"Racing Like a Pro" is the second episode of Season 5 of One Tree Hill and originally aired January 8th, 2008. The episode was written by Mark Schwahn and directed by cast member Paul Johansson.
Tensions run high as Brooke and Peyton announce their return to Tree Hill. Lucas and Skills start to work on restoring the reputation of the Tree Hill Ravens, whilst Haley’s first day teaching doesn’t go according to plan. Jamie sets his sights on a Soap Box derby race but struggles to make his voice heard. Meanwhile, Mouth's demanding boss puts a damper on his first day of work.
Contains examples of the following tropes:
- Badass Decay: In-Universe. In the four years since Whitey retired, the Ravens have gone from undefeated seasons and State Championships to being regarded as a joke, only winning three games in the previous season.
- Dare to Be Badass: Lucas and Brooke both encourage Peyton to start her own record label in Tree Hill, with Brooke offering to finance the project and Lucas providing office space in TRIC.
- Friend to All Children: Brooke is ultimately the one who takes Jamie's input over the design of his car for the soapbox derby onboard, and repaints it "Ravens blue" as he wanted it. Later, when Jamie loses confidence and backs out, he specifically asks for Brooke to get reassurance that no-one was going to be mad at him.
- Girl on Girl Is Hot:
- Lucas walks into his house to find Brooke straddling Lindsey in bed, and comments that this hasn’t happened to him since college.
- After walking into Nathan and Haley’s backyard, Peyton and Brooke jokingly try to entice Nathan into walking by saying that for every step he takes, they’ll kiss.
- He Is All Grown Up: A downplayed, non-sexual example - Peyton and Brooke are clearly taken aback when they're reintroduced to 4 year old Jamie, with their last memories of him being from when he was an infant.
- Hypocritical Humour: Mouth chastises Brooke and Peyton for criticising Haley hiring Carrie as Jamie’s nanny because she’s too hot, telling them that looks shouldn’t impede someone’s career. As the girls consider his words, he freely admits that he’s only disagreeing with them because if Haley fires Carrie, Mouth won’t get to see her in a bikini.
- Kick the Dog: When Lucas asks Peyton why she didn’t attend the book signing, she tells him that she knew they weren’t meant to be together; later, when he shows her the space at Tric, Peyton admits she was there but left when she saw Lindsey kiss him. Both times, Lucas looks like he’s been kicked in the gut because he’d clearly invited Peyton to the book signing to try and rekindle their relationship.
- Miles Gloriosus: When Quentin brags that he’s the Ravens’ current leading scorer, Lucas takes this view of his claim and corrects him that he was the leading scorer on a team that won three games all year.
- Oh, Crap!: Jamie loses all confidence in racing in the soapbox derby when Lucas and Skills put a mannequin in the car for a test run, and the mannequins head falls off the body when the car crashes to a halt.
- Once More, with Clarity: A flashback to Lucas’ book signing in Los Angeles is seen from two perspectives - Lucas’ is shown first, where Peyton never turns up; later we see Peyton’s perspective, which shows that she was there, but arrived to see Lindsey giving him a kiss on the cheek and promptly left before Lucas turned to look in her direction.
- Poor Communication Kills: Lucas invited Peyton to his book signing in Los Angeles in the hopes of rekindling their relationship, but when Peyton arrived she saw Lindsey giving him a kiss on the cheek and mistook it as a sign that they were dating.
- Product Placement: Parodied, as Brooke makes Jamie his own racing jumpsuit for the soapbox derby, adorned with a variety of made-up sponsors - including "Peyton Sawyer, Unemployed".
- Red Ones Go Faster: Lucas and Skills decide on painting Jamie’s soapbox car in red, despite Jamie protesting that he wants it to be blue.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Peyton keeps ducking out whenever someone tries to introduce her to Lindsey.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Quentin Fields clearly revels in being the best player on the Tree Hill Ravens, but as Lucas points out, it’s a very low bar as the Ravens only won three games in the previous season and can’t hold a candle to the State Championship winning side of 4 years earlier. Q’s ego is so inflated, that Lucas and Skills actually discuss the idea that the team isn’t as bad as their record suggests, but accommodating Q’s ego ultimately tanked the team.
- Stage Mom: Once Jamie’s signed up for the Soapbox Derby, Lucas and Skills disregard all of Jamie’s input on the design of his car and start working on building the car they would have wanted if they had been able to take part in the race as kids.
- Titled After the Song: The title of the episode is taken from the song "Racing Like A Pro" by The National.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Haley tells Nathan off for choosing to wallow in self-pity on the couch over going to support Jamie at the Soapbox Derby.
- You Remind Me of X: Lucas and Skills are reminded of a pre-Haley Nathan when they meet Q.
