Hot Rods and Racing Cars #58

Clint Curtis watches as the arrogant Big Joe Marsh tears around town in his powerful Detroit Special, boasting that no cop can catch him—until Clint challenges him to a high-speed race on a closed course. When Joe's raw power and reckless driving style meet Clint's skill and control in his nimble MGA, the outcome proves there's more to winning than horsepower alone.

When an influential city councilman blames reckless teen-agers after a traffic accident—one that was actually his own fault—the Road Knights find themselves under public scrutiny and decide to lay low, putting their hot rods away and tackling long-neglected chores around home instead. A local reporter investigating the councilman's claims discovers the truth about these young car enthusiasts, and his story turns public opinion around just as witnesses to the original accident come forward with the real facts.

Rufus has an old, beat-up car that his girlfriend Bunny keeps pestering him to fix up or replace—but he can't afford a new one. With encouragement from his friend Clint, Rufus decides to restore the jalopy himself, working after school at a local shop and learning every step of the process, from engine work to a meticulous multi-coat paint job with help from his buddies. The real test comes when Rufus takes his transformed ride out into the world and discovers just what he's capable of pulling off.

Racing driver Ziggy Beeman's luck runs out when his car catches fire during a crucial race, but a chance encounter with a resourceful college student named Leroy and his sister Miss Dunne offers him an unexpected lifeline. As Ziggy helps Leroy install an experimental engine into the damaged chassis, he discovers both a shot at redemption on the track and something far more valuable off it. When the rebuilt car finally hits the racing circuit, everything Ziggy's been working toward hangs on whether Leroy's unconventional engine design can deliver the goods.