Hot Rods and Racing Cars #49

Clint Curtis is all set to run speed trials in preparation for Bonneville when disaster strikes—a boy and dog dart across the closed highway, forcing him to swerve and total his hot rod, the result of a year's worth of work and savings. With his dad's business struggling and no way to rebuild quickly, Clint steps down as president of the Road Knights and accepts that his racing days are on hold. When his friends learn the full story, they band together to show him what real friendship means.

Mickey Kelly earned his nickname "Leadfoot" by taking chances on the road that no one else would dare—until a run-in with Officer Ramirez leaves him hospitalized and facing serious consequences. When the officer gathers Mickey's friends for an unexpected meeting, he has something surprising in mind: a lesson in what real hot-rodding is actually about, built on skill and safety rather than reckless speed.

When Clint Curtis's cousin Donnie arrives for a summer visit with his bicycle, the neighborhood kids see an opportunity to form their own club—the Bike Knights. With Clint's encouragement, the group joins the American Bicycle Club and transforms a corner of the Road Knights' clubhouse into their own headquarters, complete with elected officers and a strict safety code. From their first outing at Lake Paradise to their ongoing adventures, these young riders discover that belonging to something bigger than themselves makes every ride an adventure.

Jumpy Donovan and his buddies love playing a dangerous game—buzzing State Trooper Walt Konich with their souped-up hot rods, leading him on high-speed chases through town before disappearing with a fresh paint job. When Konich tunes up a specially equipped police car to match their speed and handling, the next chase becomes far more serious than the young drivers bargained for. A hard lesson in consequences waits at the end of the road.

Clint Curtis and the Road Knights are trying to convince the skeptical banker Mr. Trask that hot rod racing is safe—until a spectacular blowout during a speed run threatens to shut them down for good. When bank robbers strike and make their getaway in a high-powered car, Clint sees a chance to prove what skilled hot rodders can really do, pursuing the criminals at breakneck speeds in a dangerous chase that will determine the fate of his club.

Clint Curtis figures he's seen every kind of racing there is—until he arrives in the Texas Panhandle and discovers a wild breed of vehicle enthusiasts who've turned cattle ranching into high-octane competition. After witnessing their mad jeep chases and steer-roping contests, Clint decides to build his own prairie jumper from salvaged parts and local know-how, then test it against the locals in their Sunday rodeo. Will his homemade rig and newcomer's luck hold up against drivers who've been tearing across the prairie their whole lives?