Under the cover of night at Racer Academy, down at the Grand Prix building, Braedey was down in the garage and currently looking on at the schematics and the design of the Mach 6's gasless engine. Looking on at the shape of the engine and the design of it, plus the dual-fuel intake system, as well as the composition and layout of the engine block, it is more like a work of art than anything else.
"Hmm... most interesting..." Braedey mused to himself, looking on at the scan of the engine. "This engine can revolutionise the entire motoring industry..."
"Braedey?" The Transformatrix bearer looks over to see Rin walking into the garage, her now in blue PJs. "What are you doing up at this time?" She then takes notice of the scan of the engine. "Wait... is that a 3D scan of the Mach 6's engine?" She questioned.
"Yeah. I opted to take a scan of the engine so I could figure out what's the secrets behind the gasless engine and why Speed and his group are struggling with it." Braedey answered. "This thing is just unique for an engine of its calibre..."
"It does look cool." Rin acknowledged. "Though, it's not as cool as the Transformer's engine." She admitted.
"Oh, yeah. Definitely." Braedey nodded back. "But the Mach 6's engine, if this were to be fully-functional and to get out into the world, it could very much change the entire automotive industry to the degree, maybe even put some oil companies out of business."
"That, I cannot argue with." Rin nodded in agreement. "We're gonna have to keep an eye out for Speed and his friends, especially with those like Annalise and the two twins running about."
"Absolutely." Braedey agreed back, then he looks over to the Transformer. "Still, I've yet to put my car through its paces and see what it can do." He commented.
"Maybe we should go somewhere to test it?" Rin now suggested.
Braedey now considered the idea, him now having a smile on his face as he had a thought come to mind. "I think I have an idea for where to go." He cups his chin in thought. "I just need to make a phone call..."
The Bonneville Salt Flats are a densely packed salt pan in Tooele County in Northwestern Utah, United States. It is the largest of many salt flats west of the Great Salt Lake. It is known for land speed records at the Bonneville Speedway. The Bonneville Salt Flats Race Track is an area of the Bonneville Salt Flats that is marked out for motorsports, and is particularly noted as the venue for numerous land speed records.
Two tracks are prepared; a 10-mile (16km) long straightaway for speed trials and an oval or circular track for distance runs, which was typically between 10 and 12 miles (16 and 19km) long depending on the condition of the salt surface. The number of tracks and the timed sections for each track are set according to what is most beneficial for each event.
Down at the Salt Flats, Braedey stands by his car as he looks on at the vast salt flat ahead of him. Standing nearby happened to be a small mobile operation centre that's been set up to track the Transformer. Optimus, Heatwave, Bumblebee, Elita-One, as well as Braedey's grandfather, friend, and cousin, have all gathered up since Braedey had requested them to come over since he may need their assist to track the speeds of his car. Blaze was also there from Racer Academy, so he could see how fast Braedey's car can truly go.
"This is definitely gonna be worth it." Rin commented as she walked up. "Down on the most iconic pieces of racing ground, ready to try and break the records."
"To be truthful, trying to break the record of 763mph is downright crazy." Braedey chuckled. "But seeing how fast some 'Bots and cars can go, it be interesting to give this a try." He stood by, him donning a blue/black racing suit and a full-head helmet with flip-up visor. "Plus, it'll put the car through its paces."
"Just don't try and overdo it." Rex advised as he walked up with Jessie. "That engine is one-of-a-kind."
"I won't. But no promises." Braedey chuckled. He and Rex now remove the engine cover section to take a look at the engine itself. "There it is... The single-forge Cybertronian Tritanium Bernoulli Convergenator super-hypercharged 35,000hp quad-turbocharged W16 engine, in all its glory." He patted Rex on the back. "You definitely pulled out all the stops for this one."
"Well, I did have some help." Rex admitted.
Blaze walks up and looks at the engine, giving a wolf whistle. "Wow. That's not an engine - it's a work of art." He complimented.
"That, I cannot deny." Braedey nodded his head, he and Rex putting the engine cover back on and securing it. "Well, this is it. Wish me luck." He heads over to the cockpit of the car, the others stepping back.
"So... how fast can that car really go?" Grandpa Jackson now asked to Blaze and Rex.
"Given the specifications made, the car will do 0-60 in under 1.5 seconds, and reach up to 500mph in under 120 seconds, if the need arises." Blaze informed.
"And that's just in its standard form." Rex added in. "Who knows how much faster he could push it when he uses the Transformatrix on that car."
The cockpit canopy closed up and seals itself, Braedey now getting himself strapped in and locks his helmet in place. He next held the watch up to the steering wheel, and with three beeps coming from the watch, the dashboard lights up and the engine roars to life, the ground literally shaking under the car's wheels, blue jet exhaust coming from the rear exhaust port.
"Okay. I'm ready." Braedey spoke up on the headset radio in his helmet.
"No need to wait for us. Go for it." Rex stated.
Braedey needed no further introduction. He stomps down on the accelerator, the Transformer launching off the startline and racing down the salt flats at speed, leaving only a trail of dust in its wake, all the while with him rocketing along across the 10-mile straightaway.
"Already past 250mph in just a matter of seconds." Jessie muttered out in stunned amazement. "And the speed is still going up!"
"Now reaching up to 349mph." Blaze added in. "No, scratch that. He's now reaching up to 500mph."
"Definitely not too shabby." Rin commented as she looks at the speed and schematics of the car. "That's some serious speed."
"Definitely." Rex nodded. He was very impressed and internally pleased by his handiwork.
"You ain't seen nothing yet." Braedey's voice remarked back. "Gonna try something new, and coming on back."
"Just don't go overboard." Bumblebee beeped.
"If you get into any trouble, we'll be there when you need us." Heatwave added in next.
"Much obliged." Braedey acknowledged.
After driving the 10-mile straightaway, Braedey turns the car around, then began to drive it back towards the startline. As he does so, he raised his left hand and placed it into the hole, just as the clamp forms over the Transformatrix, the watch beeping in confirmation, Braedey pulling his hand back. He taps the faceplate, the core popping up, which brought up the blue, hologram image of Thunderbird. He scrolls through the playlist as he spins the dial, then he found what he's looking for and pushes down the core.
Outside the car, the white paint now disappeared with a blue flash that washes over the car like a wave, the white colour scheme giving way to a vibrant blue paint scheme, with what looks like a set of sharpened edges on the tail section and behind the cockpit.
"Blurr Mode! Metal to the Pedal!" Braedey declared, then he stomps down on the accelerator, the car now shooting forward at speed, a blue streak in its wake. "HOLY SWEET MOTHER-!"
In just a matter of seconds, the transformed racecar now rockets along at high speed, now leaving just a trail of dust in its wake. Everyone could only watch on as the now-transonic racecar was about to break the sound barrier while rocketing along at speed with the streak of blue in its wake, one that definitely rattled their cores.
"Sweet mother of Primus..." Was all Jackson could mutter out at such a speed. Yes, he used to be a NASA astronaut back in his early years, but seeing that kind of speed outside of an aircraft is definitely shocking.
The Transformer now closes in on the encampment, then its brakes were then slammed on and it came to a sudden stop in just 50m, the engine now winding down. A moment later, a red flash washes over the car like the blue flash did beforehand, the blue paint and aerodynamic bodywork now fading away to reveal the white paint itself.
Optimus, Heatwave, Bumblebee, Elita-One, as well as Rex, Jackson, Jessie, Rin, and Blaze all immediately made their way over to the white racecar, Heatwave running up and dousing foam on the Transformer, the sound of hissing being heard from the car, everyone else staying clear just in case, but they were also in concern about their cousin/friend/teammate.
Braedey breathed out a sigh and he smiled to himself as he unstrapped himself from his seat and he opens up the cockpit canopy, slowly standing up. "How... how did I do?" He asked to everyone, sounding breathless.
"You definitely shattered Blurr's top speed run." Rex commented. "He could only reach 500 miles an hour."
"That's how fast I've gone?" Braedey asked softly.
"Not even close. You have gone above and beyond that speed." Grandpa Jackson now shows a smile to his grandson. "You have managed to get up to 760 miles per hour."
"You almost made it to break the sound barrier, and even the speed to beat Andy Green's Thrust SSC record-breaking speed of 763.035mph." Rin added in, her looking like she's about to burst from excitement.
"No way..." Braedey muttered in surprise. He definitely did not expect that of his car to even go that fast, let alone nearly break the sound barrier. "That's really something." He climbs out of the racecar and stood by the others. "Talk about letting loose the taps on my ride." He chuckled.
"So what do we do now?" Bumblebee inquired with his series of clicking and beeping as he knelt down to them. "What's going on next?"
"Well, I'm not too sure. But I've got a feeling that the next upcoming race will be an off-road or rally style race." Braedey answered. "Driver and navigator and all that, you know?"
"Oh, yeah." Rin understood this. She stopped for a moment as she looked back at the Transformer, her realising something. "Uh... wait a second. How am I supposed to ride with you in your car when it's only got one seat?" She questioned him in confusion.
"That's something you'll have to wait and see when we get back." Braedey simply answered back. That left Rin to look at him in confusion.
"Have to admit, that was some downright serious speed." Heatwave commented to Braedey. "I can only imagine how fast those other cars could go, let alone even keep up."
"Absolutely." Elita agreed with the firetruck Autobot.
"But I'd advise you to be careful." Optimus advised to Braedey. "Exercise caution. And never abuse power, and that includes horsepower." He warned.
"I will. Don't you worry." Braedey nodded. "But it's not me who's been abusing their horsepower." He then explained about the Deuce twins and Annalise Zazic, and about the Mach 6's gasless engine.
"How unexpected..." Jackson mused. "That engine does sound important, so important that it can change the world, and maybe the reason why Speed Racer has been missing from the racing world in well over a couple decades."
"More so than anything else we've seen." Braedey added in.
"Braedey." Optimus knelt down on one knee. "This is a special assignment I am giving to you and to Miss Rin. You are to assist Speed Racer and his team completing the Mach 6's gasless engine, and to protect that engine at all costs." He instructed.
"Yes, sir." Braedey saluted firmly.
"You can count on us." Rin nodded back.
"I'll relay any and all info to Optimus on your behalf." Blaze added in explanation to Braedey.
"Of course." Braedey nodded. "Now come on, let's get back to the academy before the next race."
Back at Racer Academy, the cars were lined up down at the track. Speed's and X's cars, the Mach 6 and the Shooting Star, sat up front on the line, Lucy and Conor assigned to each of the two brothers, with Braedey's car, the Transformer, parked up behind both Racer brothers, Rin standing alongside. Blaze's car, the Howlin' Heat, is parked alongside. Annalise's car, the Spoiled Brat, is just behind the two brothers and alongside Braedey and Blaze's car, her being given the exception of not having a navigator. Among them were a few other students with their cars, along with the navigators they've been assigned, and Mitch and his ugly orange boxy Mitchmobile hatchback.
"So... how am I supposed to race with you when there's only one seat in your car?" Rin questioned.
"Like so." Braedey leans into the cockpit and pushes a button or two on the console. A moment later, the bodywork now seems to stretch out and the cockpit now begins to alter in shape and size, revealing a second seat with harness and everything else, making the car a tandem cockpit. "There. Voila." He revealed.
"Neat..." Rin looks on in awe. "Talk about wicked." She then saw Braedey hand her a helmet, one that has the Transformatrix symbol on it. "Ooh..."
"Since we're both on the same team, best get into the team spirit." Braedey said to Rin, the latter now getting the helmet strapped on her head.
"Thanks." Rin smiled and gives a thumbs-up, before she goes and she climbs into the back seat to get strapped in. "Let's do this!"
Braedey climbs into his car, strapping himself in as the cockpit canopy closes down and seals itself in, Blaze getting onboard his wheels. Speed and X both get into their cars and get ready to race, Conor and Lucy also getting ready. Annalise got into her car, the twins both getting into theirs. Blaze rolled his shoulders as he revved his alt-mode's engine. Up above the track, the holographic countdown of lights flash up and begin to countdown. The drivers rev their engines, the ground shaking under their wheels. Inside his car, Braedey rolled his shoulders and grips the wheel. Sure enough, the horn sounds off as the lights go green, and all the cars launch off the line with the roar of their engines echoing out.
The Mach 6 and Shooting Star first take the lead, the Spoiled Brat car struggling to find a path around the rest of the pack, with the Howlin' Heat lurking behind the three cars. The rest of the pack bunch themselves around the track. With the Transformer, Braedey turns hard left, his car sliding its back end out while going on straight at speed, all wheels rotating in the process, spinning without total loss of control. Blaze rockets along at speed, flames spitting from his exhaust, his car and the Transformers skating about the track as if the car was riding on rails. As this goes on, the Double Deuce falling back with some of the other students also jostling for position. As they drive along, the section on the track opens up to reveal some sophisticated technology and computer operating systems below. A moment goes by, then the pair of large metallic arches rise up before forming up together with a metallic clank. A moment later, within the interior of the arch, the blue portal energises within, almost like a Cybertronian Groundbridge.
"Virtual Track activated." An automated voice reported.
The cars make their turn around the track once more, the Mach 6 and Shooting Star both taking the lead, the Spoiled Brat car struggling to move, the Transformer and Howlin' Heat just behind, the rest of the pack behind them. They soon began to approach the portal, and once they go through, they find themselves now in what looks to be a mountain pass, one with a switchback road that leads up into the mountain, one that has a tall elevation.
"Whoa... talk about a tall mountain road." Braedey commented.
Rin now looks in front of her, a navigation screen that shows the road ahead, as well as the dimensions and the distance. "Okay. This mountain has an elevation of 6,860 feet above sea level. The road is roughly a 15-mile climb that has an average gradient of eight percent." She informed to Braedey.
"Gotcha. Looks like we've got some work to do." Braedey acknowledged before going up a gear and he stomps his foot down on the accelerator.
The cars all began to race up the switchback roads, sliding left and right in the process as they head up the roads. The Mach 6 and Shooting Star shoot ahead, only for the Howlin' Heat to race by them and slide on about the switchbacks, all the while rocketing along the straightaways. The Spoiled Brat also races by as they go onward, purposefully pushing the Transformer into the side of the guardrail, as if trying to shove the car off, only for the white racer to brake and Annalise races on ahead.
"What a brat..." Rin grumbled.
"No time for that, we've got company." Braedey looks down the steering wheel, where the rear screen spotted the Double Deuce closing in.
The twins both look to one another and smirk before they push the button on their dashboard to make their car separate and become two separate cars, splitting up. Both twins drive up one side of Braedey's car, the brunette now taking note of this, but he stayed calm and relaxed, Rin being unsure. Jared moves ahead and blocks off the Transformer from moving on ahead. Braedey takes note of the second smaller car on the left as it deploy buzzsaws, no doubt to try and slash at his tyres. But before they can, Braedey pushes the yellow button around him in the cockpit, and in a split-second, metallic shielding surrounded the tyres and the buzzsaws break off the metal shrouding and they shatter like glass.
"Nice move!" Rin praised.
"Hang on!" Braedey spoke up. "We're not out of danger yet!"
The two twins then opted to try and squeeze the Transformer from both the front and side to try and shove them off the road. They close in, but Braedey pushes the set of buttons on the steering wheel. A split second later, the right set of jumpjacks deploy from under the front of the Transformer, making it perform a left roll as the two twins nearly crash into each other, the Transformer flying through the air before going off the ledge! Rin covers her eyes at once, only for the car to land on the lower switchback road on all four treads, Braedey slamming down on the brakes and his car slides to a stop.
Rin takes a look as she uncovered her eyes, and sighed in relief. "Phew. Good news; we're still in the race." She spoke out.
"Bad news; we're in dead last and down at the bottom of the switchback road." Braedey now reported in. He looks back up the road and shook his head. "If we're gonna take that road, everyone would've crossed the line by the time we do so." He adjusted himself. "We need a plan and fast."
Rin, having recovered, takes a look at the road map. "Wait... there's a dirt track of sorts that heads up to where the road is." She informed and shows the route. "Uh, but one thing; that's going up at about 70 gradient and all that." She pointed out.
"Perfect." Braedey revs his car's engine. "We'll get up there faster than the Racer brothers." He stomps his foot on the accelerator, the Transformer rocketing along.
As they got closer to the dirt track, Braedey raised his left hand and placed it into the hole, just as the clamp forms over the Transformatrix, the watch beeping in confirmation, Braedey pulling his hand back. He taps the faceplate, the core popping up, which brought up the blue, hologram image of Blurr. He scrolls through the playlist as he spins the dial, looking through other transformations before he found what he's looking for and pushes down the core.
Outside the car, the white paint now disappeared with a blue flash that washes over the car like a wave, the white colour scheme giving way to an army green paint scheme. At the same time, what looks to be metal bars and roll cage parts begin to appear and transform all around the car body, just as the tyres now change into that of heavy-duty off-road truck tyres.
"Bulkhead Mode! Let's go!" Braedey announced before he shifts down a gear.
"Wicked cool!" Rin commented aloud.
At once, the transformed racecar launched off the road and it began to accelerate up along the dirt road, the howl of the engine being heard as a trail of dust forms in the wake of the machine racing away, all the while with Rin telling Braedey about the road conditions.
Further up the switchback road, the Mach 6 and the Shooting Star continue to take the lead, Speed and X having both Lucy and Conor to assist with navigational driving and finding the perfect turning point on each of the switchbacks. For Annalise and her Spoiled Brat, she is now struggling with getting the racing line and keeping up with the other two cars, much to her anger and annoyance at this happening, even as Blaze and the Howlin' Heat are closing in on her.
"You're not getting ahead!" Annalise stated and swerves left and right, blocking the road and stopping Blaze from getting ahead.
Blaze, however, he was waiting for the right moment to make his move. He could see the next switchback turn coming up fast, so he downshifts a gear before he puts on the handbrake and shifts up a gear. Annalise struggles on the inside of the turn, just as the Howlin' Heat roars in and goes for a sliding drift, going around the outside of the curve with screeching tyres and passing Annalise's car, albeit scraping off some of the paintwork on her car in the process before he raced on ahead, leaving Annalise fuming at what happened.
"Never mess with someone like me." Blaze spoke out before he launches ahead, flames spitting from the exhaust pipes of his car.
As he drives along to catch up with Speed and X, Blaze takes notice that the Transformer isn't behind him nor further up ahead. He did wonder about what happened to Braedey and Rin, then his scanners pick up on the signal coming from the Transformatrix, and it was... going straight up the mountain's face??? He takes a scan of the area, and he zooms in on the Transformer, him now seeing it had changed form and it's driving up the cliff face.
"Huh. Talk about an orthodox approach." Blaze mused. "But I guess the shortest distance between two points is a straight line." He then refocused on the race, him chasing in hot pursuit of the Mach 6 and Shooting Star.
Back with the Transformer, the transformed racecar was still charging its way up the mountain like a hungry Tiger, not letting up on the accelerator. Inside the car, Braedey and Rin both held on as best as they can. Eventually, they were now reaching the road, just as the Mach 6 and Shooting Star drive by. Before the Howlin' Heat can go by, the Transformer launches up and off the dirt track, landing back on the road with a heavy landing, just as the red flash washes over the car like the blue flash did before, the army green paint, roll bars and big tyres now fading away to reveal the original bodywork itself.
"Talk about a shortcut." Rin commented, Braedey still accelerating ahead. "We're back in the race!"
"Not yet! We've still got a long way to go!" Braedey spoke back. "Time to race like hell!"
Braedey raised his left hand and places it into the hole, the clamp forming over the Transformatrix, and the watch beeps, him pulling his hand back. He taps the faceplate, the core popping up, bringing up the blue, hologram image of Bulkhead. Braedey scrolls through the playlist as he spins the dial, looking at his transformations before he found what he's looking for and pushes down the core.
Outside the car, the white paint disappears with the blue flash that washes over the car, the white colour scheme giving way to a yellow and black striped paint across its bodywork. At the same time, the tyres now become off-road rally tyres.
"Bumblebee Mode! Time to bring the sting!" Braedey declared.
The yellow/black racecar now shoots along at speed, the howling sound coming from its engine, Rin now being forced into the back of her seat in the process. Braedey cannot help but smile to himself as he keeps driving along. Blaze takes note of this as he goes on to chase on after the Bumblebee/Transformer, with the Spoiled Brat closing in as well. Both Cybertronian drivers look back and take notice of the approaching car, Blaze and Braedey looking to one another before they nod and they both drive to either side of the road, allowing Annalise to drive past them. Annalise was confused by this action, but she then focused ahead to handle with the Mach 6 and her boyfriend's Shooting Star.
But unbeknownst to her, the Transformer and Howlin' Heat are both side-by-side, then they floor their accelerators, both cars driving at speed before they ram into the back of the Spoiled Brat, much to the shock of Annalise, just as they both now deploy their jumpjacks, launching both cars up, and making the Spoiled Brat cartwheel cab-over-wheels in the process. Annalise could only scream out as she was sent flying through the air, just as her car goes flying off the road and disappears from the Virtual Track, both the Howlin' Heat and Transformer now landing on their wheels before they drive on ahead.
"One car less..." Blaze commented.
Both the Mach 6 and Shooting Star continue to jostle for the lead, both of them driving along the narrow road as they jostle back and forth. But while they both continue to drive, the Transformer and Howlin' Heat are both closing in fast. A moment later, the red flash washes over the Transformer, the black/yellow paint across the bodywork now fading away back to white. Despite this, Braedey keeps his foot down on the accelerator and rockets on. While the Racer brothers are jostling about, both the Transformer and Howlin' Heat are closing in on them, the two now launching through the air with the jumpjacks and landing in front of the Mach 6 and Shooting Star, taking the occupants in both cars by surprise.
The sleek white racer now shoots off ahead with the Mach 6, Shooting Star, Howlin' Heat all trailing behind, just as the exit portal to the track revealed itself in the final turn, the Mach 6 using the turbo boosters at the last second. The cars now exit the Virtual Track via the exit portal, the Transformer leading with the Mach 6, the Shooting Star and the Howlin' Heat taking 3rd and 4th. The cars drive across the finish line and come to a stop to cheering crowds and fanfare.
Braedey panted and smiled to himself as he unstraps himself from his seat and opens the cockpit canopy. He looks back to Rin, who gives a thumbs up to him, she now getting up and climbing out of the car with him. Speed and X both share brotherly hugs and handshakes, Blaze smiling to himself as he got out of his racer, Lucy and Conor doing the same from their respective vehicles. Annalise meanwhile threw her helmet down at the ground in anger after she had lost yet again, the twins trying to calm her down before she stormed off in a huff.
"That was just awesome." Rin finally panted out. "But I definitely felt all the high-speed from all that."
"Think you want to go through that again?" Braedey now asked to Rin with a chuckle.
"Uh... maybe not all the time." Rin answered back. She then saw Annalise storming away in a huff. "Guess she didn't take losing again very well." She giggled.
"Seems so." Braedey rolled his eyes. "I will admit this, though. Rally driving is definitely something we may need to work on."
"True. But it was pretty fun." Rin shrugged back, she and Braedey both sharing a high-five.
"Nice driving out there." Blaze complimented to the two as he walked over to them. "We definitely make a great team."
"That, I cannot argue with." Braedey acknowledged backed, he and Blaze shaking hands with each other. "But we need to keep on our toes and keep our eyes open for anything that may happen." He added.
"I agree./Definitely." Blaze and Rin both understood.