The Snake Track

At one of the world's busiest airports, Flight 603-1/2 lands and disembarks at Gate 14-1/4. A big, brown haired guy, Mr. Rock Force, gets off appearing calm and confident. He is approached by someone who asks to speak with him outside for a few minutes. Outside, as the guy is putting on some gloves, he says he's heard that Force will be competing in the Super Car Racer. Rock Force realizes something is up just as the four guys try to beat him up. He lives up to his name, though, and flattens them all without much effort. After a little consideration, he figures they're from the Rival Motor Company.

The next day, Speed, Trixie, Sparky, Spritle and Chim-Chim are all at the new Snake Track where the Super Car Race will be held. Trixie comments that it looks tricky and Speed agrees. He says there seven curves, and they're all though. The Go Team flies overhead in Trixie's chopper to check out the track. Speed decides he'd better get back to the ground and start practicing.

As Speed comes round after the first lap, a worried Sparky holds up a sign: -48. Speed thinks to himself that he needs a new technique for this track. Afterwards, as they're driving in the Mach Five, Trixie says to Speed what a wonderful day for a drive it is. Speed, though, is not in the romantic mood and is annoyed Trixie is talking while he's trying to think up a new race strategy. This doesn't do much for Trixie's high spirits. While they're laying in the grass together, Speed still absorbed with his problem, a red car whizzes by, catching their attention.

They hope in the Mach Five and follow. As they catch up, they notice two other cars trying to run the red car, license #2-613, off the road. But the red car is able to lift up one side of the car and drive on two wheels. To help, Speed sends the homing robot towards the bad guys. First one, then the other, is forced off the road falling down the deep chasm beyond the guard rail.

The Mach Five stops near the red car, and we see that it's Rock Force driving. Speed thinks to himself that that's just the technique he needs; to be able to drive on two wheels. Looking at the dash (max speed on speedometer is 120 -- American car?), he notices that the red car has a fancy automatic transmission, which is rare for a racing car. Speed has already deduced the driver is a racer because of his expert driving. But when he comments to Force about his ability to drive on two wheels around curves without the need to downshift,

At Snake Track, Speed decides to try rounding a curve without downshifting. He flips the Mach Five but is unhurt. He can't help but wonder who the driver of the red car is but feels it's likely that he'll be in the Super Car Race. With his thoughts back on the race preparations, Speed prepares to try again making the curve without downshifting.

That night, as Force leaves a building, he sees his red car has been smashed. He feels certain men from the Rival Motor Co. did it so that he won't be able to race tomorrow. Though it's the middle of the night, he goes to the famous Pops Racer and begs him to fix his car by morning. When Pops refuses, Force threatens him. Speed overhears and begins fighting with Force, who has a bit of struggle but still manages to defeat Speed. In the light, Force recognizes Speed as the guy who helped him earlier and apologizes.

Speed makes a deal that Pops will fix Rock Force's car if Force will teach him how to drive on two wheels. When they try to shake hands, Speed extends his right and Force his left hand. Speed and Pops realize then that Force doesn't have the full use of his right arm. Force says, ``You've discovered my secret, Speed.'' His arm has a metal brace on it.

He says that it was permanently injured by a gang from the Rival Motor Company but was sort of his own fault. Last year, Force (with a K on his crash helmet) had entered the Bellring Race in his car, #2, but was paid by Jack Rival of the Rival Motor Co. to lose the race. But during the race, Force wanted to win and did so beating the team he was paid to lose to. Afterwards, Rival's toughs made sure he could never race again by preventing him from using his right arm.

In the hospital, the doctors couldn't help. He didn't tell the police because when people knew his arm was damaged, he'd never be able to race again.

Across town at the Rival Motor Company, Mr. Rival is yelling at his heavies for botching the job. He says he has a special car entered in the race tomorrow and it has to win. One of his men says he has a way to get rid of Force. ``It's easy and permanently permanent.'' He lays a gun on the table. Rival tells him to go ahead and do it.

At the Racers' home, Speed says he has an idea and tells Force to come outside with him. He forces Force to drive the Mach Five. Though Force is afraid -- it doesn't have an automatic transmission -- Speed insists. As they pull out, Spritle and Chim-Chim are hiding in the bushes and see Rival's men ready to follow in a jeep. As quick thinking as ever, they stow away in the jeep. Unaware of this, Speed is telling Force to give the Mach Five the gas, that he'll never win a race driving so slowly.

As the Rival guys catch up, Spritle and Chim-Chim see on eof the guys pull out a pistol and screw on a silencer. Chim-Chim throws a blanket over him and tumbles him out of the car without anyone even noticing. As another aims his gun, Chim-Chim pulls th guy's head back. The commotion causes the jeep to crash. When the Speed and Force drive over to see what's going on, Speed tells him he should enter the race tomorrow. ``You're kidding,'' Force says. (Apparently, Speed means he should enter using his old car, #2, with the manual transmission.) They shake hands with their left hands.

The next day, the Super Car Racer takes place. Rock Force is there in his old red and yellow car, #2, after all. He decided to take Speed's advice. Once the race begins, due to the many curves on the Snake Track, crashes are common. For awhile, Speed is in first place with Force in second. But as the race progresses, it's clear that Speed is having a good bit of trouble negotiating the curves while Force is cruising easily around using his two wheel trick. Soon, Force and Speed are going head to head with first one then the other taking the lead. After a few more curves, though, Force ultimately takes the lead and wins.

As Force is being congratulated and interviewed by the press at the finish line, some of the Rival Motor Co. guys approach and say he must be disqualified because he doesn't have the use of his right arm. An angry Force begins punching the Rival rivals before Speed stops him. Both Force and Speed realize that he was using his right arm to punch. Force takes off the brace to discover his right arm is back to normal. The race officials yell at the Rival men for lying. They quickly back away. Force thanks Speed, and they both vow to beat each other in their next race together. They shake hands -- with their right hands.

This episode has always seemed strange to me. It's odd how the approach to handle even a small physical handicap is to hide it. Doesn't seem to be the best way to teach kids watching how to handle differences in people...