Page 1 of Rush
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The morning sun streamed through the lace curtains of Savi’s childhood bedroom, painting the sage green walls in soft, golden hues. Her safe Wyoming haven was a cosy, comforting mix of past and present: posters still adorned the walls, a stack of second-hand romance books she had thrifted last week sat on the bedside table, her cherry red claw clip on top, and an open suitcase lay on the floor by her closet, half-filled with clothes from her recent trip.
Savi stood in front of the antique gold mirror, toying with the pendant her birth mother had passed down to her, reminding her that her family downstairs were not the only people who loved her enough to make promises that had the power to change her life.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she fastened the clasp, the weight of the day ahead pressing on her. Today wasn’t just another day on the ranch– it was the day she’d step out into the world she’d dreamed of for so long, one which had been just within reach for years and was finally hers for the taking.
Her mum’s voice drifted up the stairs, snapping her out of her daydream. ‘Sav! Breakfast is ready and our guest is starving!’
‘Coming!’ she called back, smoothing the front of her dress. She caught her reflection again, tilting her head.The confident young woman staring back at her looked polished, grown-up, but there was still a glimmer of the girl who used to sneak out to parties in farmers’ fields two towns over and climb trees in the backyard, showing up to dinner with muddy knees.
Savi turned and scanned the room one last time. She spotted the photo on her dresser, the black and white chequered frame resembling a racing flag. She picked it up, her smile matching that of her eighteen-year-old self. It was from her very first race, her teammates flanking her on either side, their faces glowing with pride. She set it down carefully, grateful for the reminder of how far she’d come and how much further she had to go.
The kitchen was bustling with activity; her dad was flipping pancakes while her mum fussed over a basket of fresh fruit, her brother moved around the kitchen pretending like he was helping while all he was doing was helping himself to the food that had already been put out on the table. Then there was their guest, sat reading the local newspaper, like the CEO of a racing organisation needed to know what was happening in a tiny town in the midwestern United States, thousands of miles away from his home.
‘There she is,’ her dad said with a grin, flipping a pancake onto the growing stack. ‘All dressed up and ready to conquer the world of motorsport.’
Savi blushed. ‘I have been doing that for a few years now, Dad… The IEC is just on a way bigger scale. And millions more people will know my name. But anyway, it’s just another contract,’ she sighed. That was how she had to look at it if she wanted to keep her nerves at bay.
‘Just another contract?’ her mum echoed, setting the fruit bowl on the table. ‘Honey, this is the opportunity you’ve been working for. Don’t downplay it. The money, the reputation, the power that all comes with it. This is monumental for your career.’
‘Don’t be nervous, Hart.’ Gabriel, herbigboss and sponsor who had become part of the family, looked up from his paper and grinned. ‘I moulded you into the perfect woman for the job.’
Savi took a seat at the table, her nerves easing slightly. Her dad slid a plate in front of her, and she took a bite of the maple syrup-coated pancake, savouring the familiar taste. She had grown up eating these on a Sunday morning, and today might be Monday, but special occasions called for special measures.
‘You’re going to be amazing, kiddo,’ her brother said, moving to sit beside her and placing a hand over hers, squeezing it tight. ‘Just be yourself, only way less annoying.’
‘Thanks Weston.’ She frowned at him, ‘I think.’
After breakfast, Savi grabbed her favourite pen and headed towards her dad’s home office with Gabriel following closely behind. Her parents trailed after them, her mum adjusting the collar of her denim jacket and her dad giving her a quick squeeze on the shoulder.
‘Come and get us as soon as it’s over,’ her dad said. ‘We want to hear everything.’
‘You guys know I’m just signing a piece of paper and taking some photos for social media, right? It’s not even an official meeting, just Gabriel and I going into a room…’
‘Well, you’ll be on a video call with your new team principal! That’ll be exciting.’
‘I guess,’ Savi raised an eyebrow.
She had met Jasper a few times, most recently when he had been trying to get her into the International Endurance Championship and onto team Revolution Racing, visiting her in the Jaehn Racing garage over the last Formula Voltz season.
‘Let’s do this, Hart,’ Gabriel ushered her in excitedly, ‘Jasper should be waiting on the other side of the screen.’
Her heart was beating rapidly, but she felt ready. On the old oak dining table, handed down through generations of the Hart family, lay a single document that was set to transform every aspect of her life for the better. Driving for the first all-female team in the IEC, opposite three of the biggest names in motorsport. This was what little Savi Hart had waited half her life for. Joining Savi in the all-female car, there was Kodie Gray and Miko Kajima. Two fellow IEC rookies, who were equally as sought after for appearances and interviews thanks to their fast progress in junior championships.
Savi adjusted the cuffs of her jacket, finding comfort in the familiar rough denim under her fingertips. Her fun, Western-inspired outfits would soon be replaced once again by a racing suit, this time in Revolution Racing red. Her heart raced– not from nerves, but from the thrill of the opportunity before her. Across the table sat Gabriel’s laptop, and Jasper Kotosovski, a sharp-eyed man whose grey hair did nothing to soften his commanding presence. If she didn’t know of his kind nature and his love for his drivers, she would be petrified.
‘Morning, Savi. So, this is it. The big day,’ Jasper said, smiling warmly at her. ‘Today you sign your two-year deal with one of the most prestigious teams in the International Endurance Championship and help us make history with our brand new all-female team. When we decided to add our second car, we knew we wanted you. We’ve been watching you since you started out in the smaller support races, but you have outdone yourself in Formula Voltz the last couple of years, Savi. Your performance last season speaks for itself, and we cannot wait to have you be part of our racing family.’
Savi’s lips twitched into a small smile as she glanced down at the paper. The words swam before her for a moment, the reality of it sinking in. Her name– Savannah Hart– boldly typed at the top, alongside the team’s logo. She reached for her lucky pen, its weight solid and cool in her hand. She used it to sign anything important, and it was the same one her brother had used to sign his own contracts for the rodeo.
‘I wouldn’t have got the start I did if it weren’t for you, Gabriel. Your belief in me as a little girl, your investment in my future and your trust in my talent,’ she said, her voice steady but tinged with emotion. ‘Every karting championship, every late night in the simulator, every race where I had to prove I deserved to be on that grid… it’s all led to this. I get to make history in part because of you.’
Gabriel nodded. ‘But you’re not just here because of me, and you’re not here by luck. You’re here because you earned it. And if you sign, you’ll have the resources, the car, and the team to fight for the championship of your dreams.’
She took a deep breath, her fingers tightening around the pen. The team’s logo stared back at her, a silent promise of the future she’d always dreamed of. Memories of her journey flashed through her mind: the gruelling training sessions, the moments of doubt, the podium finishes, and the roar of the crowd chanting her name.
This contract would kick things up a notch, more than she could even fathom as she sat at a table at her family’s ranch in Sheridan, Wyoming. The world was wide, and she was about to walk into it with an open heart, an open mind, and an overwhelming desire to shape the industry for women in motorsport.
