Since Nintendo often views their characters as characters in a play, to be used how the individual story needs them to be used, my head canon is that Mario Kart / Party / other sports games are the "real" Mario characters, and the main line games are in-universe stories.

To be honest Mario is Italian, racing on any road is second nature. One does not know synchronized chaos until one drives in Rome at rush hour. It's beautiful and frightening in equal measures.

Fast and Furious: all gang conflict is resolved by racing in cars.
West Side Story: all gang conflict is resolved by dancing and singing in troupes.

Let us have this

It may be Ben-Huresque.