The Stranger
The Stranger
Reuben Wharerau
Today in our look back at the Daymar Rally of years gone by, we discuss the driver known by all and yet no one. This champion who won the Rally in the year of 2929 remains an enigma. He touched the lives of many Daymar followers that day and his composure against the odds has inspired many drivers for the years that have followed. His moment of pure bravery and sacrifice on the last stretch of the race is often the crescendo in highlight reels. On watching that clip we know this man had nothing to lose and was racing with a fire within him like none before.
He remains the only victor to cross the finish line and not survive to make it to the podium. This champion still remains unknown and is fondly known in the community as The Stranger.
His introductory speech remains one of the most impelling moments in the verse to date. It wasn’t just the strange image he portrayed talking through that black angular visor. Or the curious notion that he knew his death was within reach, but the confident calmness and charisma he exuded with those carefully chosen words:
“You don’t know me. You likely won’t know me. I am OK with that because today I am you and today I want to show all of you what heights you can elevate yourself to if you simply say YES! You have a choice. To continue to be submissive to your psyche or to grab it by the neck and scream a deafening roar of defiance.
I race for that part in you that remains unexplored, that part of yourself that remains fearful, meek, or fighting for acknowledgment. Life can be glorious but you need to experience it at full throttle. Today I will show you the power within all of us. Tomorrow I will not be here, yet today I will win!
The conditions on Daymar that day were unlike anything the moon had ever seen. Temperatures reached in excess of 60 degrees celsius and a lunar hurricane swept across most of the course which turned flying debris that is usually just an annoyance, into projectiles of scorching heat. To make matters more hostile, the sun was reflecting off the natural reflective minerals within the landscape creating an astonishingly beautiful, yet blazing light show that transposed distorted fireworks of pain onto the retinas of anyone unfortunate enough to look at this beautiful anomaly. On that day it seemed like the moon itself was fighting against The Stranger.
The other competitors that day were also stacked against him. Amongst his rivals was a previous winner, teams backed by large multi-corporation entities, and the favourite to win was an experienced woman that had the financial backing of her home world with one year’s practice on the route.
Opposing them was our mysterious masked man, known to none. He raced solo, unfunded, yet with the motivation of nothing we had ever seen. Because that last gasp move to cross the finish line ultimately lead to his fiery demise, we will never know his story and what inspired him to push the boundaries of fortitude on that day. Despite this, his story and his words still inspire us with every challenge we face.
The Stranger of Daymar, his ignition sparked a fire within many people that still burns bright to this day.
By Reuben Wharerau
Image by Mr_Hasgaha