The small village of Bloom Center is excited when Foolpaugh's Mammoth Circus and Menagerie comes to town. The circus manager picks two locals, Ezra Pash and Phil Pickle, to play Ben-Hur and Messala in a chariot race. However, local Johnny West is upset, because he wanted to be in the act. He hatches a plan to not only disrupt the chariot race, but the entire circus as well.