Quarter-midget car racer Michael Haynes and his twin brother Mark, the team's mechanic, are used to winning their races, but when a new, unscrupulous racer starts competing, even causing Michael to be injured in a race, the twins are tempted to start using different tactics themselves.

Shawn is lucky enough to be a junior team member on Johnny Pride's stock car team, but when he arrives at the racetrack in Talladega, it turns out that Shawn will be helping Johnny's biggest competition, "Mean" Gene Pederson. Shawn is disappointed to be helping his hero's rival, but he soon realizes that appearances aren't everything and that there may be more to Mean Gene than a bad reputation.