The paddock buzzed with tension.
This was it.
The Final Heat of Coasta's first karting tournament.
Twelve karts lined up on the grid. The best from each heat. No second chances now—this race decided everything.
Coasta sat in kart #5, visor down, eyes forward. His gloves were soaked with sweat, but his grip was steady.
All the lessons from his father. All the advice from Lucas and Javier. All the hours under the sun, on the track, pushing limits.
They all led here.
---
Grid Setup:
Pole Position: Kart #9 – Gabriel Sumido, 7-year-old from Bacolod, the fastest lap in the semis.
P2: Kart #12 – Ramon Laxa
P3: Kart #5 – Coasta Fernandez
P4: Kart #7 – Rica Mallari
P5–P12: Various regional winners
10 laps. No mistakes.
---
Start of the Race
The engines roared.
Five red lights.
Go!
Coasta's start wasn't perfect—he fell slightly behind Ramon off the line—but he defended P3 into turn 1.
Up ahead, Gabriel surged forward with the clean air advantage. Ramon chased. Coasta stalked them both.
Lap 1 settled fast. The top 3 broke away, the rest of the pack scrapping behind.
> You can't win this in one lap. Stay patient.
---
Mid-Race Battle (Laps 4–6)
Gabriel was fast, no doubt—his kart moved like silk. But Coasta noticed something by lap 4:
> He over-rotates slightly at turn 6.
It wasn't huge, but predictable.
By lap 5, Coasta had overtaken Ramon on the outside of turn 3. Ramon tried to fight back, but Coasta used a defensive line through turn 4 to shut the door.
Now it was just him and Gabriel.
Two laps passed. Coasta shadowed him, applying pressure. Waiting.
---
Lap 7 – The Move
Gabriel made the same tiny error at turn 6.
Coasta was ready.
He slipped under the inside, wheels millimeters from the curb, and took the lead cleanly.
The crowd watching from the fences erupted.
Gabriel tried to counter into turn 7—but Coasta defended perfectly. Not aggressive, not reckless—just calm control.
---
Final Laps
Lap 8. Then 9.
Gabriel remained behind him, but never close enough to strike again. Coasta didn't let his focus waver. Every corner, every brake, every shift—measured and precise.
Lap 10.
Final corner.
He exited clean.
The checkered flag waved.
Coasta Fernandez crossed the line first.
---
Aftermath
In the pits, the tension broke.
Julian exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Lucas cheered and lifted Samantha, spinning her around. Javier nodded with a rare grin.
Coasta removed his helmet. His dark hair was soaked, his cheeks red—but his eyes… calm.
He looked over at Gabriel and Ramon, who both approached and gave a nod.
"You earned it," Gabriel said.
"Good battle," Coasta replied. Simple. Honest.
---
He had done it.
At just 5 years old, Coasta Fernandez won his first ever karting tournament—racing under the Philippine sun, wearing #5, and already showing the makings of a future legend.
---
The sun hung low over the small provincial track, casting golden rays across the finishing straight.
The final races were done. The smell of burnt rubber faded. Engines cooled. Crowds slowly gathered near a raised wooden stage, draped in local banners.
It was time.
The Awarding Ceremony.
---
Top 3 Podium:
🥇 1st Place – Coasta Fernandez (Kart #5)
🥈 2nd Place – Gabriel Sumido (Kart #9)
🥉 3rd Place – Ramon Laxa (Kart #12)
Coasta climbed onto the highest step, his legs still sore, his heart still pounding.
A local announcer spoke excitedly into a crackly microphone.
"And the winner of today's Bambino Karting Finals—only five years old, from Batangas—Coasta Fernandez!"
The crowd clapped, some even cheered his name. His helmet tucked under one arm, Coasta received a modest golden medal, a mini trophy, and a certificate printed with the tournament logo.
Then came the champion's photo.
Flanked by Gabriel and Ramon, Coasta stood tall—quiet, calm, holding his trophy up just enough for the cameras.
Flash.
The image that would later be pinned on their living room wall.
---
Off the Stage
His family swarmed him.
Julian kneeled and gave him a tight hug, firm hands gripping his shoulders. "You drove like a real racer today, anak."
Lucas and Javier came next—Lucas ruffled his hair hard enough to annoy him, while Javier just gave a cool, approving nod. "First win. More to come."
Samantha, barely able to walk straight, ran and clung to his leg, giggling. "Kuyaaaaaa!"
Coasta knelt and smiled, the adrenaline finally wearing off. "Did you watch?"
She nodded and pointed at the trophy. "You win!"
He laughed. "Yeah. I did."
---
Celebration
That night, the team didn't book a hotel—they went back home to celebrate simply, like they always did.
A small victory dinner waited: home-cooked adobo, lumpiang shanghai, pancit, and a homemade chocolate cake with white icing that read:
"Congrats Champ – Kart #5!"
His mother had made it while they were away at the track.
The family sat together around the table, Coasta's medal hanging from his neck, his trophy in front of his plate.
They talked about the race. They teased him, praised him, replayed the best overtakes in exaggerated detail.
Julian lifted his glass of soda. "To Coasta. The start of something great."
They all raised theirs.
"To Coasta!"
---
Later that night, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, the trophy on the nearby table, Coasta whispered to himself:
> "I want more."
Not for the medal. Not for the cheers.
But for the feeling.
The racing. The calm. The clarity.
He was five years old.
And he already knew.
This was only the beginning.