Summary
Highlights
AJ injures his leg and can't drive in the Mega Mud Mile race. Blaze travels back in time to meet Ralph Braun, the inventor of accessible vehicles. Ralph explains how he invented cars with hand controls and a lift, enabling individuals to drive with their hands. Blaze becomes an accessible vehicle with these modifications, allowing AJ to race.
During the Jungle Derby, Crusher drains Blaze's energy with a robot. Blaze and AJ seek help from Anna Mani, an Indian meteorologist known for her work with wind energy. She teaches them about anemometers and wind turbines, which convert wind into energy. They use a wind turbine to recharge Blaze and win the race.
In an outer space race, giant space rocks block Blaze's path. They travel back to meet Dr. Ellen Ochoa, the first Mexican-American woman in space and an engineer. Dr. Ochoa explains her work with satellites and the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) robotic arm used to move objects in space. Blaze uses an RMS arm to clear the space rocks and win the race.
Blaze and AJ are in a desert race, and the intense heat drains Blaze's energy. They visit Yoshihiro Hamakawa, a Japanese professor and engineer who developed solar panels. He teaches them how solar panels convert sunlight into usable energy. Blaze gets solar panels to recharge and continues the race.
Crusher uses a giant fan robot to blow Blaze and AJ back in a windy race. They travel back to meet Mary Golda Ross, an engineer from the Cherokee Nation who designed planes to fly fast through strong winds. She explains how twin booms provide balance and speed in windy conditions. Blaze gets twin booms to counter the wind and win.
During a water race, Crusher creates a large seaweed obstacle. Blaze and AJ consult Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott, a scientist and seaweed expert from Hawaii. She educates them on the uses of seaweed, particularly how it can be dried and eaten as a snack. They use Blaze's heat to dry the seaweed, clear the path, and enjoy a tasty treat while winning the race.
In the Topsy Turvy 500 race, Crusher improperly uses turn signals, causing confusion. Blaze and AJ visit Richard B. Spikes, one of the inventors who contributed to modern turn signals. He demonstrates the correct use of turn signals (up for right turns, down for left turns) to ensure safety. Crusher learns to use them correctly, and they finish the race together.
Crusher deploys a giant stoplight robot that gets stuck on red during the Axle City 500. Blaze and AJ travel back to meet Garrett Morgan, the inventor of the three-position traffic light. Morgan explains the function of red, yellow, and green lights. They learn to activate the yellow and green buttons, allowing traffic to flow safely, and Blaze wins the race.