So we’ve already told you about the live action Speed Racer film coming to theaters in May 2008, and you’ve gotten a chance to check out the cool car, but today it was revealed that Speed Racer is also headed back to the television set as a new animated cartoon series.

Nicktoons is set to air the first 26 episodes of the revived 1960′s classic cartoon series, and will launch the new series next year to coincide with the release of the Speed Racer movie.  Other than launching at the same time, the two projects aren’t at all related.  Both the Speed Racer cartoon and the Speed Racer movie will have their own promotions and advertising.

The Speed Racer cartoon series will not be a complete rip-off of the original series, but rather, it will feature a young Speed Racer who finds out that he is the son of the legendary Speed Race, and has a brother (the new character Racer X) whom he never knew existed until now.

Young Speed Racer impresses his school with his Mach 6.  The original show had Mach 5, so Mach 6 is an updated and improved version. The Mach 6 is the most advanced vehicle in not just the world, but the universe, and does not run on gas.  Brothers Speed Racer and Racer X team up to stop villians from stealing the Mach 6, as well as to do some investigative work and find out who was behind the mysterious disappearance of their father.

Other characters from the original series will also be returning to the show, including the original Speed Racer’s younger brother Spritle.  Spritle would thus be young Speed Racer’s uncle, but is also the headmaster of the racing academy.  Chimpanzee Chim-Chim from the original series is now a mechanical robot.

With the new Speed Racer movie and Speed Racer cartoon, a whole new generation will discover the franchise, and original fans of the series will rediscover an old friend.  A well-timed DVD release of the original Speed Racer cartoons is probably also in the works.