After sixty-five episodes of M.A.S.K. pursuing VENOM around the world, it seemed like an impossible task to follow it with a similarly original and interesting idea. The concept of M.A.S.K. changed a bit when the M.A.S.K. racing series began airing in 1986. Sadly, many of these episodes were relegated to an abysmal 6:30am timeslot.
In the racing episodes, M.A.S.K. and VENOM raced at various locations across the world, usually to win some kind of prize. Interestingly, Scott Trakker and T-Bob, who were very prevalent in the first series, were barely seen at all in this series beyond a lesson or two at the end of the show. Matt Trakker and Miles Mayhem as their respective teams' leaders didn't even appear every time. The new series also introduced new characters from Boris Bushkin ("Me Grimlock!") to the man with the manical laugh, Lester Sludge. Vanessa Warfield's Manta returned with a few improvements, and many of the original series' characters returned with new looks (such as Buddie "Clutch" Hawks and Brad Turner).
The new series introduced Miles Mayhem's brother Maxie to the mythos, and also in this new series VENOM knew the secret identities of M.A.S.K., so the "I'll get you MASK!" calls for revenge changed to "I'll get you Trakker!" Plot wasn't as important or as good in many of the racing episodes, although some interesting new ideas came up (Brad Turner and Vanessa?). Some characters only appeared for very brief appearances, such as Dusty Hayes in the Billboard Blast or Sly Rax in his Pit Stop Catapult.