Remember this...? Wacky Races

 

This weeks Remember this...? looks back at one of my favourite kids TV Shows of all time!

Wacky Races! The cartoon features 11 different cars racing against each other in various races centred around each episode. The show actually was first aired from 1968 to 1969 and despite me seeming to remember many episodes there was only 1 season and 34 short episodes! The characters raced each other and had their own cooky clever ways of getting ahead of each other. The bad guys in the race who always tried to stop the other cars from winning so they could secure their victory, even though the time spent doing so would have seen them win was Dick Dasterdly and his sidekick Muttley.

 

The show has been repeated many times on Cartoon Network and Boomerang in recent years gaining a much younger audience.

 

The cars & The Characters

 

The Mean Machine #00 driven by  Dick Dasterdly and Muttley

The Boulder Mobile #1 driven by the Slag Brothers

Creepy Coupe #2 driven by The Gruesome Twosome

Convert-a-car #3 driven by Professor Pat Pending

Crimson HayBailer #4 driven by The Red Max

Compact Pussycat #5 driven by Penelope Pitstop

Army Surplus Special #6 driven by Sergeant Blast and Private Meekly

Bulletproof Bomb #7 driven by the Ant Hill Mob

Arkansas Chuggabug #8 driven by Luke and Blubber Bear

Turbo Terrific #9 driven by Peter Perfect

Buzzwagon #10 driven by Rufus Ruffcut and Sawtooth

 

The show was also narrated but did see the characters speak.

 

There was also numerous video games produced including one I had on ps1 or ps2 which was basically Mario Karting. It was great.

 

My favourite car was the Army Surplus Special #6

What was yours?!

 

Here is one of my favourite episodes:

 

In the 2000s a remake was planned, the pilot of which is below, and is set in the future with Penelope and Peters Children and a few other old characters. Named "Wacky Races Forever" the video is below of the pilot.

 

 

The show however was not given the go ahead.

 

The Goodwood festival of Speed in the UK has real-life sized working replicas of some of the vehicles!!! And how awesome do they look!

 

It would be awesome if they made a movie, like the Scooby Doo films over the last decade, with real life characters in a race across the US. A little like Rat Race but with the characters we all know and love.

 

Enjoy the videos!!!