [#712;esk#604;#720;v] n. S形曲線；S形彎道

11.fishtail [#712;f#618;#643;te#618;l] vi. <口> (車)擺尾行駛

12.floor [fl#596;#720;(r)] vt. <美口> 踩足(汽車的油門踏板)

13.zoom [zu#720;m] vi. 迅速接近

14.hoist [h#596;#618;st] vt. 舉起

15.trophy [#712;tr#601;#650;fi] n. (體育比賽等的)獎杯，獎盾；獎品

16.blur [bl#604;#720;(r)] vt. 使(視線、感覺、形狀、界線等)模糊不清

17.visor [#712;va#618;z#601;(r)] n. (頭盔上的)面甲；面罩，護(hù)面

18.checkered flag: (表示賽車獲勝的)格子旗