Pops Racer (2008 character)


 * For the character from the original Speed Racer series, see Pops Racer.

Pops Racer is a main character from the Speed Racer film, portrayed by John Goodman.

Background
Pops Racer is the grandson of 1920s-era rum runner "Rapid" Ronnie Racer and son of demolition derby driver Pa Racer. From childhood, Pops had always been around cars. As a young adult brimming with brilliant automotive ideas, he found a job at Michida Motors, working his way to the design table. Pops proved to be brilliant and intuitive in his automotive designs, and had won "Carchitect of the Year" three years running from 1956 to 1958.

At an unknown point in time, Pops participated in the Greco-Roman Wrestling federation and became the 19th State Champion.

After he left Michida Motors, he started Racer Motors out of his suburban garage to construct hand-built cars, which became reputed to be a step above the others. The "Mach" series became known as a byword for car customization, starting with the Mach 1.

Pops took the Mach 1 to the Vanderbilt Cup, and entrusted the car in the hands of Digger Jones. However, because of "those darn hairpin turns" at the race course, plus Jones' driving, the Mach 1's gearbox got stripped, resulting in a DNF. The evolution of Pops' cars got to the point where he could no longer rely on outside drivers to race them, that everything had to be done in-house, both figuratively and literally. He tasked his first-born son, Rex, to be the one to drive the Racer family's hand-built cars at the circuit.

MORE TO BE ADDED

Trivia

 * In the film, due to being a former wrestling champion, he is the strongest among his family. He easily defeated a ninja and disarmed two of Cruncher Block's men.