“The Mach 5 wins!” the announcer blared.
The fans in the stands burst into applause and cheers. Speed felt like he was dreaming. He had won his first race as a professional driver!
“I’ve won the money!” Speed said, barely believing it. “I can help Pops design the new engine for the Mach 5!”
Speed steered into the winner’s circle and perched on top of the Mach 5. He watched the other racers finish, one by one. Sparky drove up last in his yellow car, with Trixie, Spritle, and Chim Chim in tow. They waved to Speed.
“Ladies and gentleman, the official winner is Speed Racer!” the announcer said.
Confetti rained down on Speed as the crowd chanted his name. Speed smiled and waved.
“Uh, just a moment, folks,” the announcer interrupted. “Some bad news has just been handed to me. Due to the tactics and interference of a group of cars not officially entered, the results of the race have been canceled. There is no winner and no losers! I’m sorry, folks, but you’ll just have to forget the whole thing!”
Speed was crushed. “I was counting on that money! ”
Duggery’s car was parked next to the Mach 5. He laughed. “Too bad. That was tough luck, Speed.”
Pops stomped up to the car, followed by Trixie, Spritle, and Chim Chim. Pops looked pretty angry.
“Gee, I’m sorry, Pops, but if I hadn’t smashed the windshield, those men would have gotten your design for the Mach 5 engine,” Speed explained.
“It’s all right,” Pops said.
Speed was surprised. “Huh?”
Pops laughed. “I’m glad you broke it to protect the design, Speed, because I’ve got it right up here in my head.”
Speed smiled with relief. “That’s great, Pops!” Then a worried look crossed his face. “But how will you get the money now?”
Pops shrugged. “Don’t worry about it, Speed. I’ll think of something.”
“You’re a very clever man, Mr. Racer!” Trixie told him.
Spritle pulled on his pants leg. “And some of it’s rubbed off on me, right, Pops?”
Pops had to think about this. “Hmmmm. Well, Spritle, I hope so.”
“There’s more prize money out there, Pops,” Speed told him. “I intend to be the winner of the next race I’m in. You can count on it!”
“That’s the way I like to hear you talk, Speed,” Pops said. Then he froze. What had Speed just said? “The next race you’re in? Hey, wait just a minute!”
Pops’s face turned as red as his shirt. “Who gave you permission to be a racer, huh?” he bellowed.
Spritle and Chim Chim cried out at the sound of Pops’s loud voice. A frightened Chim Chim jumped into Spritle’s arms.
Then Pops got into lecture mode. He waved his fist in the air.
“It’s very difficult to be a racer. It takes training and experience. Don’t think because you won today that you’ve already become a professional racer,” Pops went on. Spritle and Chim Chim silently copied his every move.
While Pops talked, Speed slowly shifted the Mach 5 into gear.
“That’s enough lecture for now, Pops,” Speed said cheerfully. He waved at his dad. Then he stepped on the gas. “See you later!”
“Speed!” Pops yelled.
Speed raced down the track. Pops ran to his car and hopped inside.
“Speed, you come back here!” he yelled. He raced down the track after his son.
Speed looked in his rearview mirror and laughed. Pops might be steamed now. But he knew in his heart that Speed had what it took to be a great driver. All Speed had to do was prove it to him, and Pops would let him go pro.
“I’ll show Pops I can handle it,” Speed said. “Or my name isn’t Speed Racer!”
SPEED’S BONUS RACE
During the race at Sword Mountain, Skull Duggery and I almost fell into a volcano. That was pretty dangerous! But Skull and I made it out alive.
That wasn’t the last time I’ve been up close and personal with a volcano. Once, I entered a race on the mysterious island of Kapetopek. The race course wasn’t like any course I’d ever experienced. The race started in a tunnel that cut right underneath a volcano and led to an abandoned underground city.
Not many racers could take the heat of such a tough race. A lot of drivers dropped out before the race even started. But I was ready for the challenge. I was racing against one of the world’s greatest racers, Kabala, and I wanted to prove I could beat him.
Along the course I faced pools of boiling lava, a greedy racer out to steal the treasure of Kapetopek, and other dangers. Want to see if I made it across the finish line? Then rev your engine and get ready to read this bonus race!
Hour One
Speed Racer listened to the loud roar of the Mach 5’s engine as he waited for the race to start. The heat of the volcano enveloped his body, but he tried to ignore it. He had to focus.
Chief Zuma, the ruler of Kapetopek, had opened the island’s borders for the race. The League of Countries wanted Kapetopek to keep its borders open all the time, but Chief Zuma was against it.
To settle the matter, he had agreed to the race. Chief Zuma would pit the island’s best racer, Kabala, against the finest racers from around the world. If Kabala lost, Chief Zuma would have to obey the League of Countries.
The League was counting on Speed to win. He didn’t want to let them down.
Speed made a mental note of the drivers lined up next to him. On his right he spotted Mr. Kadar’s red car. He knew Mr. Kadar was in the race for only one reason—to steal the treasure of the Kapetopeks. Mr. Kadar had brought a bunch of drivers in red cars to help ensure his win. Speed frowned. It was going to feel good to beat Mr. Kadar.
Way down on the left he saw Kabala’s black car. The mysterious driver had a reputation as the world’s greatest racer—and the most dangerous. Kabala’s opponents always crashed before they finished the race. Was Kabala up to no good? No one had ever proven it.
Speed scanned the rest of the cars. He didn’t see Racer X, the masked racer. Speed had talked to Racer X when Chief Zuma welcomed the drivers to the island. But now Speed didn’t spot his car.
Must have dropped out, Speed guessed. That’s funny. That’s not like Racer X at all.
The ground beneath the cars began to rumble. Chief Zuma raised his staff.
“When the tunnel opens, the race will begin!” he cried. “Whatever man makes it through this terrible tunnel will be declared the greatest racer in the world!”
Speed kept his eyes on the rock wall in front of him. The rumbling got worse, almost like an earthquake. Then the rock wall began to slide open, as though it were being pushed by giant invisible hands.
“Start!” Chief Zuma yelled.
Speed raced forward. Hot steam poured from the inside of the tunnel. Rocks fell from the tunnel ceiling, smashing onto the floor.
Up ahead, Speed saw a river of lava flowing down the tunnel floors, blocking the path. There had to be some way across. There was a small path on the right side. If he could just ride up the tunnel wall a little, he’d make it.
Speed carefully steered toward the bubbling orange river. Then, suddenly ...
Slam! Another car banged into the right side of the Mach 5, sending him spiraling out of control. Speed saw the laughing face of Mr. Kadar as he struggled to straighten out the car.
He screeched to a stop just in time. Another inch, and the lava would have engulfed him.
“Whew!” Speed said. But he wasn’t out of danger yet. Another wave of lava poured down the right side of the tunnel—headed right for him! He had to get out of there, fast.
Speed stepped on the gas, but his back tires were stuck in a rut on the tunnel floor. He thought quickly and pressed the D button on the steering wheel.
A clear deflector extended over the cockpit, sealing Speed safely inside. The lava splattered on top of the deflector, sliding off harmlessly.
Then Speed hit the A button. Hydraulic jacks sprung from the bottom of the car
. Speed used them to hop over the lava river.
Thanks to Mr. Kadar, Speed had lost some time and was now at the back of the pack. Speed pressed down on his gas pedal and zoomed through the tunnel.
Hour Two
As Speed raced on, he saw one of the cars crash into the side of the tunnel. Farther down, he saw another wreck.
Probably Mr. Kadar, Speed guessed. He sabotaged them just like he tried to sabotage me.
Speed shook his head, puzzled. Kabala was the one with the bad reputation. But Mr. Kadar was the one proving to be the most trouble.
A strange sight up ahead caused Speed to slow down. The drivers had all gotten out of their cars. They seemed to be staring at something.
Speed stopped the Mach 5 and joined them. A huge underground lake blocked their way. There was no way to get across.
“We’ll have to turn back,” Mr. Kadar was saying.
“Mr. Kadar,” Speed said. “Did you happen to see that crash back there?”
“So you think I caused it?” Mr. Kadar replied, raising an eyebrow. “Well, good luck proving it!”
Mr. Kadar laughed loudly. His henchmen joined in. But another sound soon drowned them out.
The lake waters began to churn. A giant whirl-pool spun around and around. The sound of the swirling waters echoed through the tunnels.
Speed watched as the water drained from the lake, almost as if someone had pulled a plug in the bottom. As the waters receded, something emerged from the lake’s bottom.
“Aaaaaah!” The drivers screamed as the large gray head of a sea monster appeared. The monster had glowing eyes, sharp white teeth, and a horn rising from its snout.
Speed jumped back. As the rest of the monster’s body came into view, Speed could see that it had four sturdy dinosaur-like legs supporting its massive belly. On the other side of the lake bed, Speed could see an opening to the rest of the tunnel.
I’ve got to get to the tunnel, Speed told himself. But how am I supposed to get past a monster?
The monster’s long neck began to lean forward. With a sudden lurch, the neck broke off, sending sprays of rocks and dust over the racers.
Speed gasped as he looked at the broken head on the side of the lake.
“It was stone!” he cried. He jumped back into the Mach 5.
Kabala was quicker. He raced underneath the belly of the stone monster. Mr. Kadar and his goons quickly followed.
Speed zoomed right behind them. Above him, the giant stone monster began to shake and crumble once more. Rocks fell on all sides. He expertly steered, avoiding them.
Soon the mouth of the tunnel came into view. Speed breathed a sigh of relief as he entered it. Behind him, he heard a horrible crash as the stone monster came tumbling down.
Just in time, Speed thought.
Hour Three
Speed raced through the underground tunnel. The walls and ceiling of this part of the tunnel were made of dusty red rock. Strange-looking trees and flowers grew on all sides. Speed had never seen anything like them before.
“It’s a petrified forest,” Speed realized. “Everything is made of stone!”
Suddenly Speed saw that one of the stone trees had toppled over, blocking the road. He hit the A button on his steering wheel, activating the hydraulic jacks.
Whoosh! Speed jumped over the logs. He landed safely on the other side.
Behind him, he heard a crash. He looked into his rearview mirror. Another driver hadn’t been as lucky as Speed. He’d slammed right into the log!
Speed raced on. Up ahead, Mr. Kadar and his men had stopped their cars.
The petrified forest gave way to a dark tunnel. Glittering diamonds stuck out of the walls and ceiling, shining like stars. Mr. Kadar ordered his men to get the diamonds.
“There are enough diamonds here to make me the richest man in the world!” Mr. Kadar cried.
The grumbling henchmen obeyed. Chief Zuma had warned against stealing the Kapetopek treasure. Was it really cursed?
Abandoning the race, the men chiseled into the stone, trying to extract the diamonds. Mr. Kadar grinned. The diamonds in the tunnel were worth a fortune.
Then an ear-splitting scream made him turn. A horrible-looking creature hung from the ceiling. The giant monster had a pulsating pink body and a tangle of long orange tentacles. One of the tentacles reached down and wrapped around the waist of one of Kadar’s drivers. Another tentacle grabbed one of Kadar’s race cars. Then the monster slammed both of them against the ground.
Mr. Kadar didn’t even try to help. He jumped into his car and raced off. The other henchmen followed.
Speed zoomed up a few seconds later. He gasped when he saw the giant creature blocking his path. It looked like a strange cross between a plant and an insect.
Speed knew just what to do. He hit the C button on his controls. Two rotating saws extended from the front of the Mach 5. They sliced through the tentacles like they were blades of grass.
Speed drove further through the glittering tunnel. His heart pounded. What other dangers awaited him there?
Hour Four
Speed found out quickly enough. The dark tunnel led to an underground chamber. The road passed through a temple made of crumbling stone. Stone pillars held up the roof of the temple. Unusual markings were carved into the stone.
Speed would normally never slow down during a race, but he had to stop. He knew he’d never see a sight like this again. Around the temple were piles and piles of treasure—gold pieces, jewels, bowls, and other glittering objects. Even in the darkness of the tunnel they gleamed brightly.
Speed was admiring the treasure when he heard a noise.
“Get back!” someone yelled. “This treasure belongs to the Kapetopeks! ”
Speed peered around a tunnel column. Kabala was blocking a pile of treasure from Mr. Kadar and several of his men. Kabala wore a black jumpsuit over his tall, muscular body. The front of his black helmet was a mask that extended down over his nose, covering most of his face.
Mr. Kadar held a heavy gold staff with a sharp, pointed diamond at the end. Speed guessed he had stolen it from one of the treasure piles. He pointed it threateningly at Kabala. But the racer did not seem worried.
“I’m here to protect the treasure,” Kabala said firmly.
Mr. Kadar raised the staff over his head. Speed quickly grabbed a heavy jewel from a nearby pile of treasure. He hurled it at the staff, knocking it from Mr. Kadar’s hands.
Mr. Kadar turned and glared at Speed angrily. “So it’s you!”
“Sorry I interrupted,” Speed replied.
“You’re really going to be sorry now, Speed Racer,” Mr. Kadar cried. “Get him!”
The two henchmen lunged at Speed. He grabbed one of them by the arm and flipped him over. Speed easily deflected the second man with a blow to the chest.
But the first man quickly got back on his feet.
Bam! He pummeled Speed with a karate chop. Speed reacted with a karate kick that sent the thug flying.
Mr. Kadar attacked Speed next.
Speed let out a cry as he delivered a karate chop to Mr. Kadar that sent him flying against one of the stone pillars. Mr. Kadar grunted, then charged at Speed like a football linebacker.
Wham! He knocked Speed backward into a pile of treasure. He wrapped his hands around Speed’s neck. Speed quickly reacted with a strong kick. Mr. Kadar went tumbling back onto the temple floor.
Angry, Mr. Kadar reached for the sharp staff that Speed had kicked out of his hands before. But before he could grab it, Kabala stepped on his hand.
“Ow!” Mr. Kadar cried.
Kabala picked Mr. Kadar up by the front of his jumpsuit and hurled him out of the temple. The force of the throw loosened Kabala’s mask, which fell to the temple floor.
Speed gasped. There was another mask underneath, around the driver’s eyes. But Speed knew that face. “Racer X!” he cried. “What are you doing here?”
“Look out! Racer X cried.
Speed turned
to see one of the henchmen running toward him with a wrench in his hand. He flipped the thug, slamming him into the temple floor.
Mr. Kadar was back on his feet. “We have you outnumbered,” he said. “There’s no way you can win. We’re taking the treasure, whether you like it or not.”
Suddenly, the underground chamber began to rumble. Speed felt the stones move beneath his feet. Before he could run, the temple floor gave way!
Speed’s stomach lurched as he fell into the emptiness underneath the temple. He braced for the impact as his body thudded into the dirt.
When he got to his feet, he saw that Racer X had fallen, too. Mr. Kadar and his thugs stood on top of the pit, laughing.
“Now we can take as much of the treasure as we want!” Mr. Kadar cried.
Hour Five
Speed and Racer X looked around the dark pit. The walls were too steep and high to climb. They stood there, helplessly, as they heard Mr. Kadar and his men loading the treasure into their race cars. Then the heard the sound of car engines speeding away.
“Sounds like they’re gone,” Speed said. “There’s got to be another way out of here. Let’s look.”
“Good idea,” Racer X agreed.
It was nearly impossible to see in the tunnel. They carefully walked ahead. They didn’t get far when they saw stone steps leading out of the tunnel.
They climbed up the steps and found themselves on the other side of the temple. They walked across the stone floor back to their cars.
“Racer X, why did you disguise yourself as Kabala?” Speed asked.
“I’ll tell you,” Racer X replied. “I first met Kabala a few years ago. He taught me how to drive mountainous roads. Every racer was afraid of Kabala, but he was kind and helpful to me. He taught me special techniques that only he knew.
The Great Plan Page 5