The story is focused around the player, commonly referred to as 'Tagger' or 'Tag', who remains silent throughout in-game cutscenes. Biff Tradwell and Gary Reasons, commentators of the Modnation Racing Championship announce the qualifier of this season's MRC tour. Tag lives with his mother at their family run paintshop, where business has been slow for a long time. Upon showing an MRC poster to race to his mother, she informs him that his grandfather, Chief, is a crew-chief, which along with his own kart is all he requires to enter the qualifier. Chief, while critical of Tag's choice of kart decoration, agrees to be his crew-chief. Upon qualifying for the MRC Tour and already becoming a popular contestant with fans for his unique style, Tag's Uncle Richard, head of Conservative Motors, a company responsible for cheap, bland and uninteresting karts, attempts to sign him up for a sponsorship deal which is quickly turned down. Halfway through the Home Tour, Tag's mother reveals that they are unable to afford the constant repairs to his kart. When the kart blows out, Tag's mother is inspired from her son's newfound popularity to reopen the paintshop as a bodyshop garage, becoming an instant hit with customers and allowing them to stay financially afloat.