I'm having trouble just because there are familiar names connected to unknown characters and my brain is trying to figure out the connections/importance. The Redblade name adds another wrinkle that gnaws at me. Now I know you explained the name difference and it's an idea with merit, but it is another complication that the brain wants resolved. If I could strip out my expectations and knowledge of the OT, it would be much easier! The premise about the racer pilot Anakin is great.

As per the issues raised by Neverar, holocrons bug me as too EU, especially since totally absent from the OT. I'm fine with Mandalorians (was a story I was looking forward to pre-PT) and a Mandalorian technically appeared in the OT.

I think one has to be careful with being tongue-in-cheek as it can knock one out of the story. I was going to use a joke about pod-racing being "very dangerous"...but on reflection it just makes one react based on something outside of the story. Chuckling at future-Vader's apt name may be a bridge too far, but others should comment...I wish more people visited the writing threads even if they have no interest in writing.