“I’m going. I’ll find them,” Trixie promised.
Trixie flew off in the helicopter.
Then Speed heard shouts from inside the tunnel.
“Pops!” he cried. He quickly ran back into the tunnel.
Pops had steered the Mach 5 across the road, blocking the tunnel exit. Some of the bikers had stayed by Pops and the Mach 5, trying to prevent Pops from helping Speed. But Pops had turned the tables on them. The bikers were trapped in the tunnel now. They stopped their bikes and jumped off to face Pops.
That’s when Pops’s wrestling moves came in handy.
Slam! Pops threw one biker to the ground.
Bam! Pops caught another biker in a headlock.
Wham! Pops hoisted another biker onto his shoulders. Then he hurled him to the ground!
The bikers groaned and struggled to their feet. Pops laughed. But he let down his guard too soon. Speed ran in just in time to see one of the bikers conk Pops over the head with a wrench. Pops moaned and fell to the ground.
The bikers surrounded Pops, ready to get their revenge. Speed tapped one of them on the shoulder.
“Hi,” Speed said cheerfully.
The biker lunged for him, but Speed dodged out of the way.
“Ow!” The biker collided with the concrete wall of the tunnel.
Another biker ran toward Speed. Speed jumped up, then wrapped his legs around the goon’s neck. They landed on the floor.
Pops opened his eyes and tried to sit up. “That’s the way, Speed. You’re a chip off the old block! ” he cheered. “Show them they can’t fool with the Racers! ”
Speed ran to Pops’s side and helped him up. They both jumped in the Mach 5.
“Let’s see if Trixie found those guys,” Speed said as he tried to catch his breath.
They zoomed down the highway. They spotted Trixie’s helicopter just down the road. She was chasing one of the bikers—the one who held the briefcase!
Trixie flew the copter right over the biker’s head. The startled goon lost control of the bike. He veered off the side of the road and broke through the guardrail. The briefcase flew out of his hands.
The Mach 5 squealed to a stop. Speed reached down and picked up the briefcase. As he bent down, he saw that the guardrail had ripped the goon’s motorcycle in half. He was riding down the mountain on one wheel, looking like a clown on a unicycle.
Trixie contacted Speed on the walkie-talkie.
“Tell Pops next time he shouldn’t give away his plans so easily,” she teased.
“Don’t worry, Trixie,” Pops replied. “These plans for the Mach 5 are the most valuable thing we’ve got.”
“To me, Speed’s more valuable,” Trixie answered.
Pops laughed. Speed revved the engine once more, and they sped toward home.
4
A SINISTER OFFER
Speed’s mom had dinner waiting for Pops and Speed when they got home. She was happy to see them, as always, but the news that Pops had quit his job worried her.
Speed’s little brother, Spritle, was more worried about dessert. His pet chimpanzee, Chim Chim, was eating all of the cookies!
“Save some for me! ” Spritle said.
“Eek!” said Chim Chim. He reached out and grabbed another cookie off the plate.
Mom Racer made cups of tea for Pops and Speed. But Pops was too worried to enjoy it. He paced back and forth across the kitchen.
“Somebody tried to steal the plans, so that must mean they’re valuable, right?” he wondered.
Mom had other things on her mind. “Yes, but now that you’ve quit your job, you won’t know what to do with yourself,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes. Her eyes were as green as the dress she wore. “I know how you like to keep busy. How about remodeling my kitchen, rebuilding the garage, and planting some shrubbery?”
“Hey, I’ve got a groovy idea, Pops,” Speed said. “I’ll help you with everything.”
“Okay, but first I’m going to work on remodeling the Mach 5 myself,” Pops said. “I’ll prove to the suits down at the factory that these plans are genius.”
“But where will you get the money for the parts you need to rebuild the car?” Mom asked.
Pops frowned. “Where am I going to get that money?”
Spritle turned up the radio in the next room. He and Chim Chim began to dance. But Pops was feeling too worried about the money he needed to have fun.
“Quiet!” he bellowed.
“Waaaaah!” Spritle started to cry. Then Mom came out of the kitchen.
“Here, Spritle, I just baked a new batch of cookies,” she said. She held the cookie plate out to him.
Spritle stopped crying. He reached out to grab a cookie, but Chim Chim ran up and snatched the plate right out of Mom’s hands.
“Waaaah!” Spritle started to bawl again.
Pops groaned.
Everyone left the dinner table wondering how Pops was going to find the money to build his engine. Speed thought about Pops’s problem all night long. When he went to bed, he stared out of the window at the starry sky.
Speed’s biggest dream was to become a pro racer. But right now, his dad’s dream was more important.
“I won’t be a professional racer,” he said to himself. “Instead I’ll go to work. I’ll earn enough money so Pops will be able to rebuild the Mach 5.”
Across town, the same stars shone down on Mr. Van Ruffle’s house. The chief engineer was yelling at a bunch of goons—the bikers who had ambushed Speed and Pops earlier that day! They were all bruised and bandaged from their encounter with the Racers.
“You stoneheads! Don’t tell me you’re sorry!” Van Ruffle fumed. He had hired them to steal the plans from Pops Racer, and they had failed him.
“But we are sorry, Mr. Van Ruffle,” said one of the goons. “Speed’s strong and he got help from someone in a helicopter.”
“Don’t give me excuses! ” Van Ruffle yelled.
A man in a trench coat stepped out of the shadows. He wore dark sunglasses, and a thin mustache covered his even thinner lips.
“I figured those guys would botch the job, and they did,” the stranger said. “Give me five thousand clams and I’ll get the plans.”
“Five thousand dollars? You, sir, must be kidding!” Van Ruffle said.
“Oh, no,” said the man calmly. “Ace Ducey doesn’t kid. If you want those plans, it’ll cost you five thousand clams. If you don’t want them, forget it.”
Van Ruffle gritted his teeth. Five thousand dollars was a lot of money. But he knew that Pops Racer really was a genius. He had only pretended to think the plans were a bad idea so he could steal them for himself. In the right hands, those plans could be worth millions.
“All right, it’s a deal,” he said.
Ace Ducey grinned sinisterly. “You’ll have the plans for the Mach 5 before you can say ‘Ace Ducey’,” he promised.
5
A TIMELY RACE
The next morning Speed drove the Mach 5 across town to see his best friend, Sparky. Sparky was the same age as Speed, but he was one of the best auto mechanics around. He could tear an engine apart and put it back together in his sleep.
Speed found Sparky working underneath a classic car. Sparky spent most of his time with a wrench in his hand.
“Hiya, Sparky,” Speed said.
Sparky wheeled out from underneath the car. He wore a red cap over his light brown hair. A yellow T-shirt hung loosely on his skinny frame. He wiped his greasy hands on a rag.
“Oh, hi, Speed,” Sparky said. “This is a great Jeep, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Speed said glumly. Normally he would have been excited about the old car, but today he had too much on his mind.
“The engine in there is a V8 with double overhead cams,” Sparky went on. Then he noticed Speed’s mood. “Hey, what’s the matter? What are you looking so sad about?”
“I’m not going to try to become a pro racer,” Speed said. He leaned against an oil drum and r
ested his chin in his hand. “I’ve got to find some other job.”
“I know your dad’s against it, but he’ll come around,” Sparky told him. “Don’t give up.”
“It’s not that, Sparky. It’s just that I need money, fast,” Speed replied.
Sparky looked concerned. “You need money? What’s going on?”
“I’m going to give it to Pops so he can build a super engine for the Mach 5,” Speed explained.
Sparky nodded. The word about Pops quitting the factory had gotten around fast.
“I get it, Speed. But they told him at the factory that the engine wouldn’t work,” Sparky pointed out. “Anyway, read this before you do anything.”
Sparky took a folded newspaper from his back pocket and gave it to Speed.
Speed read aloud from the paper. “A trial race across Sword Mountain. Five thousand bucks to the winner.”
Speed raised an eyebrow. Five thousand dollars would definitely help Pops build the engine.
“So why don’t you enter it?” Sparky asked.
Speed frowned. “Pops would be furious if I did.”
“But he’s sure to forgive you when he realizes why you did it,” Sparky pointed out. “Those five thousand clams should put a smile on his face.”
Speed nodded. “You’re right. I’ll enter!”
Sparky grinned. “Now you’re being smart, Speed. But Sword Mountain is going to be a tough course to drive. I’ll fix the Mach 5 for climbing mountains.”
“That’ll be great,” Speed said. “Thanks!”
Speed felt better already. All he had to do was win that race at Sword Mountain, and Pops’s problems would be solved!
6
ACE DUCEY STRIKES
Back at the Racer house, Pops was working in his home office. He was bent over his drawing table, working out a formula, when...
Bam! A karate chop to the back of the neck knocked Pops out. When he came to, he found himself tied to a chair. A suspicious-looking man in a trench coat and sunglasses stood in front of him.
“Who are you?” Pops asked. He struggled to loosen the ropes that bound his wrists.
The man tipped his black hat toward Pops. “The name is Ace Ducey,” he replied.
“And what do you want?” Pops asked angrily.
Ace grinned. “Your designs for improving the Mach 5.”
Pops wished he wasn’t tied to a chair. He was itching to take down Ace Ducey with a super body slam! But there was nothing he could do.
“You can’t have them!” Pops cried.
“No problem,” Ace said coolly. “I’m just going to help myself.”
Ace began to search Pops’s office. He opened drawers. He pulled out papers. Soon the office was a real mess—and Ace Ducey was angry. He pounded his fist into his hand and walked menacingly toward Pops.
“Where’d you hide those plans?” Ace asked. “Come on, where are they?”
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Speed walked in. He quickly realized Pops was in trouble.
“Pops!” Speed cried.
Ace Ducey had seen what Speed had done to Van Ruffle’s goons. He didn’t want a taste of that for himself. He quickly ran past Speed and out the door.
Speed wanted to chase after him, but he ran to untie Pops first.
“Who was that?” Speed asked, quickly working on the ropes.
“He came to get my plans for rebuilding the Mach 5,” Pops grunted.
Speed untied the last rope. “We’ll see about that,” he said. Then he ran outside.
He was too late. Ace Ducey was nowhere to be seen.
Back in his office, Pops picked up a windshield from the floor. He carried it into a small room. Then he turned off the lights and turned on some special red lights.
The plan for the Mach 5 engine appeared on the windshield!
“Using invisible ink and drawing the designs on this windshield glass was a brilliant idea,” Pops said. He chuckled at his own cleverness. “Nobody will think of looking here!”
7
CRASH TEST!
Speed knew he had to practice hard for the Sword Mountain race. Racing on the open road was a lot different than racing on a closed track. But first, Sparky had to do his magic.
Sparky gave the Mach 5 stronger shock absorbers so Speed would have a smoother, more controlled ride on the bumpy mountain trails. He raised the suspension of the Mach 5 by a few inches so Speed could drive over rocks without damaging the underside of the car.
After a few hours, Sparky wheeled out from underneath the carriage. He gave Speed the thumbs-up.
“Okay, the Mach 5 is now ready for mountain racing, Speed,” Sparky announced.
“Great!” Speed replied. “Now I want to take it out on a road test.”
Sparky and Speed headed to the racetrack. Speed did laps around the track while Sparky clocked him with a stopwatch. Speed zoomed around the track at lightning speed.
As Speed zipped by Sparky on his first lap, Sparky hit the button on the stopwatch. “Wow! ” he exclaimed. “One minute, forty-five seconds. Great! ”
Then Trixie pulled up to the track in her yellow convertible. Spritle and Chim Chim rode with her.
“Did you see that, Trixie?” Sparky asked. “He was really moving!”
Speed kept on down the track, handling the tight curves with ease. Then he noticed something in his rearview mirror. A red car with a number two painted on the hood was gaining on him. Speed gasped. This was supposed to be practice, not a race!
The car pulled up alongside Speed, and he saw the familiar face of a racer he knew all too well—Skull Duggery.
Sparky and the others spotted him, too.
“Hey, that car belongs to Duggery!” Sparky cried. “He races dirty.”
Trixie frowned. Duggery thought he was the best racer around. He could smell competition a mile away. He’d probably shown up to prove he could beat Speed, she thought.
Speed and Duggery raced side by side along the track. First Speed took the lead, then Duggery sped in front of him. Then Speed took the lead again. They went back and forth until Duggery decided to change tactics.
Wham! Duggery slammed his car into the Mach 5. Speed tried to avoid him, but Duggery clung to him like grease to a mechanic.
“What’s he doing to him?” Trixie cried.
Wham! Duggery slammed into the Mach 5.
Bam! Sparks flew as metal slammed into metal.
The attack sent the Mach 5 spinning off the track. Speed couldn’t control it. The Mach 5 flipped on its side. Speed flew out of the car and landed facedown on the track.
Sparky jumped into Trixie’s car, and they drove to Speed as fast as they could. They hopped out and ran to Speed’s side, crouching by his fallen body.
“Speed? Are you okay?” Sparky asked.
“Are you hurt?” Trixie asked, her eyes filled with worry.
“Speedy, talk to us, Speedy!” Spritle pleaded.
Speed opened his eyes and groaned. He propped himself up on his elbows. His whole body was sore, but otherwise, he felt okay.
Skull Duggery pulled up beside the wreck. Sparky turned on him, furious.
“What’s the big idea, Duggery?” he asked, shaking his fist in the air. “Now Speed won’t be able to enter the Sword Mountain race! ”
Duggery raised an eyebrow. “Speed’s going to be a professional racer? How interesting.”
Speed grabbed Sparky’s arm. “You told him!” he said anxiously. He didn’t want word getting around. What if Pops found out?
Sparky gave a sheepish shrug. “I didn’t know it was a secret.”
“I would have beaten you anyway, Speed, so you’re lucky you won’t be competing,” Duggery sneered. “So long!”
Duggery waved as he drove away.
Speed gritted his teeth. He wanted to enter the race now more than anything. He had to prove to Duggery that he was no loser.
Trixie leaned over him. “You’re planning to be in a professional race?” She sound
ed concerned.
Spritle shook his head. “Pops isn’t going to like it! ”
“He’s not supposed to know. Don’t tell him, Spritle,” Speed said.
“He wants to win money so Pops can build a better engine for the Mach 5,” Sparky explained.
Trixie’s eyes widened. “Oh, I see.”
“I won’t tell Pops,” Spritle promised. Then he put his hand over Chim Chim’s mouth. “And don’t you tell him either, Chim Chim!”
Everyone laughed. Speed was starting to feel better already.
Now all they had to do was fix the Mach 5—and win the race at Sword Mountain!
8
SPRITLE’S FIX
Sparky and Speed spent hours getting the Mach 5 fixed and ready for the race. They replaced a cracked radiator and banged out dents in the doors. Spritle and Chim Chim watched, handing Sparky tools when he needed them.
“Almost done,” Sparky said. “We just need to figure out what to do about the broken windshield. And we’ve got to put some finishing touches on the engine.”
Sparky and Chim Chim looked at each other and grinned. Then they quietly slipped out.
Speed went to work on the engine, tightening some loose coils and wires. Then he closed the hood of the Mach 5.
Sparky came strolling through the garage, whistling and rolling a brand-new tire.
Any ordinary car would have to be put on a lift to raise it up so the new tire could go on. But thanks to Pops, changing tires on the Mach 5 was much easier.
Speed pressed the A button on the steering wheel. Four powerful jacks extended from the bottom of the car, lifting the Mach 5 above the ground.
“Put it on,” Speed instructed.
Sparky used a wrench to tighten the lug nuts on the wheel. Then he nodded to Speed. “Okay! ”
Next, Speed pressed the B button on the steering wheel. This released a special protective covering that wrapped around all four of the car’s wheels.
The Great Plan Page 2
