After Flash and Hopper have an encounter with a rude trainer named Track Starr and his Manectric, Flash and Hopper decide to enter the upcoming Shoot Race and take them down a peg.
- The Big Race: The Shoot Race is a race where Pokémon race across a course with a laser strapped to its back, which it’s trainer controls and uses to hit targets across the course to decrease their total time.
- Blessed with Suck: It seems at first that Hopper's inability to move outside of hopping is a liability at first, since it makes him one of the slowest racers and causes him to fall behind early on. But it ends up helping him when the other racers get caught up in the obstacles first, allowing him to pass them, and he easily passes the second obstacle ahead of everyone else, easily hopping on several unstable platforms on the water with none of them moving due to his small size.
- Broken Win/Loss Streak: Track Starr was stated to have won 49 Shoot Races in a row previously, with just 1 more before he matches Speed Demon's record. However, his streak ends just short of this due to losing to Flash and Hopper.
- Defeat Means Friendship: Track Starr starts off very rude and dismissive to Flash and Hopper, but after they beat him and Manectric he gives them his full respect and hopes they can have a rematch someday.
- So Proud of You: When Hopper falls behind Manectric during the last stretch of the race, Flash tells Hopper that regardless of what happens he has already made him proud. Hearing this, and the cheers from the rest of his friends, encourage Hopper to keep going and pushes him to evolve into Velocirush to give himself the extra boost needed to catch up to Manectric and win the race.
- Took a Level in Badass: Hopper evolves from a Hopinn to a Velocirush and learns Quick Attack.
