Speed Racer: Enter the Mach 2 (Part 1)

[Intro Music]

Chapter 1: Enter the Mach 2 (Part 1)

Three months after the No Limit World Race, Speed, Pops, and Sparky had been diligently working on the new Mach 5. Progress was going smoothly on the car, as it was being completed faster than expected; many companies gifted Mifune Motors the parts that they need to rebuild as thanks for saving the people of Anchorage. Pops was also a big help, keeping a large stash of spare parts in his garage for just such an occasion. As Sparky takes the new, lighter body of the Mach 5 to get its new paint, we join the father and son Racers who continue to wrench away on the Mach 5.

"How's it going over there, Speed?" Pops asked, looking over at his son who was finishing installing the new brakes.

"It's going fine, Pops." Speed muttered.

"I'm sorry we haven't been able to enter you into any races, son." Pops said.

Speed sighed and put his tools down for a moment, "I can't stand not racing Pops. But the only chance I have is to enter an open-wheel Formula race, and they're so strict on manufacture championships, that it's almost impossible to find a spot."

"Well, Trixie is working very hard to find an opening for you, Speed. I'm sure she'll let you know when something comes up."

"I know, I appreciate that, and I hope she finds something soon." Speed replied as he finished installing the brakes and put the wheels back onto the car. He stepped back, looking at the Mach 5 without anything covering it, he wiped his brow, and put his hands on his hips, smiling at the nearly completed car. "Well, it's getting late, so I'm going to grab a snack and go to bed, Pops." Speed notified.

"Okay, Speed. I just have a few more touches to put on the new engine." Pops smiled.

"Alright, but don't overdo it, Pops." Speed said, and Pops nodded in response before returning to his new GOH-V12. Speed walked straight from the garage and into the kitchen of his home, he continued to his room but was stopped as he passed by the living room.

"Speed?" Mom Racer called.

Speed ducked his head through the arch between the hall and living room, "Yeah, Mom?"

"Come here, Speed. I want to talk to you." Mom said in a gentle tone, softly patting her hand on the couch cushion next to her.

"Is something wrong?" Speed yawned, stretching his arms out, exhausted from the amount of work he's been doing on the Mach 5. He walked over to the couch and took a seat next to his mom.

"You know, Trixie has been working very hard to find a race for you while you, Pops, and Sparky work on the Mach 5, Speed." Mom started.

"That's right, I don't know what I'd do without her help." Speed said, smiling and leaning back.

"Well, I was wondering if you have any plans to take her anywhere soon. You are her boyfriend after all, and there are responsibilities to that, too." Mom explained.

"I know, mom. Honestly, I've been thinking more about the Mach 5 than taking Trixie on a date. I guess I should take a break and let Pops and Sparky handle some stuff for a couple of days." Speed admitted.

"My thoughts exactly, dear. The last time you took her on a date was for dinner a month ago, so I think she deserves some company, all things considered."

"You're right, I'll get to thinking on where to take Trixie. Maybe we'll go somewhere in a couple of days." Speed resolved, but just then, the phone rang. "I'll get it." Speed said, walking over to the kitchen and picking up the phone, "Racer residence, this is Speed." He greeted.

"Great news, Speed! I was able to find you a spot in a race!" Trixie's voice rang excitedly through the phone.

"That's great, Trixie! Which one?"

"The Grand Prix of Prague, two spots opened after one of the teams got disqualified for cheating. They're holding the last open spot for us, and we need to act fast because the race is this weekend."

Pop's voice then came through, as he picked up the phone that was in the garage, "We'll take it, Trixie. Speed, tell your mother that we're going to Prague this weekend."

"You got it Pops." Speed said, hearing Pops hang up. "Are you gonna be over tomorrow morning like usual?" Speed asked.

"Of course, Speed. I'll get packing and see you then!"

"Great, I'll see you then, Trix."

"Bye-bye, Speed." Trixie ended before hanging up.

Speed turned around, "Mom, we're going to Prague this weekend to race in the Grand Prix!" Speed called.

"Alright, dear, and think of where you're going to take Trixie after you win the race." She winked as Speed went off to bed.

The next day comprised of packing and getting the open-wheel Formula Mach 5 ready for transportation overseas. While Pops and Sparky handled everything to do with the car, Speed and Trixie handled everything to do with the track, looking it over mile-by-mile, "The Grand Prix of Prague is one of the Formula 1 street circuits this season. Being a street circuit, this race goes directly through the city, and you'll end up going across bridges that go over the river, when you cross the first bridge, you'll be met with a sharp, and wide right turn that goes into a straightaway which will go to a fast-uphill left turn…" Trixie continued directing Speed and formulating a strategy on winning the race up until they had to go to the airport and arrive in Prague.

"Have fun everyone! Don't hover over the kids too much, okay, Pops?" Mom said.

"I won't, dear you don't have to worry." Pops winked, knowingly.

"Good luck, Speed, you better win because me and Chim Chim will be watching!" Spritle said, hugging his big brother.

"I'll win, Spritle, you won't have to worry about that." Speed chuckled, patting Spritle on the head. "You sure you don't want to come, Sparky?" Speed asked, putting his red suit coat on.

"That's alright, Speed. I'll be resting and working on the Mach 5 while you're gone, Pops is the one who knows everything about your Formula 1 car anyway, so it only makes sense that I stay here."

"Alright, Sparky. You take care, alright?"

"I will, Speed, I'll be watching the race, too, so make sure you win." Sparky answered as Speed, Trixie, and Pops all climbed aboard Pop's flatbed and went to the airport. At the airport, Speed and Trixie boarded the plane as Pops and the ramp workers loaded the Mach 5 F1 onto the plane.

When the plane lifted off, it took around 9 hours to get to Prague, so the three took the time to sleep. When morning came, Trixie opened her eyes and saw the sun shimmering off the clouds, "Oh, Speed, isn't that beautiful? I never get tired of flying."

"It is." Speed smiled, looking down at the clouds as the plane descended through them on approach to the airport in Prague. "Whoa…" Speed gasped in awe at the old city as it became visible.

"Wow, I can only imagine what it's going to be like racing through that. It'll be very cramped, so you'd best be on-guard." Trixie informed as the plane landed only a few minutes later. The team walked down the stairs of the plane and onto the tarmac, where Pops' rental truck was waiting for the Mach 5 F1 to be unloaded. But as it was being unloaded, the three noticed another crowd forming at a plane adjacent to them.

"Let's go see what that's all about." Speed said, taking Trixie's hand and hurrying over to the other plane. As they arrived, Speed stopped in shock, as one of his competitor's cars was unloaded, no doubt the one that filled the other spot of the team that was disqualified. The car was mostly blue, the nose cone was red, and separating the two colors was a white "M" emblazoned on it, and on the side of the car was a red circle with a gold/yellow "2" inside of it.

"Could it be, Speed?" Trixie asked.

"I'm afraid that it is." Pops sighed, scaring the two since they didn't know that he was behind them. The way to the hotel in the city was silent until they reached their rooms, Pops sat in a chair as Trixie got unpacked.

"What was that, Pops? Was that really the Mach 2? I thought you said that the car failed the development stage, so you destroyed it." Speed interrogated.

"It was a little more complicated than that, son." Pops answered.

"Well, we have time, don't we?" Speed retorted.

"I guess I have to tell you now that you know." Pops took a breath and a sip of coffee before continuing, "The Racer family has always wanted to be in as many races as possible, you know this as well as anyone in the family, Speed. With Rex…the Mach 1 and 2 were supposed to be his. But on that day, he felt that old Racer urge to race and push the envelope, so he stole the Mach 1 and you know the rest. He was 17 at the time, I was waiting until his 18th birthday to present him with the Mach 1 and 2 officially, but he squandered that chance. So, I was then left with a destroyed Mach 1 and a finished but never driven Mach 2. So, I did something I've never done and will never do again, and sold the Mach 2 at private auction, especially since I never planned to allow you to race, I wouldn't need it."

"But you have built more cars since then." Speed said.

"That's right, your cousin Hank wanted to race, and my brother approved so I built the Mach 3 and Mach 4. But then Hank had his accident in the Mach 4 as I was developing the Mach 5 with Sparky. The Mach 5 was always going to be yours, and that's because Hank's career had been a success up until that point."

"Whatever happened to the Mach 3?" Trixie asked.

Pops twiddled his fingers and blushed a little, "The Mach 5 F1 is the Mach 3, just with a different number on it. Another thing I've never done before in my career, but I just don't want to have to see bad memories everywhere I turn."

"But that means, I'm not that much faster than the Mach 2." Speed said.

"That's right, Speed. I'm sorry I never told you about what happened with the Mach 2."

"That okay, Pops. You were only doing what you thought was right. But, do you remember who you sold it to?"

"I don't, Speed, it's a little over ten years ago since I sold that car, so I don't know what capabilities it'll have or who's owning or driving it." Pops answered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, that just means we're going to need even more rest than before, right Speed?" Trixie interjected.

"Right, we'll figure this all out tomorrow, I need some rest." Speed said.

"Alright, Speed. Tomorrow is practice and qualifying so we only have a couple of shots to make it right."

"I understand. Good night, Pops."

"Good night Speed, good night, Trixie."

"'Night, Pops." Trixie said as Pops left the room and the two went to sleep.

Meanwhile, in a country club in the hills, a red sedan arrives in the driveway, pulling up to the valet. The valet lets out the passengers, one was short and fat, sporting a large grin on his face; he handed the valet a handsome tip as he got out, and a very skinny woman in a black dress followed him. The valet driver went to the driver's seat and out came a man with curly light-brown hair who looked disinterested by everything, he left the driver's seat and let the valet park their car.

The three entered the lobby, and a butler led them to another room that was on the perimeter of the lobby and knocked on the door, "Let em' in." a voice answered from inside. The butler opened the door to reveal a man with grey hair and a grey thin mustache sitting behind a large desk, and smoking a cigar. He got up from his chair and greeted the large man first, "Welcome to my office, Mr. Racket, I'm Clande Shorthand, pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Thank you, Mr. Shorthand, let me introduce Wendy and my driver, Dash Whisker." Racket introduced, accepting the handshake.

"Ah, Dash. Just the man I wanted to see." Shorthand said, noting at Dash's less-than-formal appearance in a red and white windbreaker and skinny jeans, "Hah, drivers really do only dress nicely if they're at a gala or if they're retired." Shorthand joked.

"I'm not a fashion-centric man like you, Mr. Shorthand. All I'm interested in is the race tomorrow, and now that Speed Racer is in it, that means more problems for me." Dash responded to everyone's shock.

"D-Dash! You can't just…" Racket was interrupted in the middle of scolding

"Right to the point, eh, Whisker? Another trait of drivers in their prime, they always want all of the information as fast as possible." Clande laughed before taking another puff of his cigar, "Well then, I'll lay it out for you. The Mach 2 is currently in for performance upgrades to be able to compete with the Mach 5 F1 since it hasn't been used since I bought it of Pops Racer 11 years ago. Along the way of making these upgrades, we've found some interesting things." Clande then put his cigar out and continued, "The Mach 2 was way ahead of its time when I got it, this thing was built to win every race it entered. Performance-wise we only had to replace things, no real upgrades were needed, even now; I have a few buddies in the FIA, who officiate the Formula 1 races who let me pit the Mach 2 against the fastest cars right now, and even then, the Mach 2 won. Not only that, but it appears to have been equipped with two special defensive measures, like an indestructible canopy and special tires made for better grip. But I thought that wasn't good enough, so we're adding…"

"I don't need superpowers to beat Speed Racer, he's just a kid and I've been racing for years." Dash interrupted, scoffing at the notion of having to cheat.

"We'll cheat if we have to!" Shorthand slammed his fist on his desk, making Racket and Wendy jump. "We're going to win the Grand Prix of Prague by any means, there's a lot riding on this victory, so we're going to do anything to win!"

"What is riding on this win, Mr. Shorthand? I don't understand the urgency." Racket said.

Shorthand sat back down in his chair and leaned back, "The winnings for this race are enough to pay Dash, as well as some people who are after me."

"Who's after you?"

"The Three Roses Club. I never paid them off after I requested a hit, if I don't pay up soon, I'm finished. I wouldn't have taken the Mach 2 out of storage, and I wouldn't be asking you to do this if I didn't seriously need help."

"Well, Dash? Can he count on you?" Racket asked.

"Yeah, he can count on me to win the race." Dash answered.

"Wonderful, now we must plan your strategy and discuss some of my special addons." Clande grinned as nighttime fully fell on Prague.

Chapter 2: Qualifying

Saturday morning arrived, and hardcore race fans lined the streets of Prague to see practice and qualifying. In the pits, Speed took his seat in the Mach 5 F1, he untied his ascot, unrolled it and tied it back around to cover his face, since open-wheel cars don't have windshields, he needed something to protect his mouth from things floating or flying in the air, he then put his helmet on and pulled the visor down. "Here you go, Speed." Pops handed Speed the key and Speed inserted the key, twisted it, and flipped a switch, causing the Mach 5 F1 to come to life. "Alright, Speed, I've made sure that everything is tightened and where it should be, so you should be good to go when it's your turn." Pops informed.

"You got it, Pops." Speed answered as he took to the track before qualifying began in the afternoon. The Mach 5 F1 was extremely fast, as Speed hiked the open-wheeler into turns that went uphill and downhill, he went around a hairpin turn, he flew under arches, and over very old bridges that spanned the width of the river, this became one of the most beautiful races that Speed had ever been involved in, but he couldn't soak up the scenery because he had a few more laps of practice to do. When he finished, he unbuckled and jumped out of the car excitedly, "That was amazing!" he said before noticing the look on Pops' face, Speed turned to see the leaderboard and it was Dash Whisker in the Mach 2 who was the fastest in practice.

"You need to shave off 0.7 seconds if you're gonna beat Dash, Speed." Pops said.

"I bet I can beat him in qualifying." Speed said determined as Dash looked on from his pit stall.

"I've got the kid beat." He said to Racket.

"Don't say that until the race, I don't like jinxes." Racket warned.

"I don't believe in jinxes, I believe in evidence." Dash replied as he went back to the garage to relax until qualifying, in which he was going to be second to last to qualify.

Speed, Trixie, and Pops all sat in their own garage that sat right outside of the pits strategizing, "Alright, Speed, tell me where you have the most trouble." Pops said.

"I have a lot of trouble at the wider corners like turn 1 and turn 8. I can't seem to stay on the racing line when I'm in those turns." Speed admitted.

"Ah, so you can gain that .7 seconds." Pops grinned.

"Yeah, yeah, just give me pointers." Speed said. After another bout of strategizing, qualifying began. Ferrari, Brabham, and Lotus dominated the qualifying boards. But that was until Dash Whisker won the pole with the Mach 2, putting Mifune Motors on the manufactures championship board.

"Well, at least the Mach 2 is making us look good." Pops commented, noting that the very person they were racing against just put points on the championship board for them just by driving the Mach 2.

"Yeah, but I'll make us look better." Speed said, bringing the Mach 5 F1 to life.

"I hope so, Speed. Remember, everyone here is more experienced at this kind of racing than you, so don't get so cocky." Pops said.

"I know." Speed replied, putting his visor down and going to the Start/Finish line.

A few minutes later, the announcer called out, "Speed Racer, standby!" Speed gripped his wheel and revved the engine, eyes fixated on the flagman who raised the green flag. The flagman then brought the green down and Speed stepped on it, fighting the wheel for traction upon launch. He went across a bridge and into turn one, as he turned, he oversteered ever-so-slightly and fell off of the preferred line, but as the turn gave way to the straight, he blasted down full speed! He applied the brakes as he came to the left turn that brought him uphill, into another left that went downhill into a right. Despite his earlier blunder, Speed Racer was back on track, going around the hairpin with no problem as well as the turn after it. But then came turn eight, and to his dismay, he understeered the car, going too wide and losing precious milliseconds because of it! Turn eight led him across another bridge into the thick of the city where he went through a chicane, the final turn and back to the straightaway where he crossed the finish line!

Speed pulled into the pits and took his helmet off, already knowing the outcome of the qualifying lap, he looked at the board that showed the times:

Driver: Dash Whisker—Manufacturer: Mifune Motors—Team: Independent—Car: Mach 2—Time: 1:29:00—Place: Pole Position.

Driver: Speed Racer—Manufacturer: Mifune Motors—Team: GO Team—Car: Mach 5 F1—Time: 1:30:08—Place: 6th Position.

Speed looked dejected as he took his ascot off his face, and squeezed it tightly in his hand before walking away back to the hotel, "Wait, Speed! Where are you going?" Trixie called out, but Pops put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's no use, Trixie, Speed just needs to be alone right now to sort this out." Pops said.

Dash watched all of the Racer drama unfold as he smoked a cigarette outside of his garage, "Tch, I don't need any powers." He grinned, tossing the cigarette on the ground and putting it out with his foot.

Will Speed be able to beat veteran driver, Dash Whisker in tomorrow's race? Has the Three Roses Club recuperated enough to pose a threat after their disastrous run in the No Limit World Race months ago? Find out on the next episode of, Speed Racer! [Outro Music]