Speed Racer: The 67th WRL World Championship (Part 1)
[Intro Music]
Chapter I: The Build-Up
In the makeshift pits of the Castle of Casa Cristo, every team makes their cars' final adjustments before they have to push their vehicles to the grid on the castle's courtyard. The GO-V12 burbles calmly as Speed presses on the accelerator of the Mach 5, "Okay, now hit the brakes!" Sparky's high-pitched voice asked from underneath the car. Speed complied, and the wheels slowed down to a stop. Sparky comfortably crawled from underneath the Mach 5, suspended on its pneumatic jacks, "Okay, Speed! The brakes and wheel systems are working perfectly!"
"Then we're set! Everyone, get clear!" Speed said as Sparky hurried from underneath the car. Speed pressed the A Button, and the Mach 5's jacks whined as it lowered to the ground with a *CLUD*.
"I'm here!" Trixie announced in her dark pink and white suit, carrying her yellow and black chequered-pattern bag.
"Fashionably late, huh? Where were you?" Sparky asked greasy fists on his hips.
"None of your business, Sparky. I wasn't late, so it doesn't matter." Trixie said as he popped the trunk to reveal Spritle and Chim-Chim eating Speed's food from his duffel bag! "Spritle!" Trixie exclaimed.
"We've been caught, Chim-Chim! Let's go!" Spritle and Chim-Chim put the food in their mouths and tried to run out of the trunk, but Speed caught them both by their overalls.
"Spritle, that was mine! This race is long, and there are no places to eat along the way except for the checkpoints! You'd better replace it!"
"How am I supposed to replace it? I don't have money! Do I look like I have a job?"
"Maybe not having a job is the problem! Here, take some of my cash and get something; there's a lot of food stands around here." Speed said, giving Spritle some money, "No candy, no deserts, no big meals. I need food that I can travel with and is also healthy. You know, like what you two ate!"
"You can travel with candy..."
"Spritle…"
"Fine, fine! Just put me down, please, Speed!"
"Alright, now get a move on; the race starts in a couple of hours." Speed said, placing the two down and hurrying them in the direction of the food. Speed sighs, "It's frustrating."
"What's frustrating, Speed?" Trixie asked, watching the two disappear around a corner.
"Spritle has shown he's smart. He understands things that take the intelligence of someone far above his age. But he decides to act this way."
Trixie shrugged, "I don't know how to answer, Speed. I'm sorry."
Speed turned toward the Mach 5, looking in the trunk at his food scraps, "I know, Trixie. If you had siblings, you'd understand. Hah, maybe you should be glad you don't." Speed chuckles.
"The 67th WRL World Championship pre-show Casa Cristo will begin in four-hours! The 67th WRL World Championship will begin in five-hours!" The announcer says.
Speed's expression becomes serious as he begins focusing on the race once again, "Okay, we got done ahead of time. Let's take a seat in the shade and strategize." Speed said as they sat in the garage with a globe and a stack of maps.
Spritle and Chim-Chim walked through the street lined with food stands and crowded with people, "We have to find Speed something he can travel with, Chim-Chim." Spritle said, looking at all the stands selling hot food you have to eat right away, "I wish we didn't do that. I shoulda just asked Speed for some money and came here." Spritle said, an ashamed look donning his face.
"What's wrong, Spritle? Hungry?" A friendly voice asked. Spritle turned to see Hank standing there holding shawarma.
"Well...not really," Spritle said, he and Chim-Chim both lowering their heads.
"Then why are you around here in this crowded place alone?" Hank asked, taking a bite of the Arabian confection.
"Me and Chim-Chim ate Speed's food."
"Why would you do that? That could put Speed's second championship in jeopardy, nevermind the race!"
"I was scared to ask him for money. But when Trixie caught us, he gave me money anyway! But instead of food for me, it's to replace what Chim-Chim and I ate. But we can't find any place around here that makes food that can be traveled with! I need help!" Spritle cried.
"Well, this is your punishment, so you should figure it out yourself, in my opinion. But in this case, time is important, and Speed needs that meal, so I'll help you two, but just this once. I hope you learned your lesson about eating people's food."
"We'll never do it again, Hank! Promise!"
Hank takes another bite of the shawarma, "Good. But it's more important Speed hears that when you bring him back some good eats."
Meanwhile, one Racer wasn't eating or planning what they would do during the race. One was working already. Racer X was silently making his way atop the Castle of Casa Cristo's wall that bordered the makeshift starting grid on the courtyard. Racer X looked down, and a little over half of the teams had pushed their cars onto the grid already, so he had to hurry if he wanted to participate. "Something is going on. I can feel it. This race is too big for crooks and fixers to pass up." he thought as his eyes set on a peculiar car that sat on the grid. Despite being surrounded by technicians, Racer X could just make it out; it was flat with two isolated bubbles for the driver and navigator. The body was jade with wavy copper stripes, and the bubble was pitch black so that Racer X couldn't see inside. It had wide tires, and the two rears were tucked under the rear fenders as the two front tires stuck out from the fender slightly, "Ugly lookin' thing." Racer X thought as he went down the wall to take a closer look, but two big guards immediately blocked him!
"Not a step closer, Racer X!" The guard said, putting his hand out.
"What's the big idea? Why so secretive?" Racer X looked up to them.
"We're not at liberty to divulge such information." the guard replied.
"I suppose that's your right then, gentlemen. I'll see you after I win the race." Racer X waved, grinning at the men before making his way to the Shooting Star. "I'll have to talk to Speed at the checkpoint; there's something strange about that car. But I need proof first."
"Attention, competitors! All mechanics are to stop working on the cars and push them to the grid. All drivers to your cars, please. All drivers to your cars."
"Speed!" Spritle called, running up to the crew with the food in his hands.
"Well, at least you made good on it, Spritle. But you shouldn't touch other people's things; you should know that by now." Speed said, taking the food from Spritle and packing it away.
"Sorry, Speed."
"Yeah. Now go on, I've got a race to win." Speed said, throwing his white helmet on and strapping it under his chin. He inhaled and opened the Mach 5's door, stepping inside as Trixie slid in next to him as he exhaled deeply. Speed slipped on his mustard-colored gloves and flipped his visor down. He looked over to Lovelace's spot next to him as they were both tied for the championship going into this finale, and Lovelace's engineers pushed up her new car with her already sitting in it; it had a cockpit offset to the left of the car, the cockpit was painted chrome with a fin sticking out from the back of it, the gas tank sat next to her where a passenger's seat would have been installed, but she preferred it to be single-seat. The rest of the car was very flat and boxy, with a small spoiler and five lights up at the front, and a splitter jutted from underneath the grill. It was painted in blue and gold like the car she drove the year before with a red #1 on the side of it.
"Looks like Lovelace upgraded. We better watch out," Trixie said.
"Mmhmm." Speed replied as he looked in his rearview mirror to see Left Roardon's #24 Corvette Grand Sport lined up beside Hank's Mach 4. And Zoomer Slick's new #2 Ferrari being lined up next to them as the rest of Alpha Team was pushed onto the grid, with Racer X's Shooting Star not far behind. Speed looked down and closed his eyes as the anxiety buzzed in his gut, the reigning champion taking deep breaths to calm himself down.
Chapter II: Green Flag
"Welcome all racing fans to 'The 67th WRL World Championship' sponsored by The Goldminter Family! I'm Murray, and with me is my co-host Ned Stockett; and over the course of the next few days, the greatest drivers in the world will race all over the globe for the glory of the title of 'World Champion' as well as a check for 50 MILLION dollars! Right now, we're sitting in the small and sunny country of Casa Cristo that sits on the border of Morocco and Algeria by the Alboran Sea. We're at the starting grid of 51 cars, where the Casa Cristo 5000 usually takes place. This year, however, it's hosting the big race where just last year we saw Speed Racer earn his first title against all odds in a gripping finale against Lovelace Goldminter, who he lines up next to today as they are both tied for first in the championship points! Whoever finishes in front of the other will be the world champion by the end of this race! But that's not to say that this isn't a stacked field, isn't that right, Ned?"
"Murray, you are absolutely right. We have Zoomer Slick and his Alpha Team, Left Roardon has returned to the biggest race in the world, Racer X is making his return, but the biggest story is that for the first time ever, Mifune Motors is running two cars! The second being the return of Hank Racer in the Mach 4 with Speed's mechanic, Sparky, in his passenger's seat. The strategy is to keep that entire team on the ground, so they wouldn't have to find a spot to land the helicopter, which will be piloted by Pops Racer, who is accompanied by Speed's younger brother, Spritle; and the family pet, Chim Chim! We haven't seen Hank since his horrible injury at the Condor 500 while testing that very car. The Mach 4 sadly never got its time to shine...that is...until now."
"Ned, what about that purple and copper car there? We've never seen anything like it before."
"That is the mysterious #00 car. We don't know much about it or its drivers or owner, but it does look a little familiar. Moving on from that, we do have newcomers from Togokahn Motors. The CEO's son, Taejo, will be driving their only entry in that red and black #77 machine."
"We also have the other drivers in the championship running like Jan Magnum, Rock Force, and Gadge Zoomer! If Speed and Lovelace do not finish, it could very well be one of those guys becoming the champion on consistency alone, so don't count them out!" Murray said as he looked at the clock, "Well, it's almost time, Ned. We better wait until they begin. If you're just tuning in, thanks for joining us at 'The 67th WRL World Championship sponsored by The Goldminter Family."
"Attention, drivers! The race is about to begin. Start your engines!"
"Here we go!" Speed said, turning the GO-V12 over, and the Mach 5 roared to life! Its yellow headlights lit the way forward as the other cars idled and revved loudly around them. Speed hit the D-Button already as he knew how chaotic the start was at this particular track.
"I'm glad that we're the ones in front for once. If you get a good start, we can get ahead of the action."
"I intend to, Trixie. Trust me."
"Alright, Speed. Just remember, we stick to the coast, and no rest stops except for gas and bathroom breaks until the checkpoint in Spain. Our hotel is already booked, by the way."
"I can't wait to relax at the hotel already. It's kind of funny that we're about to go to Morocco again."
Trixie looks over to him, "Well, I hope you won't be eaten by a robot dragon this time."
"We can only hope." Speed looks up as the start lights blink, Speed checks to make sure that the Mach 5 is in neutral, "Okay, we're ready."
"Alright, Ned, the engines are roaring on the starting grid, and we're ready for action!"
"Their first checkpoint is in Gibraltar at Europa Point, which is on the very tip of the peninsula, so they have quite the ways to go!" Ned replied.
"Speaking of 'go,' it's time." The five start lights flashed red before going black before lighting up one after another, "One last time this season…1 light, 2 lights, 3 lights, 4 lights, 5 lights..." the lights held at 5 red lights before they immediately turned green, "...AND IT'S GO, GO, GO!"
Speed slammed the Mach 5 into first gear, releasing the clutch as he would hit the gas! The car's tires screeched only a little bit before gripping the bricks that made up the ground as Speed and Lovelace launched with the rest of the massive field following them into the hall where hundreds of pillars and arches linked small lanes that could only fit two cars at a time. It wasn't long before Speed's mirrors were lit up in orange as cars went out of control and crashed behind him, as Speed and Lovelace, who ran practically side by side, remained in their lanes as neither driver wanted to take each other out at the beginning of the race. The overwhelming power of the Mach 5 began to pull ahead of Lovelace; the straight-line speed of the car was tremendous. The car was so fast that Speed had not yet gone as fast as the Mach 5 could go as he pulled ahead of Lovelace; the two flew from the Castle of Casa Cristo and entered the city.
Behind the leaders, Racer X and Hank had their hands full as the Mach 4 deployed its deflector shield, "Man, this is crazy!" Hank said, having never driven at Casa Cristo before, pressing the A Button and leaping over a rolling competitor and zooming away as the car exploded behind him!
Cars swerved and swung between pillars as Sparky shrunk in his seat, "I wish I joined Speed up front!" Sparky shivered as the two were bashed and broadsided by other cars.
"Look at Racer X!" Hank said, watching the Shooting Star pile drive another car out of the way! "I think we should follow his lead!" Hank said as he was sideswiped again, but this time he swung the wheel hard to the left and shunted the other car off, causing it to slam head-on into a pillar as Hank weaved and ended up behind Racer X, following his ally closely as they raced out of the building.
"Gee, I hope their cars had a quick save feature."
"Me too. I just had no choice, it was them or us, and there's no way I'm gonna be caught out during the first leg of my return." Hank replied as he pulled out from Racer X's slipstream and cleanly passed the Shooting Star!
Racer X watched the orange and black car scream by on his right, and he grinned, "Atta boy, Hank. There's no point for me to fight him so early, so I'll hang back here. The Mach 4 isn't what I wanted to observe anyway." Racer X thought as the mysterious purple car came into view, passing Left Roardon and Zoomer Slick, who made it through the carnage as the front pack turned into a hard right, down a straightaway, and into a series of tight hairpins as they descended the small mounting on which the castle was situated.
Left Roardon looked on with a serious expression as he heard the car while it drove beside him, "That's an electric car!" he exclaimed as the car's high-pitched whine passed by.
Meanwhile, in one of the castle's many guest rooms, two people watched the lights of the surviving cars blur in the distance. "You promise me that your car will win my daughter the championship?"
"Of course, Mister Goldminter. Lovelace will become champion." A woman said, blowing smoke in Goldminter's direction. Goldminter coughed in the smoke as she walked by, "Oriana Flux always completes a client's orders. As a matter of fact, I go above and beyond! Watch the TV, Mr. Goldminter, and you will see." Oriana pointed as she pressed a button on a radio, "Demonstrate the ERX's ability to our client, please." she radioed into the drivers.
Back in the race, the ERX split into two pieces! Inside of the black tinted cockpit, two drivers leaned forward on handlebars as the car could split into motorcycles. The motors whirred and whined loudly as the motorcycles surrounded one of the Alpha Team's red and gold cars and smashed into it!
"What the-!?" The driver shouted as his car spun sideways, the tires and rims catching the thick sand and flipping the car on its roof, as the motorcycles continued on following closely behind Racer X as they entered the skinny mountain pass.
"Impressive!" Goldminter applauded, "Who are the drivers...or riders of such a machine? How does it work?" he asked excitedly, leaning forward and stroking his beard.
"The ERX runs on two large electric motors. The majority of the car is made up of batteries to run the vehicle. Thanks to the electric power, it's torque is unmatched by every car on the grid. The batteries are so large, they should last the majority of the leg of the race. Our support helicopter has the battery charger within it if the ERX needs to stop." She smiled as she took a puff from her cigarette, tapping the black cigarette holder and ashing it, "As for the drivers, that's my secret to keep until they 'help' Lovelace win the race."
"I'll take your word for it, Ms. Flux. You're coming with me on my private jet tomorrow morning, right?"
"Of course I will, Mr. Goldminter. Have a good night, don't stay up for too long watching the race." Oriana got up and left Mr. Goldminter's room, chuckling to herself.
The ERX's halves would line up nose to tail, thinning themselves out as the race entered the hairpin-laden run downhill. Up ahead, Lovelace had to stay behind Speed as Speed drifted around the corners, putting his car in a position where a pass would be nigh impossible, while the ERX passed the Shooting Star as it gained ground on the Mach 4. The ERX went along both of Hank's sides as Hank and Sparky looked in awe, "What in the world?" Hank said, backing out and letting the ERX pass before they reached the next hairpin turn.
"What was that?" Sparky wondered aloud as the ERX's halves went back together and tried to catch up with Speed and Lovelace.
"Whatever it is, it might be bad news." Hank replied, trying his best to keep up, but with the electric motor's infinite torque, each time Hank caught up on the hairpin turn, the ERX would quickly pull away on the straights. "Damn!" Hank exclaimed in frustration.
"Don't worry, it's the first leg of a race that goes all around the world; we have plenty of time." Sparky said as they finally reached the bottom of the mountain, speeding off out of the tiny Kingdom of Casa Cristo and onto the coastal roads of Morocco.
The Mach 5 began to pull away from Lovelace, but it wasn't able to do so as fast as it did before. Lovelace played her strategy smartly and pulled directly behind Speed, gaining momentum thanks to his slipstream. However, the advantage started to wane as the Mach 5's gap started to increase thanks to its immense power as Racer X radioed in, "Shooting Star to the Mach 5, come in. Shooting Star to the Mach 5."
Trixie picked up the radio, "Mach 5 here, Racer X. What is it?"
"You two need to be very careful. Hank and I were just passed by a car that can split in two; it runs on electric power. It's unknown how long it can last. It took out one of the Alpha Team's cars, though, so watch out."
The ERX pulled up right behind Lovelace in her slipstream and pulled alongside, using the slingshot effect to get by. There was enough space for the ERX to pull in front of her and get into the Mach 5's slipstream, and the ERX gained.
"Racer X, that car is right behind us!" Speed said, watching the ERX gain in his mirror.
"Watch them closely, Speed. I don't know what they're up to. You should be able to ward them off in the city section." Racer X replied.
"Thanks for the warning, Racer X. Mach 5 over and out." Speed said as Trixie put the radio back. But just as she did, the Mach 5 jolted forward hard, "Oh!" Speed and Trixie both exclaimed.
"Ouch, that kind of hurt my back." Trixie said as they jolted back into their seats again!
"Oof! He's bumping us too hard! I'm gonna try to lose them through the city section!" Speed blocked the inside line, forcing the ERX to go the long way around as they turned left and dove down into the city of Tangier!
"They're finally in Tangier, running towards the dock to get ferried across to Algeciras, Spain! Speed and the ERX are almost side-by-side, the wide Mach 5 able to block the ERX through the city streets!" Murray says.
"If any viewers are wondering why they don't just go directly to the docks, the WRL gave each team navigator a map, and some places have designated routes. So the drivers are just following the WRL's guidance here." Ned added.
The Mach 5 and the ERX's wheel squeal through the city, flanked by the pure white painted buildings. The ERX tried to get beside the Mach 5, but Speed through an aggressive block, the right rear smacking the ERX's left front, forcing the ERX to slow down as they got on the main road! Speed looked over as the ERX flashed it's brights at Speed and Trixie, speeding up considerably, "He's gonna ram us!" Speed shouted, flooring it as a familiar mechanical sound was made behind them.
"No way." Lovelace gasped, watching this from behind as the ERX had deployed auto-jacks to jump over the Mach 5!
"Oh!" Speed exclaimed, tapping the brakes as the ERX landed in front. The rear of the ERX wiggled before stabilizing and shooting off into first. "So that's how it feels." Speed thought, a drop of sweat dripping from his face.
"I can't believe it! Did you see that?" Murray asked.
"I saw it, but I can't believe it! Someone came here to beat Mifune Motors and the GO Team at their own game, as they are now reaching the docks!" Ned replied as the cars slowed down to get loaded onto the boat.
"How about you tell the viewers at home about how this works, Ned? How will the drivers be unloaded in the correct orders?"
"I'd be happy to, Murray. This ferry was specially designed by Goldminter Inc., and the front of the boat opens, and a small track comes out from the floor. So the cars are loaded in by order of track position and then launch from the boat, onto the docks and back out onto public roads to continue this rally."
Back on the docks, each car was loaded with the drivers and navigators still inside of their cars as Pop's voice crackled over the radio as the helicopter landed to be refueled, "Speed, Trixie, did I just see what I think I just saw?"
"That car has auto-jacks. You saw right." Speed said.
"It also has miniature wings!" Trixie added.
"Huh? It does?" Speed asked.
"You didn't notice because you had to focus on driving, but I saw them. It has the wings."
Pops' voice then crackled through again, "Then my suspicions are correct."
"What suspicions, Pops?"
"I knew I recognized the design of the car from the beginning. That's one of The Car Acrobatic Team's cars! It's too agile not to be, and the mini-wings along with the stability it has while airborne just make it a dead giveaway." Pops said.
"You think it could be Snake's car?" Speed asked.
Pops folded his arms as the refueling finishes on the helicopter, "It probably is, Speed. Because their profession is so dangerous, The Car Acrobats all have back-up cars. I wouldn't be surprised if Captain Terror sold Snake's car off, especially with how much less the acrobats are showing up nowadays, they're mostly a pre-race act nowadays after you defeated them when they came back to challenge you last year." The boat's horn sounded as the loading door closed, "Alright, Speed. We're loading up the choppers on another ferry, Speed. We'll talk to you soon, be careful around that car." Pops said.
"Thanks, Pops. Over and out." Speed said as he hung up the radio as the ferry departed Morocco to get to Spain.
Chapter III: The Transit
Speed and Trixie got out of the Mach 5 as they were ferried over to Spain to mingle with the others. Every driver and navigator got out of their cars except for Racer X and the drivers of the ERX. "Hey, what is it with those jerks?!" A nasally voice cried out as Zoomer Slick stormed up to the front.
"Slick, be careful with those guys. We don't even know who they are." Speed said.
"They slammed into me and took out one of my teammates back there!" Slick walked up to one of the cockpits and slammed on the black glass, "Hey! Open up, cowards! Lemme see you face to face!" Slick shouted as the other drivers looked on before the ERX shocked Slick's hand! "Ahh!" he yelled as the right side cockpit opened, and a man in a black suit stepped out. He wore a black and white suit and looked at them through his dark shades.
"You! Ace Deucey!" Speed said in shock.
"Hello, Racer. Pick yourself up, Slick, stop cowering!" Deucey said to Zoomer Slick, who was clutching his hand in pain.
"How're you here? Who's with you?" Speed interrogated.
"My boss got me outta jail early and gave me one half of the fastest car in the universe. As for my associate, he'd rather not show his face. He's kinda shy that way."
"Your boss?"
"I've said all I'm allowed to say, kid. Now we're going to show you that your Mach 5 and it's crummy engine are no match for the ERX."
"The ERX?"
"That's right, named after the GRX. Another thing of beauty and speed that you destroyed."
"I didn't destroy the GRX or the GRX-2! The GRX needed you to be on drugs to be able to control it, and the GRX-2 was run by some dumb computer to drive it!" Speed defended.
"And if your car is named after the GRX, then I can only guess you're working for Oriana Flux!" Trixie added.
"Smart kids." Ace chuckled, "Now you know too much. You better stay behind me, Speed. Or I'm gonna end your race for good!" Ace Deucey said as he returned to the cockpit of the ERX, carefully making sure that Goldminter's name was kept out of the discussion.
"I don't believe it!" Speed shouted as Slick got back to his feet.
"I hate to say it, Speed. But we might need to work together to take him down. The Alpha Team won't bother you, but we're gonna take Deucey out of this race." Slick said as he returned with the remaining Alpha Team to make a game plan to deal with Deucey.
Speed turned to Trixie as Hank and Sparky walked up to see what the commotion was, "Who would team up with Ace Deucey of all people?" Speed asked his team.
Hank shrugged, "I've only heard the story and saw the race. I dunno anything about him."
"He's as greasy as I remember. Whoever is teaming up with him is degrading themselves." Trixie huffed.
Sparky scratched the back of his head, "I wish I could tell ya, Speed. But most people we've encountered are our friends now, so I really can't think of who it would be. Maybe Kim? If Flux sprung Deucey from jail, getting the Prince out wouldn't be that hard."
"I thought of that, but if it was Kim, then he would've come out and bragged." Speed said.
"Yeah, you're right. I really can't think of who the second driver would be." Sparky admitted. "Either way, I'm gonna check on the Mach 5 and 4 if you don't mind."
"No problem." Speed and Hank went to their cars and pressed their A-Buttons, raising their cars on their auto jacks.
"I need one of those." Racer X thought to himself as he watched the cars rise as Left Roardon walked up to Racer X's car, Left being placed right behind him.
"What do you think, X?" Left asked.
"I don't trust it, Left. Not at all."
"Me either."
Above, in a private jet, Oriana Flux and Karat Goldminter look down upon the ferries, "There they are." Goldminter said.
"Indeed." Oriana smiled, swirling a glass of champagne in her hand.
"You didn't tell me that the ERX had even more to it than met the eye."
Oriana took a sip, "And there's even more to come, Mr. Goldminter. We wouldn't show all of our cards on the first leg of the race. Hopefully, we won't have to show it all whatsoever once the cars are in Spain." she smirked as she got back up, "Excuse me."
"Of course." Goldminter said as Oriana walked to the plane's restroom, "I hope I'm not making a mistake." Karat thought to himself as the plane passed the ferry.
As Oriana entered the restroom, she lifted one of her sleeves to reveal a rectangular gold watch. She flicked the watch's face open and revealed a radio, "Come in, ERX. Come in. We're right above you, so it's the best radio connection we're going to get."
"This is Ace. What is it, boss?"
"Take out Racer ASAP. You're going to be close to the water on this next leg, so all you have to do is knock the Mach 5 in."
"Copy that, boss. We'll pretend to give Racer the lead, and then we'll send him into the canal!"
"You can do it however you want. Just make sure it gets done. Flux out." She closed the watch, flushed the toilet, and washed her hands before stepping back out, "That is perhaps the best bathroom ever installed on a plane." she complimented.
"Uh, why, thank you," Karat said.
"So, the plan is that we're going to stall Speed Racer and then make Lovelace look really good, and she'll win this first round of the championship."
"Good, good. Just don't harm Speed, he's Lovelace's friend."
"Speed won't be harmed unless he brings it upon himself." Oriana said, sipping her champagne as Karat looked at her worriedly.
"All drivers to your cars, we are now docking in Algeciras, Spain. The race will begin as soon as the green light on the loading door lights up. All drivers to your cars." Drivers and navigators got ready as a red light lit up at the bow of the ship where the loading doors were.
"Here we go again." Speed said, turning the key and igniting the engine once again as a chorus of engines created a deafening quartet within the cargo hold.
Chapter IV: Run to Gibraltar
"Welcome back, viewers to The 67th WRL World Championship sponsored by the Goldminter Family. I'm Murray, and this is my co-host, Ned Stockett. We're coming to you, live as the ferry carrying the racers is about to dock at Algeciras, Spain, and we're about to get back to it."
"That's right, Murray. The drivers have already started their cars; reports are coming in that spectators can actually hear the field from within the boat as it's docking."
"That's incredible. That is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience to have."
"And Murray, inside of the boat, there is a stop and go light that is lit up right now as we speak. It'll turn green as soon as the ramp is down from the front of the vessel; the route from the dock to the detour in San Roque and to the furthest point of Gibraltar is one-hour. I wonder how quickly these racers will get there."
"I do as well, and speaking of the boat, it is opening up. The front of the ship opens up slowly, and there are the cars! The top ten goes ERX, Speed Racer, Lovelace Goldminter, Hank Racer, Racer X, Left Roardon, Zoomer Slick, Taejo Togokahn, Rosey Blaze, and Gadge Zoomer." Murray pointed out.
"That's right, Murray, and out of the 51 cars that started the race, we are down to 40."
"And more shall fall to this rigorous test of skill and stamina, surely. Hopefully, those who got into accidents in Casa Cristo are alright, but right now, we have a race to continue!" Murray said as the ramp came down and the light turned green, "...AND IT'S GO, GO, GO AGAIN!"
The ERX's tires spun only slightly before gaining traction and launching the purple and copper-colored car out of the boat, as the Mach 5 followed closely behind! Speed actually got a better start than the ERX did, but the ERX's battery-powered torque was so extreme that it didn't matter, as the Mach 5 would immediately lose ground as they hit a straight road leading out of the docks as people cheered and cameras flashed while the cars drove by. They took a long, sweeping left turn over the Bay of Gibraltar, "There, it has a weakness!"
"You noticed something, Speed?"
"It must be its batteries. It makes the car heavy and difficult to turn into these longer corners...it probably takes longer to stop the car for shorter turns as well. I can see it understeering!"
"After this left, there are right and left turns that sweep before a tight left turn onto the N-340, which is longer. You should take your chance soon!" Trixie said.
Speed pressed down on the gas a little harder and pressed the B Button, giving him a little extra horsepower and a world of grip as the red/brown treads covered the tires. This would also lower the natural wear of the tires by encasing them. Speed chained the apexes perfectly, which the ERX struggled to do, the rear of the car wiggling as the drivers tried to keep it on the racing line as Speed dove down low and got alongside, and before they knew it, the left turn came up, the ERX wiggled again, understeering into the corner, coming inches away from the Mach 5's side as the white car was able to get ahead, the ERX forced to back off as Speed hit the braking zone perfectly, hooking a right onto the main highway. The rest of the field followed on the 4-lane wide-sweeping section; surprisingly, no crashes were had as some cars battled four and even five-abreast behind the leaders!
"Alright, Speed!" Trixie cheered, as did Pops and Spritle in the helicopter.
"Darn kid! I wasn't even trying to let him by that time!" Ace Deucey yelled.
"Guadarranque." His co-pilot said over the radio.
"What on Earth did you say? You think I speak Spanish?" Ace replied.
"It's a canal coming up soon before San Roque, we'll dump the Mach 5 over the bridge crossing there. Or you can give me control, and I'll do it for you."
"No way! I've been waiting for this opportunity for years!" Ace Deucey yelled, "Just tell me when." he ordered, grinding his teeth.
Speed pressed the B Button again, the grip tires only good for offroad and sweeping turns; now the smooth, grooved rubber could do the work as the two blasted down the straightaway. The ERX was able to catch up quickly but held position behind the Mach 5, waiting for its opportunity. Thanks to their speed, it wasn't long before both cars would reach the canal. Ace Deucey cackled as he pressed a button on his console, "Let's ditch this kid!" he laughed as spikes came from his hubcaps, Ace's oldest trick!
The ERX pulled along the Mach 5 as they approached the bridge, "Looks like trouble." Speed said, pressing the D Button purely because he knew who was behind the wheel. The ERX would then slam into the Mach 5 hard, puncturing both left-side tires! "Oh!" Speed shouted as Trixie cried out.
"Gotcha, Racer!" Ace shouted, retracting the spikes and slamming the Mach 5 over the edge of the bridge and into the canal below, landing with a heavy splash!
"No!" Hank and Sparky shouted.
Racer X picked up his radio and called the Mach 4, "Hank, do not stop. I repeat, do not stop. Speed will be okay."
"Okay?! He was just knocked off a bridge!" Hank yelled.
"Trust me. Just keep driving." Racer X said. Sparky also turned to Hank and nodded, having full confidence as he knew what the Mach 5 was capable of, and the two crossed over the bridge where Speed and Trixie were launched from.
Below, Speed would press the F Button as soon as he could. He had to wait for the periscope to come out from within the driver's cowl and surface to understand where they were facing, "We've got to turn around, we're facing the wrong way." Speed said, but as he stepped on the gas, the sound of gravel could be heard, "Huh? No traction, I've just dug us in!"
"Ace Deucey must have popped our tires, Speed."
"Hopefully the tires aren't ripped to shreds. If they are, the belt tires won't work!" Speed pressed the B-Button, and the red treads covered the tires, but both left side treads sagged as they had only the rim to support them, "Okay, we'll see now." Speed put the car in 2nd gear first and began stepping on the gas slowly. Too much power would dig them in further. The Mach 5 slowly crept out of the soft sand and sticky mud, "Just a little more." Speed muttered as the car's nose poked from the shore, the pointed front making the Mach 5 look like an emerging shark before the rest of the car crawled out of the water and steadily crawled up a grassy hill and onto the side of the road.
"Let's check the damage." Trixie said as Speed deactivated the frogger mode. The periscope coming down and the deflector shield going back. The two got out of the car and gasped as they saw the sagging belt tired, barely hanging onto the rims, "We're lucky we didn't have to abandon the Mach 5." Trixie said.
"Uh-huh, if we had to abandon the car, we would've lost the championship! We've got to radio Pops for our spares." Speed said, getting into the car and grabbing the radio.
Meanwhile, up ahead, "We let Goldminter pass at the end of the San Roque section." The voice of the ERX's other driver said.
"Let her pass? No way!" Ace yelled.
"We were paid to do a job."
"We were also paid to win!"
"We were paid to win the race at the finish, not the first checkpoint. We have to lull her father into a false sense of security first."
"Fine, we'll do it your way, then." Ace surrendered as the pack went through San Roque and back onto the freeway, where the ERX let Lovelace by.
"This must be the limit of their electric power!" Lovelace thought as ERX held position exactly one second behind as they entered Gibraltar.
"Here they come, Ned! With a scary accident for the Mach 5, putting it out of the lead and into dead last, Lovelace Goldminter is going to win the first leg of this World Championship!" Murray shouted as the cars would arrive at Europa Point, each driver getting their cards stamped by race officials.
Further back, Speed and Trixie ate their Shawarma that Spritle got them back at Casa Cristo while Pops changed the tires and refilled their oxygen, "Ace Deucey, huh? Should've known he'd be up to his old tricks." Pops said, using a small mallet to dislodge and then tighten the single-center lug nut that held the wheels on.
"Whoever is paying him wanted us out early. I think it's Oriana Flux who's behind it." Speed said.
"It probably is, Speed. So be careful and stay away from that car unless you're going for the win." Pops said as the announcement that Lovelace got past the ER to take the win rang through the Mach 5's radio.
"So Lovelace actually beat them!" Trixie said.
"I'm starting to wonder if they let her." Speed added.
"What do you mean?" Trixie asked as Speed took a bite.
"Well, her father is rich, and of the men who were involved in Mr. Diamond's plans, you had Bronze, Silver, and then Diamond? Where's Gold? Well, who's name starts with gold?"
"If it weren't for everything we've been through, I'd say it's a crazy conspiracy, Speed. But entirely possible." Pops said, making sure the fenders weren't bending so they wouldn't damage the tires, "Okay, you're all set. I'll get the tires on these rims changed and change all four of them tonight with the help of Spritle, isn't that right?" Pops smiled, looking down at his youngest son.
"That's right, Pops! Speed and Trixie have to win!"
Pops nodded before noticing that Speed and Trixie were laughing, "What're you standing around for?! Go win the race!" Pops shouted as Speed, and Trixie quickly jumped into the Mach 5 and continued down the designated rally route.
"Pops Racer has fixed the Mach 5, and Speed and Trixie are back on the road!" Murray shouts from the announce table as the camera watches the Mach 5 speed down the large freeways and nimbly navigate the old Spanish towns before ending up dead last at Europa Point.
Speed drove up to the race official, who smiled at them, "Glad to see that you made it, Speed!" He smiled.
"Here you go." Speed held out their ticket, and the official stamped the square that was designated for checkpoint 1, "Where are we in the race, sir?"
"Well, I'm sorry to say, but you're dead last of the running cars, Speed. 40th out of 40."
"You mean no one else crashed or malfunctioned?"
"Unfortunately for you, no, they haven't. Now get some rest!" The official said as Speed and Trixie went to the hotel to rest for the night.
At night, Speed sits on the edge of his bed as Trixie lounged on hers, "Speed, you need to get some rest." she said, a worried expression on her face.
"I know, Trixie. I'm just tired of people causing trouble, that's all."
"I understand, Speed. I'm tired of them too."
"I just wanna race, that's it. That's all. But if these guys wanna get aggressive…" Speed looks out the window as the moonlight shines on his face, "...then we're not going to give them an inch, either."
Chapter V: The European Run Continues
The next morning, the field that survived the leg out of Casa Cristo was pushed onto the road in the order in which they finished, meaning that Speed, who was the pole-sitter just yesterday, was starting dead last as Lovelace, his main championship rival, sat in first. Speed sighed sharply in frustration, now he had the hardest job for the rest of the race.
Trixie put a hand on his shoulder, "Buckle down, Speed. We have a long run ahead of us."
"Mmhmm. I know what you're saying, Trixie. But if they're going to race me like that, they better be ready for the consequences." Speed replied, flipping his visor down.
"Just get us to Russia in one piece." Trixie said as the announcers came over the speakers where all the cars were lined up.
"The second leg of the race is about to begin! Start your engines!" and upon his command, every car turned over, making the sunny city sound like it was being assaulted by a large thunderstorm. The flagman lifted the green flag over his head and, in a matter of a few seconds, waved it. The noise created by the engines was deafening as they flew through the streets. Except for the Mach 5, as Speed started the race in a very non-aggressive manner.
"Is something wrong, Speed?" Trixie asked, looking at him.
"Nothing wrong at all, the road gets very narrow, and I don't wanna be caught in a crash."
"Oh, smart move." Trixie said, realizing how big of a chance there is for a massive crash in the city, as Speed followed the pack but hanging back until they got to some wider road.
Up ahead, Racer X and Hank were working together, making sure they kept up with the ERX, observing what it was doing.
"Hank, come in." Racer X said, picking up his radio.
Sparky, Hank's navigator for this race, picked up the radio and held it to Hank, "Mach 4, here. What's up, Racer X?"
"There's something strange about that car ahead, it's just letting Goldminter stay ahead. As if it's letting her win."
"How do you figure?" Sparky interrupted.
"Yeah, I guess I haven't been focusing on them so much."
"I've noticed at least four places where it could have made a move and passed her. With how the driver treated Speed, I know whoever is in there is no rookie. That car is fixing the race in Lovelace's favor!"
"Well, what're we gonna do?"
"I don't know yet, Hank. Just hang back for now."
"But, aren't we going to help Speed win once he gets back up to the front? How is what we're doing any different from them?"
"Because that car is going to wreck anyone that comes near it or Goldminter. We're not going to do that."
"What do we do until then?"
"Keep watch ahead and wait for Speed."
"Can we race at least?"
"We can always race, Hank." Racer X grinned.
"Copy. Mach 4 over and out." Hank said as Sparky put the radio back, "Hold on, Sparky."
"Just don't race him too hard, Hank."
Hank chuckles, "Don't worry, we'll be fine." Hank presses further down on the accelerator, as Racer X clicks down a gear, pressing lightly on the brake as he slots in behind the Mach 4, following Hank very closely through the city streets as they weave through the tight corners, Racer X not giving Hank a chance to make any mistakes until they come out on to a large expressway. Racer X grins as they accelerate, but Racer X gains because he has the benefit of the Mach 4's slipstream as he pulls to the side, slingshotting around the Mach 4!
Sparky looks on, "Wow, that was quick."
Hank grins as he moves behind Racer X, "He was smart to do that. He knew he couldn't pass me in the city, so he stayed behind so he could draft me. Wish I thought of that, but we'll return the favor!"
Following Lovelace, the ERX had been listening in to the GO Team's radio frequency, "So Racer X is onto us, eh?" Ace Deucey says.
"Yeah. We're gonna wreck him when we get to Russia. The course goes along the Amur River, and it'll be dark by then, we'll dump him there." the mystery driver replies.
"Why wait for so long? He's here now!"
"Russia is so barren and cold; if we stop him there, he'll likely crash into the snow, and it'll be too cold for him to restart his car or survive for very long. Racer X will be out of our...and our employer's hair for good!"
Ace laughs, "I see, I like it! Yeah, we'll do your plan. You're smart, kid."
"I was a prodigy once until Speed Racer robbed me of that chance. I don't care if we don't win the race. I just want Racer gone!"
"I understand, and I feel the same. I guess we'll sit back and relax then, pal. We've got a long way until we reach Russia."
Further back, Speed makes similar moves in the Mach 5 as he's still stuck in the city behind the huge field of cars, "How long until we get to the freeway?" Speed asks, still in dead last.
"Not too much longer now, Speed."
"It's so frustrating. The one downside of the Mach 5 is that it's so big!"
"Well, Pops and Sparky had to fit all of that power somewhere, right?"
"I guess. Sorry, Trix, I'm still mad about yesterday." Speed said as the road had finally opened up, "I just wanna catch those jerks!" Speed mashes the gas, so much torque going through the driveshaft that the Mach 5's rear wheels break loose for just a moment as Speed turns the wheel to correct it before the tires regain their grip, sending the Mach 5 shooting off down the road! The Mifune Motorcar is so fast that Speed hardly even needs to slipstream the backmarkers. The Mach 5 is in a completely different class in comparison.
The weaving and passing would go on as the cars crossed borders until they reached Germany. Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany to be exact. Speed has made good ground, going from the backfield up to the sharp end of the midfield battle, and it was fierce as the cars got onto the infamous Nurburgring, also known as 'The Green Hell.' But the real peril was up ahead as the yellow and white lights of the cars lit up the dark forest. The track was used to be a section of the route to Russia to add difficulty and to add something to air across the world on the TV updates for the race, distracting that the majority of the race is run on expressways.
The Mach 5 bounced against and rushed past the hard battling midfielders, trying to break out to the front runners! Speed, using the huge Mach 5 to make moves in sections of the massive track that shouldn't have been possible, but it was for him as they reached the Dottinger back-straight, the longest point of the track. But to Speed's dismay, he was blocked in by a large group of cars all jockeying for position down the 20 kilometer-long piece of road! "No way I'm sitting behind this." Speed says as he floors it, gaining on them at an incredible rate before jamming the A-Button, and launching himself over the entire group of cars at almost 200mph! Speed pressed the B-Button as he landed, immediately gaining grip and shooting off into the distance, knowing that 200mph is as fast as the belt tires can handle before they break into pieces! Crossing under the bridge at the end of the straight, Speed gently yet firmly applied the brakes, moving smoothly through the last section as they had a couple of more turns before heading back out onto the road and continued towards Russia, where their next checkpoint was.
Trixie looked around, "I don't see anybody, Speed."
"I guess the guys back there were at the front of the midfield. That means we're gonna be playing catch-up for a while now." Speed says as he pulls the Mach 5 over, "I want you to drive, Trixie."
Trixie smiled as she quickly unbuckled her seatbelt; they had rehearsed this. Speed ran around the front, sliding across the Mach 5's pontoons as Trixie ran around the back, so they didn't pass each other and possibly get tangled up. They both hopped back into the Mach 5 at the same time, buckling themselves in as Trixie put the car back into 1st gear and accelerated smoothly until they were rocketing back down the road as Speed grabbed the map as well as Trixie's notes.
"The cars have gone through multiple countries in Western Europe now as they cross into the Eat and head towards Russia! Vladivostok, Russia, will be the last country passed through on the European leg before the drivers then head on a short trip through China, through Korea, and into Japan. Then they'll get a long break as they will be ferried to Australia and race through the outback before another ferry to Brazil. They'll make their way through Central America, go up the United States, cross from New York into Canada, and have another ferry to Great Britain where there will be a mad dash to London. Thus, the drivers will have visited each continent and most major islands in the world!" Murray tells the viewers and listeners as snow began surrounding the field that was still left.
Ace Deucy looked up and grinned at the snow as the ERX followed Lovelace, defending her lead at all costs, the mystery co-driver looking at the rearview screen at Racer X and Hank Racer, who were just trading places and battling at random moments behind, but he knew he needed Racer X out of the way, but it would be a few more days. Speed and Trixie, however, had made it up to the front, having closed in very quickly since no one was around to cause them trouble as they made their way to the furthest end of Russia, Vladivostok. Two days came and went with many stops for rest and gas as they continued along the river until the mystery driver finally looked over to Ace, "It's time." he said as the ERX began to slow down.
This got Racer X's attention, "Huh? It's slowing down! Maybe it didn't charge it's batteries long enough!" he said to himself as he looked over to the opaque dual-cockpits that the ERX had. It dropped behind him, and even Hank looked on, having fallen back due to making a slight mistake earlier during a battle and losing ground.
"What's going on with that car?" Sparky asked.
"I dunno, Sparky. But it's falling behind!" Hank replied, but that falling back due to technical failure was not the problem. Two ports that were flush with the ERX's bumper opened as two metal rods with metal orbs on the ends came out and began powering up, an arc of electricity passing between them! "What is that?!" Hank shouted as the ERX drove up to the rear of the Shooting Star and slammed into it with the electric arc, then pulling sharply to the right!
"OH!" Racer X shouted as he lost all power and control, spinning off the road, headed towards the river!
"REX!" Hank shouted, slamming on the Mach 4's brakes and following the Shooting Star off the path.
Just as this happened, Speed was starting to catch up, Trixie was taking another turn at the wheel, "Trixie look!" Speed pointed out at the chaos ahead, "Pull off; we have to help them!"
"Okay, Speed!" Trixie agreed as they veered behind the Mach 4 to help. Luckily for Racer X, there was a strong metal guardrail below that the Shooting Star smashed into! The Mach 4 and Mach 5 stopping below.
"Rex! Rex, are you alright?" Hank said as he and Sparky ran out of the car.
"What is going on? What happened?" Speed asked as he and Trixie also left the Mach 5.
"What are you two doing here following me?! You have to win the race!" Racer X shouted at them, assessing the damage.
"We had to see if you were alright." Hank said as Racer X opened the hood of his mid-engined car and discovered the problem.
"Whatever they did, it fried my battery completely and started an electrical fire. Pops can easily help me replace this and get me back on the road." Racer X looked up as the pack passed them all again. "Now get back out there and avoid that car! Take it out if you must. You have to win the championship, Speed! I'm fine, now go!" Racer X commanded as Speed and Hank nodded, the crews getting back in their cars and racing back onto the road, helping each other get as far back up the order as they could.
"Trixie, give me the radio." Speed said as Trixie nodded and took the red radio turning it on and handing it to Speed, "Hank, come in."
"I'm reading you, Speed. What is it?"
"What happened back there?" Speed asked as they passed a couple of more cars.
"That weird car with the two drivers took Racer X out. It overloaded the battery with electricity or something."
"But why?"
"It's protecting Lovelace. We think that someone hired the driver...or drivers to protect her, so she wins the championship."
"We can't let that happen."
"We won't, Speed." Hank said as the Mach 5 and Mach 4 sped off towards the finish.
Hours ahead at Vladivostok, Lovelace would win the European Stage, with the ERX coming in second a few minutes behind. Lovelace celebrated with her father as Ace came out of his pod, celebrating and mugging for the cameras while the mystery driver drove the ERX away to a secret location. It would be nearly a half-hour later before Speed and Hank arrived at the finish, and Ace was already long gone as Speed screeched the Mach 5 to a halt as he walked out looking for Ace or the ERX anywhere. Hank slowed the Mach 4 down slowly as he and Sparky got out, Hank putting a hand on Speed's shoulder. "We'll catch him on the next leg, Speed. I promise you that. We have over half the world to go still. There's time."
Hank was right. There was still plenty of time to go in The 67th WRL World Championship! With the Asian, Australian, South American, Central American, North American, and British legs to go! Will Racer X return to the race? Who is the mystery driver of the ERX? Can Speed catch Lovelace, or will the ERX take him out first? Find out in Part 2 of this Three-Part Finale of...SPEED RACER!
[Outro Music]
Thanks for reading, guys, and I hope you have stuck with me still. I know it's almost been a year since you were updated on this fic, and I had a lot of really bad personal stuff to deal with in 2020 as well as not having been locked down during the pandemic. So I was working the whole time, and if I wasn't working, I was in the hospital, not for what you think, it was for something else, but I was still bedridden for a month. So with all of that happening, I not only had no time to work on Speed Racer, but I hardly had time to work on my superhero novel series, Special Defense Unit. I sadly missed the Halloween deadline for that, so I had to crunch on that book so I could get it out by Christmas (which I did). So when I finished that, I was starting on the comic adaptations of Special Defense Unit, and I blasted out tons of scripts for that, started on the next novel, and started scripting a possible opinion show for Youtube, and Speed got pushed onto the backburner. But this week, I'm in a racing mood. Formula 1 season is about to begin. Drive to Survive Season 3 is going to be out soon. I just finished watching the Rolex 24hrs of Daytona on Youtube, and I'm ready to race! So enjoy this extra-long chapter of Speed Racer, and more will come soon! Thank you so much for reading, and as always, Stay Tuned.