Original airdate: October 13, 2014
Subject: Buoyancy
Blaze and AJ discover Axle City and are introduced to the world of Monster Machine racing, but when a mean, cheating truck named Crusher sends all the racers away, Blaze has to rescue them and return them in time for the big championship race.
Tropes:
- Bears Are Bad News: Darington encounters grizzly trucks who chase him through the forest, and they eventually chase Blaze and AJ along with him.
- Establishing Character Moment: Every main character has something associated with their personality when they are first introduced.
- Blaze and AJ are introduced racing through the countryside.
- Gabby is introduced fixing a spark plug.
- Stripes is introduced deploying his tiger claws and climbing a tree in his pit.
- Starla is introduced twirling her lasso.
- Darington is introduced doing tricks in his pit.
- Zeg is introduced jumping and smashing through his pit wall.
- Crusher is introduced rudely pushing his way through a crowd.
- Pickle is introduced politely excusing himself as he follows behind.
- Extra-Long Episode: This episode runs 45 minutes, longer than the usual runtime.
- Everyone Meets Everyone: Blaze and AJ discover Axle City, they meet Gabby and the other Monster Machines for the first time, Blaze befriends them as well as forms a rivalry with Crusher, participates in his first race, and in return, becomes a racer.
- Incoming Ham: Zeg is introduced by jumping through the wall of his pit and yelling, "ZEEEEEEEEG!".
- Pilot Episode: The very first episode of the series.
- So Proud of You: AJ expresses this to Blaze after they win the race.Blaze: We won, AJ! We really won!AJ: I'm so proud of you, Blaze. You were incredible!
- "YEAH!" Shot: The episode closes on one, courtesy of a happy Blaze.
