PaleyArchive ColorBars TopBanner2

SPEED RACER: THE MOST DANGEROUS RACE {PART 1 OF 3} (TV)

Summary

One in this animated series about a race-car driver and his technologically advanced super-car, the Mach 5.

Speed is in the audience of a stunt driving competition when he is challenged by Snake Oiler of the world-famous Car Acrobatic Team, a squad of stunt-drivers capable of seemingly impossible driving feats. Snake demonstrates his prowess by driving over an imposing stack of cars and challenging Speed to do the same. At first Speed is tempted to try, but Trixie and Sparky ask him to hold off until the upcoming Alpine Race, which Snake will be entering. Speed agrees and the rest of the Car Acrobatic Team arrives to demonstrate their cars' agility before leaving, having intimidated both Speed and the rest of the audience. The Racer family travels to the Alps for the race, but Sparky believes Speed should pull out, believing it is too dangerous. Speed becomes enraged at this suggestion and roughs up Sparky, who slinks away, saddened.

Speed begins practicing for the race and Pops takes him to one of the treacherous jumps on the Alpine course, involving a jump over a deep canyon. The Car Acrobatic Team arrives and leap the chasm with ease before Speed goes to try it. Before he can reach the jump Racer X (secretly Speed's older brother Rex) cuts him off and pulls him over. He warns Speed about many of the dangers of the race, such as how the weather affects the terrain and how he should approach his jumps; he notes that many racers perish on the race since they focus too much on the cars in front of them and not the course's hazards. Speed thanks him for the advice and learns that Racer X plans to enter the race as well.

Pops contemplates redesigning the Mach 5 to better compete with the Car Acrobatic Team's vehicles. In order to learn more about them, Spritle and Chim-Chim sneak off to spy on the Car Acrobatic Team. After a few misadventures they find the Team meeting with their imposing leader, Captain Terror. Captain Terror selects seven of their members, including Snake, to compete in the Alpine Race, explicitly ordering them to do anything, even breaking the law, in order to win. During their practice run Spritle captures photographs of the vehicles, allowing Pops to study them. He notes that they possess small wing-like devices on their cars, allowing them better jumps. Pops decides to rebuild the Mach 5 to incorporate this feature and everyone works well into the night on it. Pops collapses from a fever and Speed wishes to rush him to the hospital, but Trixie insists on bringing Pops herself, believing that he wouldn't want Speed to miss the race.

Speed frantically works to adjust the Mach 5 as per Pops' specifications, only barely finishing and rushing to get to the race just as it starts. Sparky, watching from hiding, hopes that Speed will be careful. On the first major turn, Speed narrowly avoids falling off the course and notes that his brakes don't seem to be working properly. The episode ends as the racers speed off towards the treacherous course. Continues in B:67517. Commercials deleted.

Details

  • NETWORK: Syndicated
  • DATE: October 21, 1967
  • RUNNING TIME: 00:23:55
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:67514
  • GENRE: Animation
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Animation
  • SERIES RUN: Syndicated - TV series, 1967-1968
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Peter Fernandez … Voice Direction, Writer
  • Kuri Ippei … Animation Direction
  • Sasagawa Hiroshi … Animation Direction
  • Yoshida Tatsuo … Created by
  • Koshibe Nobuyoshi … Music by
  • Peter Fernandez … Voice, Speed Racer, Rex Racer/Racer X
  • Jack Grimes … Voice, Chim-Chim, Sparky
  • Corinne Orr … Voice, Trixie, Spritle Racer
  • Jack Curtis … Voice, Pops Racer