![]() ![]() Nothing can transport you back to the true good ole' days of drag racing, but this is a good movie.”įUNNY CAR SUMMER (1973) Synopsis: Funny Car Summer follows Jim Dunn – firefighter by day, Funny Car racer by night – and family as they race across the West with his radical rear-engine Funny Car. For a Hollywood type movie on drag racing, this is pretty good. Mark Slade is the eponymous drag racer in question, trying to get his big break in Top Fuel.Ī said: “A nice stroll down memory lane if you grew up attending numerous drag races in the ‘60s and ‘70s you'll enjoy this flashback. ![]() ![]() The high tension electric wires overhead, the crops, the loose dirt, all in the background made it feel like we were just standing there."ĭRAG RACER (1971) Synopsis: Filmed on location at West Coast racetracks including Irwindale Raceway, Lions Drag Strip, and Orange County Int'l Raceway and featuring racing by quarter-mile greats such as Bill Schultz, John Lombardo, Norm Wilcox, and Larry Dixon, the film has a lot to offer hard-core fans. Every time the action switched to the return road, it brought back memories of running across that farmer's field. there was never one before it and there'll never be another one like it." Jalopy Journal post: "It is one of the best movies to portray the 'Race for the Records' in FEDs. Review: None other than "Big Daddy" Don Garlits opined, "It's the quintessential film on drag racing. The work of Bob Abel (director) and cinéma vérité documentary filmmaker Les Blank (cameraman), the film is narrated by well-known character actor John Dehner and features an original score by Canned Heat Blues Band. The film follows the life of Rick “The Iceman” Stewart - who would famously go on to become NHRA's Chief Starter decades later - and his crew around the drag strips of 1960s Southern California. SEVEN-SECOND LOVE AFFAIR (1965) Synopsis: If you ever wondered what life was like at fabled Lions Drag Strip in the heyday of the front-engined dragster, this one's for you. Here’s our list of 10 of the most treasured movies about drag racing. Ten sessions with a therapist wouldn't get you as much good advice as two days with Frank.Whether you’re relaxing on your couch streaming entertainment or at the local movie theater, who doesn’t love a good flick? And if you’re a drag racing fan – and we know you are – what’s better than a movie about your favorite motorsport? Many of these can be found on YouTube or through various nostalgia websites. He's not just teaching you to put the pedal down he's teaching you how to do it the same every time, how to control your intrusive thoughts, and how to win. Hawley's school involves a lot of classroom time, which might be frustrating to folks who just want to jump in the seat, but if you're interested in racing more competitively, Hawley's lectures on mental health and consistency are invaluable. He's straightforward and doesn't sugar-coat, but he isn't mean, and if there's a recurring issue, he and his team will take extra time to help you figure out how to improve. Is the wheel straight? Are you looking far enough ahead? Are you staying in it all the way down? Learning to recognize and admit your mistakes is a crucial part of improving, and Hawley is never cruel. Hawley's approach forces you to look at every detail of your run, from lining up the car to releasing the trans-brake. Well, it is true that he plays your run and critiques it, and yeah, it's a little horrible, but also, it's incredibly helpful.Īll racers have the initial impulse to blame the car or the track for a bad session, but usually the loose nut is behind the wheel. Another benefit to sharing a campus with the Radford road course is a training segment in the drift/skid practice car, which is an excellent reminder that "You go where you’re looking" is the truest statement in car control.Ī friend mentioned recently that she has been reluctant to do Hawley's school because she heard he plays a video of your run in front of the class and critiques it. The instructors are patient and supportive, the cars are fast and comfortable, and since it is held on the Radford (formerly Bondurant) school property, there is plenty of time to practice burnouts and launches on the skidpad. The Radford instructors also spend time familiarizing the students with how to go through tech inspection, how to stage the car at the "Christmas tree," what the lights mean, and proper track exit strategy.įor folks with some experience, it may be a little basic, but because it is almost all in-car time, it never feels dull. It’s designed for new owners of Dodge Demons, so the one-day class is focused on using in-car tech, plus learning to feather the throttle and deal with poor traction, all of which is applicable in some way to most new cars. Let’s begin with Radford, because this program is perfect for beginners. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |