Kappeita Taira (平 勝平太 Taira Kappeita?), otherwise known as "Capeta" (カペタ Kapeta?), is a ten-year old boy whose single-parent father, Shigei Taira (平 茂雄 Taira Shigei?), works for a paving company. While completing a paving job at a go-kart track, his father sees a young boy racing at the track and is amazed at the speed and seeming thrill of the sport. Realizing that his young son has an interest in racing cars (particularly Formula One), Shigei asks the circuit steward as to whether he is able to take some old worn-down parts out of the circuit's trash pile. Taking these back to his workplace, he manages to construct a rundown yet drivable kart. Shigei's boss, Mr. Ikari, (initially begrudgingly) supplies a 4-stroke generator engine to power the kart.