Underdog Circuit

When a championship race ends in a dead heat, two runners are forced into a decision neither of them wants to make.

Maya Santos and Vanessa Chen cross the finish line at the exact same time—down to the hundredth of a second. According to state rules, only one runner can advance. With everything on the line, their coach orders a series of time trials to decide who moves forward.

Maya is the rising junior with momentum on her side. Vanessa is the senior fighting for her last chance—coming off injury, carrying the weight of family expectations, and racing against a clock that doesn’t care how badly she needs to win.

Over the course of three races, both girls confront pressure from teammates, judgment from the sidelines, and the uncomfortable truth that wanting to win doesn’t make you selfish—it makes you honest. As the margins grow thinner and the stakes higher, each runner must decide what it really means to compete with respect, integrity, and courage.

Dead Heat is a tense, emotionally grounded young adult sports novel about rivalry, resilience, and learning to race your own race—no matter who’s watching.