Konrad Raab's punishment NASCAR Cup Series Mexico Race story Part 1.

Welcome, North Carolina. Wednesday 11th June. (Offline)

This was the day I was absolutely dreading and felt I was going to lose my mind, not only a road course race which was a curse to my career, but it was also the fact I had to endure my punishment for Xander Valentine on destroying the car in the shop back in January to race in the NASCAR Cup Series. I know Chris Rice, the team manager for Kaulig Racing called everybody in as although everyone in NASCAR and even the team itself knew I was doing this Cup Series race as a punishment, Chris called all the drivers to the Kaulig Racing shop because it was the first race in years that NASCAR was going to another country.

I've been to Mexico before to do many wrestling matches there. I was especially invited to do a Lucha Libre wrestling gig, which I accepted, as everyone knows I'm a wrestler. Apart from the Kaulig Racing team and some of my NASCAR friends, nobody else in NASCAR has ever seen me wrestle, despite everyone in NASCAR knowing I've been a wrestler for years.

Still, I had a really bad feeling about this, something really fishy, as if I'm not stressed or pissed off about the race already. Of course, that was why I met this guy for the first time at Charlotte. Chris and Matt managed to find someone to keep me in check when dealing with stressful situations, for me to talk to someone when I fly off the handle, a guy called Jack Wilson. Matt was also here. Chris started to speak.

Chris Rice: “We are here to discuss the upcoming race in Mexico. It's very important that all of you represent us well.”

Konrad Raab: “I already do this consistently, Chris.”

Matt Kaulig: “I know you do, but while you and AJ have been to Mexico before, these guys haven't, and it's extremely important all of you, especially you, Konrad, to be on your best behaviour.”

AJ Allmendinger: “Many years ago, I used to race in Mexico in Champ Car, and the track is amazing. Most likely even better looking now than twenty years ago.”

I kept forgetting about AJ sometimes on the Champ Car and Indycar thing: He was the only one out of all of us who had experienced racing in Mexico, or one of the few, as there was another driver in NASCAR as well who had done the same thing, but he wasn't on this team.

Christian Eckes: “So, what are we looking at here?”

Chris Rice: “Although all of you have done simulator work, although Konrad's done double load because of doing Xfinity and Cup Series over the weekend, what we have here is the track layout, and you'll be given a small map to learn about the track.”

We were all given a small map, even AJ, because it would differ from the last time he drove there. I still suspect something is happening, but I was unaware of anything right now as I didn't have social media.

Matt Kaulig: “This weekend is extremely important for a few reasons, and we will do everything to ensure you guys have fun.”

Konrad Raab: “You mean fun for you guys?”

Josh Williams: “Aren't you doing that Lucha Libre gag that's part of you having fun?”

Daniel Dye: “Yeah, I'm sure NASCAR fans who aren't fans of wrestling already would love to see you wrestle. I'm excited and will come and watch you.”

Of course, Daniel was always a big wrestling fan. We were all looking at the map of the track, and I placed mine in my pocket, as I decided to read it when we got home. Although I still felt uncomfortable and wondered what they were hiding from me, of course, this was most likely the announcement.

Chris Rice: “I know you guys are doing a great job for us at road courses, but we're bringing in a driver with a lot of experience in the Chicago Street Course. Like Shane last year, he comes from Australian Supercars, we're having Will Brown join us in the Cup Series.”

Konrad Raab: “Oh great, as if you're not stressing me out already. Now you're throwing this in. You'll tell me I'm setting his car up for Chicago, right?”

Matt Kaulig: “Yes, you are, and that's why it's also a part of your punishment.”

This was going to get me super angry. As if I wasn't going to be more stressed, now I'm going to be even more stressed out as I shouted so loud from the top of my lungs after bashing my fist on the table

Konrad Raab: “Fuck both of you, thank you for making this race so much worse.”

I stood up and I left the room as I sat outside, seething and breathing so hard that I kicked the door open and slammed it closed. The entire team saw for the first time together my anger coming out because of this shitty deal that now, I have to figure out how to set up a car for some guy who's only driven one NASCAR Cup Race for Chicago. I don't know what was going on, and of course, I knew Chris had sent Jack Wilson to come out and talk to me.

Jack Wilson: “Calm down. There was no ne........”

Konrad Raab: “Yes there fucking was. They fucking know I suck at road courses. As if this punishment of driving a Cup Series car wasn't bad enough, now I get to set a car up for some guy who's only had one race, and I have to set the car up for him? No, it's unacceptable.”

Jack Wilson: “Chris told me about you flipping off easily, and I see why he hired me to calm you down. He obviously knew you would get mad.”

Konrad Raab: “Wouldn't you be if you found out at the last minute that I have to set up a car I have no idea how to do for a road course race? Fuck.”

I shouted it, and Jack saw that I had more than just anger issues, and he pointed it out.

Jack Wilson: “Mind the language.”

Konrad Raab: “No, I'm not minding anything.”

Jack Wilson: “Well, you're obviously going to learn how to set up a road course car for Watkins Glen and the NASCAR Cup Series season next year. It might be terrible right now, but you're really overstressing yourself.”

The team was concerned that I hadn't come back into the room, so Chris came out and checked on me, and I said this.

Konrad Raab: “Don't bother. I can't deal with you right now.”

Chris Rice: “Listen, I know you can't set cars up for the road course, but this is something you have to learn to do next year and at Watkins Glen. We want you to do this because you're helping someone, and it's a major contributing factor for the team, and it's part of your punishment.”

Konrad Raab: “On a track I've never driven on before. Be different if it was Watkins Glen, but that's shitty what you said Chris.”

I was fuming. I didn't even want to look at Chris for what he said, and Jack was trying to help me, as it was his job after all. I just couldn't believe it.

Jack Wilson: “It's what I've been saying to him on the car setup part. But helping Will Brown will be good for you. It gives you a chance to grow, and look at it this way: would you rather learn about setting a car up for a track you've never been to before, either next year with experience or this year with tons of experience?”

Chris Rice: “Indeed, well said, Jack. Come back to the room so we can continue with the meeting.”

I nodded as I was a little relaxed. Jack did have a point, if NASCAR was going to Mexico again next year, it was better to learn this year than next year and it did start to make a little sense that I would have to learn the braking, corner and acceleration entries and exiting too as things between Xfinity and Cup Series cars were very different. So I went back to the meeting and sat down

Matt: “As I was saying, you must do the best you can on the track this weekend, which will be new and important for all of us. You all will have to learn this track next year in your series, so take everything in.”

Ty Dillon: “We agree to do a lot of promotional videos and meet fans this weekend. They've likely never seen NASCAR in person, and we'll do everything we can to meet fans.”

Josh Williams: “Like wear luchador masks to meet with fans?”

Daniel Dye: “Yes, that's a good idea. We could do that to have fun.”

AJ Allmendinger: “But one thing you guys have to know. Do not drink tap water in Mexico, and be careful of what you eat because you can get stomach bugs easily. I suggest buying water bottles, preparing food, or bringing your own.”

AJ was speaking from experience, and I agreed with him. During my time wrestling there, I did experience that a lot of wrestlers got sick from drinking tap water and eating food in Mexico. I already arranged a trip to San Diego on Friday before going to Mexico City to get some food, especially a lot of water bottles. Even Chris was aware of this, and he gave us something.

Chris Rice: “That's right. We did look this up online, and it was true. So all of you have these very special purified water bottles, and you got a metal one, Konrad.”

Everyone was given plastic bottles, while I got a metal bottle, especially for trips like this, if we really had to. Although it was a nice gift, and I will take it just in case, I prefer to buy bottled water in the US. I put that in my bag, and Matt finishes things off.

Matt Kaulig: “We all got these purified water bottles, so use them well, you guys, and have a blast having fun in Mexico. Or try to, Konrad, and you're coming with us too, Jack. Konrad will need you for this trip. We will see you all again on Friday.”

Jack Wilson: “No problem at all.”

Matt also gave Jack a purified water bottle. He looked at me and asked why he was given one, which I said to him as everyone left the room.

Konrad Raab: “AJ isn't lying. I've seen wrestlers get ill from drinking tap water and food in Mexico, and it's unpleasant. Not something you ever want to experience.”

Jack Wilson: “OK, thank you.”

Jack then knew the severity of the situation, so he placed his bag in his bag, and we left the room. We shook hands despite knowing this would be the most stressful weekend of my entire life. Doing this race was an absolute punishment, and I heard that the weather for Sunday's race, with rain, would be even more hell. I felt like killing myself rather than doing this race. 

Jack left the shop, while all of us drivers had postcards from fans to deal with to sign things, although I usually get more than everyone because of signing wrestling things. Once we covered all that, we went our separate ways as I met up with a German friend, had coffee and food at a cafe nearby before I set sail to another wrestling company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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Mexico City, Mexico. Saturday 14th June. (Offline)

Two days now I've been here as I had to do practice sessions for Cup Series yesterday and after having done Cup Series qualifying, there was a break as the Mexico Series was racing now. I was in the garage of Kaulig Racing thirteen team and I was struggling as hell to get the car setup properly, especially I know how important it is for me to get the car right for Will Brown. Luckily, there were mechanics helping me, although AJ had wanted to help, but Chris said, no, I had to do it myself with a couple of mechanics helping me.

I hated this weekend and although I know I'm not racing to win in Cup Series tomorrow, unlike the race for today in Xfinity Series. The fact was ironically for Xfinity Series at least, I was already feeling car clicking to me as I shockingly qualified second with only my former team mate for ARCA Menards Series, Connor Zilisch qualified ahead of me.

Couldn't do much celebrating though as Chris because I was so busy setting the car up to make sure everything was perfect for Will came over as he looked at what I'm doing and he said for me to make a little tweaks to things as I was really struggling and my qualifying efforts were proving that. Thank god the next two tracks we're going to for Cup Series were more my tracks, especially the last one as I'm undefeated there.

He was going around and pats me on my shoulder, knowing I was stressed as I breathed in and out a few times as Jack Wilson told me to do as I was drinking my metal water bottle that Chris brought for all of us, trying to understand how to set up a road course car and I was failing, so very badly as I predicted. I wanted to walk away as I just couldn't get anything right, especially when Chris gave me a paper on the settings Will Brown wanted.

Konrad Raab: “I can't do this anymore Chris. I give up.”

Chris Rice: “I know this is difficult, but you can't just give up.”

Konrad Raab: “I do because I'm nothing, but a failure at setting this car up for Will. I just want to go and relax before the Xfinity Series race.”

Chris Rice: “You can't Konrad, you have to do this for Will. I know the instructions are hard to read and understand, but you have to learn this next year, can't expect the mechanics to do everything for you with road and street course.”

I was getting so frustrated because I couldn't. If it was an oval car, that would be different as I had experience setting those cars up, but I had zero with road course ones. I never ever felt uncomfortable with driving a road course Cup Car and thank god, I hadn't had to do a Cup Series road course race again until Watkins Glen.

Jack Wilson: “You can see Konrad's getting stressed Chris. I understand this his punishment and a really hard one too, but over a car fire that Konrad didn't do?”

Chris Rice: “It costs us a lot of money to get everything replace and it was all because Konrad attacked and burned Xander. Although it was for a good purpose for Konrad to do to Xander, he came and burned the car. He paid the fine, but that wasn't enough for Konrad I felt and this was.”

Konrad Raab: “Please Chris, just fuck off. I want a break from this.”

Chris Rice: “You'll get a break in a minute, continue getting the settings right before the race tomorrow.”

Like I didn't have an Xfinity Series race today and now, I can totally understand how mechanics feel when they set people's cars up all the time, even working into the night and I had to be one as I went to dial some settings that was given all on paper to do and I was really struggling. I qualified twenty second for gods sake for tomorrow's race because I sucked at road courses. I growled and got angry because I was getting frustrated.

Jack Wilson: “You can do it, you only got a few more bits to do.”

Konrad Raab: “Go ahead and laugh at me being dogshit setting the car up for Will.”

Chris Rice: “Konrad, you're not doing too badly you know. Sure you're struggling with this bit here and a few other things, but you're not that bad.”

Konrad Raab: “This is hell. This is like Jackals choking me out.”

It was like I was feeling suicidal doing all this shit, especially without AJ helping me, despite how bad he wanted to help, seeing my struggles and people weren't laughing at me and Chris, he knew I was about to walk away and giving up the entire weekend, accepting I was driving a shit car this weekend. But I managed to work more into what Will wanted to get done with Chris watching every move I make as I made angry sounds.

Chris Rice: “It's OK, you only got this bit to do and then you can have a break.”

This was so hell for me to work on this particular car part here with the engine setting as that was the hardest of them all to set up and more so for me to be comfortable in the car and I had to keep working no matter what to get these settings done. It took me over a day and three hours of the entire two days, trying to get this car right. Chris puts his thumbs up.

Chris Rice: “Good job Konrad, looks like it's race ready for Will Brown in Chicago and you have to drive with these exact settings with the clutch in the car on his side too.”

Konrad Raab: “Wonderful. Still fucking pissed at you for making me do this shit.”

Chris Rice: “I see you on the Xfinity Series track in a bit. Take a walk with him Jack.”

He nods as we did go for a walk around the track and there was one part of the track I adored and love driving in that I aim to go and explore more of tomorrow, despite doing the track walk yesterday as I was busy on Thursday with things. I still hated this time and it was a nice walk that I was enjoying the experience of being in Mexico, despite having to replenish water to be tipped into my bottle at times from plastic, but I'm glad Jack was here this weekend and that I told him to tip plastic water bottles into my metal bottle.

Jack Wilson: “What's with you and being anti-plastic?”

Konrad Raab: “I'm a climate change activist, Jack. Plastic is evil to touch and I refuse to.”

Jack Wilson: “Oh, that's your charity stuff?”

Konrad Raab: “Ever since the floodings in Germany a couple of years ago, I was devastated and it affected me so much that I wanted to do something to help and so I started the climate change charity stuff. I've helped many countries get their lives together. The hardest has to be places like Turkey, Syria and Pakistan.”

Jack Wilson: “I completely understand now. Anyway, lets get a bite to eat back in your motorhome and then get back on the grid for Xfinity Series race.”

That was the one thing I wanted to do was to eat because I was starving as fuck as I near enough nearly worked my whole lunch hour to do the car setup for Will as part of my punishment and we went back to cook something quick as I had vegan chicken salad, while Jack had the same, but regular chicken. We ate and drank water from bottles as I didn't trust any food or drink in Mexico, brought my own food and drink and everything.

But I was looking forward to doing the Xfinity Series race and racing at my favourite corner of the entire place which was beautiful, I couldn't wait for the Cup Series race either, but only for that part, not for me to be uncomfortable with Will's car setup. Anyway, that was a short stop before I changed from my Cup Series overalls to my Xfinity Series overalls and then I went straight to the platform where they announce drivers to talk to some of the guys while waiting, until everyone went separately as it was all done by grid order and I was second to last before I stood with my team on the grid before the Xfinity Series race started.