Tracks (G1)
- Tracks is an Autobot in the Generation 1 continuity family.
Tracks is a little bit of a narcissist, according to his Autobot buddies, and it's hard for him to stay lighthearted and gay under such criticism. He attributes it to jealousy: few Autobots are so well-endowed with a sleek, muscular, and tastefully decorated sports car mode as his.
The truth is, Tracks' armament is considerable. In the wink of an eye, he can erect his hardened launcher shafts and deploy two flaming incendiary missiles. These projectiles are heat-seeking, seeking out warm Decepticon bodies and striking hard. With his long and powerful black-beam gun, which negates light, he strikes his enemies in the darkness. Whether defending San Francisco or displaying his trademark moves in Dancitron, Tracks is one fantastically flamboyant fighter!
Tracks can even fly like a butterfly by deploying his secret, hidden wings from their protective closet.
He should be a dangerous opponent, but his concern with preserving his stylish appearance and poor ability to work with fellow Autobots hampers him. Often he simply cruises the metro area alone all night, looking for Decepticons worthy of his attentions. Tracks may not always get along with his friends, but he knows his enemies. He knows them very well indeed.
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
Generation 1
(Re?)constructed on Earth by Wheeljack when the Autobots' forces were depleted, Tracks had his mind downloaded into a new body from a memory crystal. He only became involved in several missions before Grimlock assumed control of the Autobots and took the Ark back out into space and away from Earth. Tracks was later destroyed battling the combined Decepticon armies in the Underbase Saga. Either that, or Starscream killed him. Dark Star!
- (Note: Events in italics occurred only in the Marvel UK books.)
In the Earthforce timeline, Wheeljack was trying to revive Tracks, but Grimlock continued to secretly sabotage the process because he considered the vain Autobot worthless as a warrior. Grimlock not only failed to keep Tracks off-line, he also had to deal with Optimus Prime assigning the revived soldier to Earthforce duty.Makin' Tracks!
Generation 2
Tracks was operating out of Autobase on Earth after the Autobots began confronting the threat of the Cybertronian Empire. When Megatron agreed to join forces with Prime, Tracks began working closely with the Decepticon Rotor Force members Leadfoot and Manta Ray. It's possible his friendship and influence had something to do with their interest in switching sides.
Animated continuity
- Voice actor: Michael McConnohie (USA), Shô Hayami (Japan)
When San Francisco was threatened by an alien bird creature, Tracks risked his life in battle to defend the city. The Secret of Omega Supreme
Tracks had two turns as the episode star in the second season of Transformers. In both episodes, Make Tracks and Auto-Bop, a young street punk named Raoul was also featured as the Spike to Tracks' Bumblebee.
Tracks was part of a responsive strike against a series of Stunticon raids on human compounds; he took to the air at one point, prompting Dead End to remark that his flying car mode was "droll".Masquerade
Dreamwave comics continuity
Tracks was an active member of the Autobot forces as far back as the days of Sentinel Prime. He served with the Autobots for several million years until the time of the Great Shutdown. Afterwards, he seemed to lapse into semi-retirement while other Autobots worked towards establishing a new unified Cybertronian government with the Decepticons. He eventually recognized the rotten core of their alliance with Shockwave, though, and formed a resistance cell with Smokescreen.
Toys
Generation 1
- Tracks (Autobot Car, 1985, 2002/2003)
- Japanese ID number: 44, TFC-4
- The original Tracks toy transforms into a blue Corvette Stingray with a large flame decal on his hood. Tracks' vehicle mode could achieve a flight mode via two flip-out wings and attachable rocket launchers. In robot mode, Tracks is armed with a long rifle that covers most of his lower arm, and the two white rocket launchers are now mounted above his head.
- The European version of Tracks by Milton Bradley was initially available in red, based on the original Diaclone color scheme. Due to poor sales, Hasbro decided to re-release Tracks in Europe, this time in his blue colors scheme. Because of this, the red MB version ended up being rather rare. [1]
- Tracks was reissued by Takara in 2002 as part of their "book-box" Transformers Collection series. The following year Hasbro re-released him as part of the Toys "R" Us exclusive Commemorative Series V.
- Tracks with Basher (Action Master, 1991)
- This version of Tracks was a European exclusive, sculpted to resemble his cartoon appearances, but was inaccurately coloured. As with all Action Masters, he cannot transform, but is highly articulated by the standards of the time, and came with small tank partner named Basher who could transform to a minor degree. Basher formed a sort of battle helmet/ugly hat and backpack equipment, coloured in bright green and baby blue. Oy.
Alternators
- Autobot Tracks (2004, 2006)
- Alternator ID number: 5
- Japanese ID number: BT-06, BT-06B
- Tracks was first released in Japan under Takara's Binaltech line, with a yellow paint job, but was later released in blue to match Hasbro's Alternators release. Tracks transforms into a Corvette Z06 featuring open doors, hood and a realistic interior. Amusingly enough, his rocket launchers are stored next to the passenger and driver seats.
- In robot mode, Tracks greatly resembles his G1 self, though with one major difference; the roof of his actual car no longer forms the front of his chest. Instead, he has a pseudo-car roof chest piece that folds down. His large shoulder pads, formed from the rear halves of the car, give the impression of the wings his original toy had. He is armed with his double-barreled engine gun, two pairs of double-barreled slide-out wrist blasters, and two shoulder mounted rocket launchers, making him the most heavily armed Alternators toy.
- The main difference between the Japanese and US releases is that the Japanese Binaltech versions are constructed of die-cast metal for the majority of the car body panels, which are also fully painted. The blue version of Binaltech Tracks also came with a large reproduction of his original hood flame sticker. This sticker was eventually released with Hasbro's own Alternators Swerve.
- This mold was retooled to make Alternators Battle Ravage.
Merchandise
Trivia
- It is frequently joked amongst Transformers fans that Tracks is a homosexual, although the character has not actually demonstrated any romantic interest in other male characters. All his romantic interest was focused squarely on himself.
- Voice actor Michael McConnohie claims Tracks is not gay. He chose the voice of Thurston J. Howell III from Gilligan's Island, played by Jim Backus, as the basis for Tracks' snooty voice and mannerisms. McConnohie refers to Tracks' manner of dialect as a "Harvard Lockjaw".
- In parts of Europe, Tracks was released in the Diaclone toy's red deco through Milton Bradley in 1985. Due to being a royal shelfwarmer, the toy was re-released in its proper Transformers colors through Hasbro a year later. It is possible Hasbro has originally planned for tracks to be released in Diaclone colors, as Tracks is red complete with the Diaclone hood stickers ("CS" instead of the Autobot sigil) on the 1985 back-of-the-box mural.[2] Interestingly, the 1985 box-mural from Japan shows not only the red Tracks in the center, but another Tracks, this one in his Hasbro blue deco, in the upper right area.[3] Perhaps this indicates that there were plans to create more than one Transformers character from the Stingray mold, as had been done with many of the other Diaclone molds, that were unrealized.
- In recent years, toys sporting the name "Tracks" require an additional "Autobot" prefix for trademark reasons, hence making the official name "Autobot Tracks".
- Chevrolet initially denied Hasbro and Takara the license for the Z06 Corvette that was going to be released as part of the Alternators line. Thus, Hasbro and Takara came up with an auxiliary plan for Tracks, this time as another "well-known American sports car", a Dodge Viper. Eventually, though, Chevrolet had a change of mind and granted Hasbro and Takara the license for the Corvette design after all. As a result, the Viper mold was slightly redesigned, was given a new head sculpt and ultimately ended up as Sideswipe instead (called "Side Swipe" for trademark reasons). Control drawings for the Viper as Tracks, sporting a Tracks head sculpt and a different transformation for the doors allowing them to more closely resemble Tracks' G1 wings, were depicted in the Japanese Transformers: Binaltech & TF Collection Complete Guide book.
- Tracks appeared in one of five original Generation 1 public service announcements, warning kids not to steal cars, even if it's just for joy-riding. He seems to have a thing for carjackers, that Tracks.
- He's not gay. Seriously. We can't stress this enough.
