The race between Gold and Whitney continues with Whitney in the lead, after she commanded her Miltank, Mil Mil, to use Rollout on Gold. However, Gold is quickly closing in on her. Her lead is ruined completely by an odd tree that is blocking the path. Angered, Whitney commands Mil Mil to use Rollout on the tree to little effect. Gold, who wants to prove he's better than her, tells Exbo to use Ember on the tree, also doing little. Gold sends out Aibo, Sunbo, and Polibo to attack the tree next. However, the tree only reacts to Polibo's water attack.
Suddenly a Rhydon appears and Whitney attacks it using Mil Mil, with little effect, and Rhydon then kidnaps Whitney. DJ Mary pleads for someone to save Whitney. The race is called off and all vans are sent after Rhydon. Before Gold can go after Rhydon as well, he notices the tree shaking. He tells Polibo to use Water Gun on the tree again, and the tree shrinks down to reveal itself as a Sudowoodo. Sudowoodo had been pretending to be a tree because it was being chased by Rhydon. Gold tells Sudowoodo that it needs to stand up for itself and decides to teach it how to fight.
Gold catches Sudowoodo, and sends it out as close as possible to Rhydon by using his pool cue. Sudowoodo emerges from the Poké Ball and sucker punches Rhydon, defeating it instantly. Despite the race being called off, Gold declares himself the winner, since he moved the tree out of the way and saved his opponent. After getting autographs from DJ Mary, Gold heads to the Goldenrod Game Corner. He offers Sudowoodo a place on his team, and when it accepts, he names it Sudobo.