Alexis Quinne vs. Konrad Raab

[Konrad Raab]

Lebanon, Tennessee. Saturday 25th June. (Off-Camera)

I managed to win the Xfinity race and celebrated with a burnout that all drivers do to celebrate. Still, suddenly, because the temperature was one hundred and thirty-five Fahrenheit, I collapsed out of the car. Because being a guy that loves ice, I wasn't used to these temperatures. Medics came out to pick me up from my feet. Instead of driving my car to the podium, which I heard the team say for Ty Gibbs to do, I had to go to the medical room, which is usually for being checked after crashes. I removed my helmet as the medics told me to, and I had already vomited in there.

Luckily, I wasn't the only one who had problems with the heat; a couple of guys in the series had the same issues. One of them, Noah Gragson, one of my rivals in the Xfinity class, needed a ton of fluids into him after also vomiting in his helmet. There was another guy I needed to talk to and a guy that beat me clean on the line at Circuit Of The Americas. AJ Allmendinger. The doctors placed me in bed in my room as they did with Noah, with so many wires attaching to me with water fluids pumping into my system. I can barely keep my eyes open, blinking so many times.

Medical assistance: "You aren't celebrating your win until you also get fluids down. Because of heat exhaustion, you must lie down, have ice water poured all over you, and get fluids in your body."

I didn't get at all why I felt like this. I drank a lot before the race and always ensured I did, but it was too hot for me to handle. AJ Allmendinger's problem was different to mine and Noah's. I saw AJ's feet covered in blisters, badly swollen. I felt so sorry for the guy, but at the same time, I needed to talk to him after what Kyle Busch said to me. Somehow, he knew that I and AJ were friends, but he was one of the few guys besides Denny Hamlin, David Starr and Greg Biffle that were closest to my age. AJ saw me lying in the room as the doctors poured water over my head and walked over to me.

AJ Allmendinger: "What happened?"

Konrad Raab: "As I got out of the car, I collapsed. I felt so weak. Fuck I got a headache too."

AJ Allmendinger: “Jesus Christ. Well, I better leave you to rest up."

Konrad Raab: "No. I want you to stay with me because I want to talk to you about something affecting me that you could help me out with."

AJ nodded as Noah eventually went to the other room, still getting fluids pumped into him, and there was a moment I thought I would throw up again, although I got a headache which the doctors heard me say. My head was beating like a god damn drum at the FC Koln football match. The doctors told AJ to leave, but he shook his head.

AJ Allmendinger: "I can barely walk, but Konrad told me to go in with him as he wants to talk. Bring me an ice bucket of water, and I'll sit down and place my blistered feet in them."

The medical team nodded to AJ's approval. I had never experienced this before, never gone to medical for anything, not even when I fought Kimberly Williams for the Underground title where I was covered in blood. Still, even that didn't make me collapse from losing a ton of blood; well, more, my body was used to it now. The doctors gave AJ double buckets of ice water to place his feet in, and they also gave me a bucket in case I needed to vomit again. The doctors closed the curtains from the windows and put air conditioning on. I slowly closed my eyes as a form of relaxation as I jumped into it as soon as the doors closed with fluids pumping into me.

Konrad Raab: "Kyle Busch told me that you got suspended from racing and said you got a story to tell on it. Can you tell me more about that?"

That only made AJ Allmendinger uncomfortable as the nerves spoke right through his body language, refusing to want to talk to me about it. Still, I had to know how the fuck he managed to get out of this so I could work the skills to get back on top and at that point, I didn't know who I was going to be facing next. I have to tell Luiza about my Rapid Eye Movement Disorder sometime in the week.

AJ Allmendinger: "I rather not. I put that life behind me for a reason."

Konrad Raab: "I understand, but I need to know how you come back from being suspended to gaining success. I need to know how I can get myself back on top again."

AJ Allmendinger: "You're already on top in NASCAR. I doubt you'll be suspended from them."

After finally remembering what I was going on about, without me saying a word, AJ snapped his fingers at me.

AJ Allmendinger: "Oh, now I understand why you want to ask me the question. Well, I don't want to admit this to you because I find you'll not be my friend anymore."

Konrad Raab: "I promise you won't lose me as a friend. I'm more scared of losing Luiza with something I have to tell her unrelated to this than you losing me as a friend on whatever you have to say. So go for it."

AJ was finding it hard to tell me the story. I could tell he always wanted to refrain from talking about it. I continued to close my eyes on the bed as I needed to for the doctor's sake of recovering from Heat Exhaustion. I felt like shit. I felt like I was going to vomit and feel so weak. It's pure hell for me; this was worse than the pain I got from Kim battering me for the Underground title.

AJ Allmendinger: "Yes, Kyle Busch wasn't lying. I was suspended from racing back in two thousand and twelve when I raced for a team that Joey Logano races for and that same car. Because they found out from my urine sample that I was positive for drugs, the drug they found in my A and B samples were Amphetamine. Had I not agreed to be on NASCAR's Road To Recovery program, I would've been banned for life."

Wow, I never expected a guy so down to earth to be doing drugs, but I knew what he had said; it made me want to tell Sebastian all of this; nobody in NASCAR knew before I adopted him that he took drugs. Nobody knew much about my family in wrestling because I kept that shit away from those weak, pathetic idiots in Supreme Championship Wrestling. I had a feeling AJ wanted to talk more about it.

AJ Allmendinger: "But I was told it was an energy pill which, my former friend told me, was that. I cut ties completely with him for trying to wreak my NASCAR career. When I came back, the team fired me. It still grinds my gears every time I think about it. It was only a two months suspension because I did their recovery program. However, back in October, when I thought nobody would hire me again, I was when Dale Earnhart Jr got a concussion. I didn't do well, but coming back was like breathing light again."

I only wanted to listen more to what AJ said and didn't want to interrupt him, even though he might've felt I was ignoring him. I'm glad AJ cut ties with a friend who nearly fucked his NASCAR career up. I was starting to feel a tiny bit better, with the anti-headache drug they put in my fluids while AJ was resting his blistered feet in the bucket of water.

AJ Allmendinger: "Then the next year, I came back with a ton of fire that I got a couple of wins in Xfinity at Road America, Mid-Ohio and a win at Glen Watkins race in the Cup Series race."

AJ was well and truly remarkable, getting the sense of helping me somewhat here. However, it was nothing like my situation in wrestling; it made me realise how lucky I didn't have anyone threatening my wrestling career by using drugs. If I found out anyone did that with me, they'd be in a hospital with the beatings I gave to that wrestler. In a way, I saw what AJ was trying to get at; having friends outside a workplace was a bad idea and the same within work too. I was almost better now but was more fully relaxed by listening to AJ. But as I flicked my fists, I was ready to fight, even if I passed out from heat exhaustion. AJ had something to say to me as his feet slightly improved.

AJ Allmendinger: "Just because you lost the Underground title, it doesn't mean your career is over. If anything, it's a restart of you being a better wrestler and seeking new goals for yourself. I know you're lost on who you want to face in the ring, I glimpsed through wrestling from time to time cos we're friends, but there will be someone you eventually want to face. That was why you wanted me to tell that story. I fully get it now. I was more motivated than ever to prove people wrong in two thousand and thirteen and win three races."

Konrad Raab: "I wanted to face Owen Lee, but that goal is fucking blocked, same with Sarah Wolf, Ducky, The One and Datura, who have no interest in showing their violence towards me or at least so far anyway. Apart from Josh Hudson, The One and myself, everyone else on the entire roster wants to get together and attack other wrestlers with another wrestler. Fucking pussies, nobody wants to attack wrestlers by themselves anymore and rather play games with other wrestlers towards other wrestlers. Even Kimberly is making the Underground title a sideshow. Why don't wrestlers like Wolf, Ducky, The One and Datura want my head to beat down with how much I portray violence?"

I knew AJ would understand me; it was why I got him to tell me that story because I needed to hear what he went through and coming up the field to win three NASCAR races is an absolute determination for you. I've already got one win; although it wasn't against anyone special, it was still a start. Maybe AJ is right; I need to get used to slowly developing myself instead of everything happening simultaneously. What if I was being booked on the Pre-Show again, something I hadn't told AJ about yet.

AJ Allmendinger: "What about forming a team together with someone?"

Konrad Raab: "No, wrestling teams are fucking worthless. It wouldn't resolve anything, and I don't trust any wrestler to team with me, not even Dakon. I still can't get over Drake, Tommy and Kandis stabbing me in the back in November, stating I'm dead weight. I'm not going through that again. I even told Brad Rogers to put me on the list for the Indianapolis race. The truth is, I rather race in Indianapolis than wrestle on a pre-show for the third year in a row on Supreme Championship Wrestling's biggest PPV show of the year, Rise To Greatness. Ever since two thousand and nineteen, all of my matches have been on their Pre Show, and I deserve better than being on that piece of shit show. I need to be on Rise To Greatness main PPV."

AJ Allmendinger: "Wow, I can fully understand both you not trusting anyone and not wanting to wrestle if it's on the Pre Show as opposed to the main PPV again if it's been two years in a row, going onto three. I think you should attack the targets you want head-on to send them a message. I know, coming from down to earth guy myself isn't something I'd usually say, but it's what I'd do if I were a wrestler that got stabbed in the back by a team before and wanted to do things by myself. However, Cidney Turner being Adrenaline title would be another goal to target, too. You said you wanted that title. Go for it."

He was right; I should be targetting these names if I wanted them to face me in a match and also targeting Cidney Turner if I wanted to win the Adrenaline title. Talking about this with AJ made me feel better, so I could sit up after cooling down in a room for a few minutes. At the same time, while facing Owen was blocked, the others weren't. I needed to beat the shit out of them by myself and get them to know that ignoring me was the worst thing they could do.

Konrad Raab: "Yeah, you helped me a lot, as did Kyle Busch the other day. It was better to talk to someone than lie in the room alone. If I'd go to sleep and have a bad dream, I'd attack the doctors with something I have to tell Luiza about, and I'm fucking afraid of losing her over it. Having this discussion has made us closer as friends than the opposite you were concerned about."

AJ Allmendinger: "I feel we are closer as friends from talking about this, and I didn't think that was possible. Ah, now I understand. You have Rapid Eye Movement disorder, don't you?"

Even AJ, much like Dakon, knew about what I was going through, so I nodded at him as he was checking his feet, and they were swelling down a lot now to the point that his feet were a lot better after the talking that he almost forgot why he came here. The doctors came in and saw I was sitting up. They checked over everything and saw I was fully recovered from heat exhaustion. They removed all the wiring and gave me a massive water bottle as I drank some of it. I told the doctors to leave me for a while in this room with AJ alone.

AJ Allmendinger: "That's rough. I've seen the two of you together, and you both seem to love each other. I doubt Luiza will leave you because she loves you so much, but I understand the fear of not being able to sleep because of attacking her, especially when she's carrying your unborn children. You have to tell her, and I come to your home for you to tell her as support."

Konrad Raab: “You know what? That would be great because even though my psychologist and Dakon said they'll be there, to have a guy from NASCAR supporting me would be more than helpful. I've not even told Kyle Busch about this; you're the first NASCAR guy I've told. Anyway, we've covered everything we needed to talk about."

AJ Allmendinger: "You can go and celebrate on the winner's circle now because after what I've seen, you deserve that win today, especially after heat exhaustion."

Konrad Raab: "While you have some courage, continuing to drive with your feet covered in blisters. It must've been uncomfortable. Right, I'm off and thanks for the chat we had. I'll talk and hang around with you more often. See you off and on the track tomorrow, and good luck."

AJ was a good friend to talk to; even telling him about my sleeping condition was relieving, especially he said he'll be there for my support in telling Luiza about my Rapid Eye Movement Disorder. Luckily, I don't share rooms with other wrestlers after discovering that problem, and I wouldn't want to share a room with them anyway. I was let go by the medical team and did an interview on TV about my win and how I passed out from heat exhaustion. 

Afterwards, I went to the winner's circle and celebrated with the team. I sprayed champagne all over my team and gave the champagne to Brandon Young since I needed water more than alcohol. After that, I did some more interviews in the press conference, which every driver who won races do, and then I went to the motorhome to rest up. 

Supreme Championship Wrestling staff will find out about my heat exhaustion incident. NASCAR medical team legally had to tell them and other wrestling companies I work for regarding my health what they've done with me. Even the drugs test side of things NASCAR has told me they'll randomly do with drivers relating to Supreme Championship Wrestling at some point. It was on TV too. 

Still, it only gave me a perfect chance in the time away that I could tell Luiza about my Rapid Eye Movement Disorder because I did need to say it to her, and I've been delaying it because of my fear of losing her. But I should be OK with Aaron Tyrone, Dakon Theron and AJ Allmendinger being there for my support. I almost died after I did a race in NASCAR from heat exhaustion; that's got me closer to death than wrestling had ever taken me before since I became a sports athlete back in two thousand and twelve.