[img]https://i.imgur.com/ole9eWE.jpg[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/I0DIzZb.png[/img]As expected from these kinds of races, everyone was going after the leader; and that leader remained the Skull Rider. The Skulldugg belched out flame and smoke as it followed the Dogma’s patterns, zipping and drifting along the edges of the track to keep both momentum, speed, and control. If the Skull Rider heard Lydia’s remarks over the open-channel, he didn’t say so. Streaks of black stained the race track from the efforts of everyone with a physical machine, their vehicles jerking from one side to the other from the sheer turns alone.

The roads became more precarious as ever with the track bending upwards and around, massive loops in sight that would force every Ark Rider to either speed up or consider their options as the loops were harsh and without mercy. Clocking in at more than 180 degrees worth of gravity and looping, the roads would no doubt be a perilous drop if their vehicles had no magnetism or gravity stabilization. Rema was the first to experience the gravity-defying loops.

Unless she held any of the above, her only option was to speed up lest she lose momentum on the first loop and come crashing down with her enhanced horses. It was a method shared by the Skull Rider, who inched past her in a burst of speed. For a moment, it looked like the Skulldugg would challenge the loops on pure speed and inertia alone, fire still screeching out from its backside. Then, just as it reached the apex of the first loop, the car’s engines shut off with a sputtering hiss and gravity took its course.

The Skulldugg fell and flipped, twisting in the air with hard bucks, down, down, down. It landed at the very bottom of the track, the very end of the loops, with a slam. It immediately bursted forward in speed and left behind a gaping abyss behind it. A wave of applause followed in its wake. [color=bc8dbf]“Incredible! The Skulldugg’s closed the lead with a daring maneuver! Let’s replay that again folks!”[/color] came Wave’s voice, cutting through the crash of sound that was the audience. 

[color=bc8dbf]“Not only did it save the Skull Rider time just dropping from the first loop to the bottom of the last, but the Skulldugg’s impact has totally demolished a good chunk of the road with its weight! Now there’s a big old valley the rest of the racers have to jump if they want that lead back!”[/color] The others could try and replicate the stunt if they dared. After all, the more time they did so in desperation meant the more distance between them and the Skull Rider; and the less between him and the finish line coming up.
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