Fast Friends

"Fast Friends" (Japanese: スピード勝負!ソニックVSサム) is the twenty-first episode of Sonic X. It first aired in Japanese on 24 August 2003, and in English on 21 February 2004.

Characters

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Cream the Rabbit
 * Cheese
 * Amy Rose
 * Christopher Thorndyke
 * Chuck Thorndyke
 * Nelson Thorndyke
 * Lindsay Fair
 * Ella
 * Mr. Tanaka
 * Sam Speed
 * Jerome Wise
 * The President
 * Scarlet Garcia
 * Dr. Eggman
 * Decoe and Bocoe
 * Bokkun
 * E-45 Sumo-Man
 * Various Station Square citizens

Plot
Everyone in the Thorndyke mansion was sleeping peacefully throughout the silent night. However, a racing car speeds to the front door of the mansion with its engine sound waking everyone in the mansion up. Ella and Mr. Tanaka made a charge in attempt to charge at the driver who got out of the car. The driver blocked the attacks as it resolves that the driver was none other than Sam Speed. Chuck Thorndyke, emerging out of the mansion, questions Sam's presence and unfortunately a large crowd of citizens gathered right in front of the mansion. Sam states that he challenges Sonic the Hedgehog to a road race. Chuck realises that Sam had a new modern racing car equipped with a powerful rocket engine. Sam explains that the rocket engine is funded very costly by the government which would help the President score popularity to win the upcoming government election. He also explains that the race would start from the Thorndyke mansion, through the downtown of Station Square, speeding through the bridge which leads into the desert, the canyons and a turning point leading back to the city. The winner is the racer who crosses the stadium first which is filled with thousands of fans cheering them on including the President. Sonic denies participating in the race, causing Sam to be fustrated and contacts the government's secretary, Jerome Wise to use the government to find a solution to force Sonic into entering the race.

Meanwhile at the White House, Jerome decides to communicate Dr. Eggman to assist with this issue. Eggman decides to remodel the small robot he was playing against chess and lost due to the latter cheating. While Chris, Tails and Amy admires Sam's new rocket car, Bokkun flies by, wanting to meet Sonic. He warns the blue hedgehog that if he does not race with Sam Speed, he will have to deal with a kissing robot which chased him around the balcony. As Sam Speed pressed on the accelerator pedal and his words in Sonic's mind, Sonic finally decided to accept the race with Sam Speed, leaving Bokkun kissed by the kissing robot. The race finally got to a start with Sonic and Sam Speed neck and neck with each other. As the two speeders approached the city section of the race full of sharp turns, Sonic took the lead and blasted his way through. Sam, on the other hand radioed the Highway Patrol Team to open up the garages, thus Sam Speed blasts through the section in a linear direction, therefore taking the lead.

As Sonic finally caught up to Sam, the hedgehog stated that Sam cheated but there were such rules of that. Sonic, however jumped onto the hood of Sam's car, obstructing Sam's view and catching the breeze. Sam states that Sonic is cheating but Sonic also says there were such rules of that. As Sam knew Sonic had the proverbial cards, he asked however for Sonic to move to the back of the car in which he activates a spring at the back of the car, sending Sonic flying away.

He then however caught up again while racing through the desert section. However, Eggman's new robot "E-45 Sumo-Man" intercepts the race and attempts to destroy them. The racers easily sped past them and the robot hits himself, sending him flying and crashing into the Egg Fort II. Sam is having his lunch and Sonic remains hungry. At that momet the X-Tornado flies by with Chris handing out food. As Sonic is about to accept the food, Sam zooms by covering Sonic and Chris with sand. The X-Tornado flies away, with Chris saying they'll see them in the finish since Sonic passes on the food.

Both racers are neck and neck with each other again throughout the remainder of the race after passing through the canyon and the turning point. Meanwhile, Jerome is concerned about the president not being present in the stadium as the race will finish soon. It turns out that the president is on an emergency meeting and doesn't have time to come to the stadium. Jerome decides to launch his political career by congratulating the winner instead whenever the time rolls at.

It is only a few miles away from the stadium where Sam and Sonic are speeding towards at. Sam uses the powerful rocket turbo of his to accelerate greatly but Sonic turns up his turbo (by running with his feet in a 2D circular motion) and they cross the finish line in the same time. Although it appears as the racers tied, the stadium slow-motion cameras reveal that Sonic actually reached the finish first, did a few poses at the camera, went back and cross the finish line together with Sam and thus, Sonic is the winner of the entire race. After receiving congrat feedbacks from the crowd, friends and Chris' parents, Jerome proceeds to wanting to shake Sonic's hands although the winner denies. Jerome is then contacted by Vivian that he is fired due to being caught communicating with Dr. Eggman.

Dubbing changes
The following scenes have been cut from the English version:

Trivia

 * This is the first episode to have two characters playing chess with each other (second if counting the previous episode).
 * Despite that Sonic actually finished the race first way ahead of Sam (shown in the stadium cameras that showed a few scenes with Sonic jumping over the string and does a few poses at the camera), it is never seen if Sonic actually does all those actions.