Next-Gen Takeover

The **Next-Gen Takeover** happened on July 17, 2016 at Copper Canyon Speedway in Phoenix, Arizona when next-generation racer Jackson Storm made his debut at the 2016 Dinoco 400 for team IGNTR. During the first couple of laps, Storm was getting pushed back and was unable to get through, but near the closing stages of the race, he was finding his way through the gaps to overtake multiple racers on the final lap, including Lightning McQueen, Cal Weathers and Bobby Swift who were just seconds away from crossing the finish line, when overtook, Storm won the first race on what would be the start of the Next-Gen Takeover.

Following his career win, several stock cars from the Piston Cup or other series were either fired or retired due to the new generation and were replaced by next-generation racers, most of those racers retired or were fired in 2016 due to the intrests, however, some stock cars continued to race after that year, but some would retire after 2016, most notably Lightning McQueen, who competed in the 2017 Florida 500 when he was the only stock car left in the pack. After a multi-car crash on lap 58, Lightning retired for the race. Cruz Ramirez replaced him for the rest of the race where she won after a last lap flip trick on Jackson Storm.

While most next-gens replaced stock cars some stock cars during the takeover remained, Xfinity Series, Craftsman Truck Series, CARCA Menards Series, East, and West still accept stock cars since the takeover started.

## History

### Background

Axel P. Biggs started his business by starting computer software developing company and later creating the Internet search engine. Eventually he became a billionaire. After his son, A.P. Biggs Jr. got interested in sport he decided to set up a racing team for the Piston Cup Racing Series and built The Biggs Industries Racing Complex in 2015, the most technologically advanced training center at the time. He employed Ray Reverham to find promising racing cars to be trained there. 8 racers were recruited, including Tim Treadless. Later, after hearing about popular racing simulation game, *Super Corsa 3*, he bought the company that developed it and organized the biggest online video game tournament to recruit the winner as final, 9th trainee to the team. The car that won was Jackson Storm.

Mr. Biggs asked Ray Reverham to find Jackson and engage him in the real sport.

In the beginning, Jackson declined, having earned enough money from his career in cyber-sport. He liked his freedom and did not want to change anything. Mr. Biggs blackmailed Storm, saying that if he did not become a racer then he would have to return all the money that he won from the tournament, and that he would not be involved in the video-gaming business. Storm then accepted the offer, but his cockiness was hard to deal with.

Tim Treadless most notably lived and trained in the Biggs Industries Racing Complex located in Los Angeles, California. He was a captain of the team. He had good relations with all teammates, excluding Jackson Storm who was the last to join the team. During their first meeting Storm said that he was better at the race simulator and Treadless could learn from him, which started tensions between two. Additionally all other racers thought about Storm's addition to the team as a marketing move to promote the Super Corsa 3 video game, given his e-sports past.

Storm also began training in a special racing center with the other next-generation racers, but again, his attitude was a huge problem. He would often bully other members of the training center and steal their allotted time on the racing simulators. He would frequently challenge the other racers on the simulators.

One day during training in 2016, Jackson pulled out too aggressively on the turn bumping into Tim and denting his body. Jackson claimed that it was an accident after what he left. The following day, 4 of the trainees left the program, due to the competitive and stressful environment that Jackson has created in the team. Since then, Reverham had intensified the training program, while Treadless got focused on improving himself with a goal of beating Jackson's achievements. One day, Tim and Storm convinced Stats to wire to simulators together allowing them to race each other. Doing so, they broke their trainer's simulator-room rules. For the most of the simulated race Jackson stayed on first position with Tim constantly staying on his tail and at the end of final lap they got locked in and pushed down a straightaway, with Tim winning by a few centimeters. It was the first time anybody beat Jackson's time at the simulator. All teammates were cheering for his victory and when they were celebrating, Storm claimed that Treadless cheated after when he headed for the building's main entryway, where he started spinning in place burning the rubber and generating smoke that activated a fire alarm and sprinklers. After that Reverham ordered him to apologize to Tim and others. Eventually, Axle P. Biggs, owner of the Biggs Industries and racing team, had decided on selecting Tim Treadless as a team racer, despite Storm having better achievements in training, as he believed that Jackson wasn't suitable to represent brand due to his behavior that he presented throughout the training. Ray saw some kind of potential in Jackson, however, and decided to leave the training centre with him.

IGNTR, a liquid adrenaline company, soon offered to sponsor Jackson. He accepted, on the condition that Ray could be his crew chief. A statistical analyst from the racing centre had actually contacted IGNTR and told them about Jackson's skills.