The Sodor United Football Team are having a match against Barrow football team and Thomas and James are sent to take them to Dryaw FC, but they start competing against one another to see who can get to Dryaw first, which causes confusion and delay.

A new diesel boxcab named Philip arrives on Sodor, who is very chatty and enthusiastic. He tries to prove to Gordon that he can go really fast and has a race with him, only to turn out that Gordon never actually took part.