A gifted but unpolished go-kart racer, 14-year-old Watts Davies (Rothhaar) wants to win. And he wants to have his father's support when he crosses that finish line. The untimely death of his mother has left him estranged from his dad (Quaid), a former International Karting Federation (IKF) champion, just when Watts needs him the most. To make matters worse, Rodney Wells (Dinicol), the town bully, is doing his best to keep Watts out of the upcoming IKF Regional Championships. Watts seeks solace at the local video arcade, operated by game guru Zee (Williams). When the current champion, Scott McKenna (Gallagher) steps into the picture, it galvanizes Watts and his father to rekindle their relationship.