Days of Thunder (1990) - full transcript

Ladies and gentlemen,

welcome to the Daytona 500,

the Super Bowl of

motor racing events.

Walking onto the

grid is the two-time

Daytona 500 and defending

champion Rowdy Burns.

And perennial contender

from Reading,

Pennsylvania, Aldo Bennedetti.

Gentlemen, start your engines.

Big turn back for number

43, Richard Petty.

Petty spins to the

inside of the track.

A tough break for Richard Petty.

Richard Petty is out

of the Daytona 500.

Speaking of people who

are out of the race,

perhaps it's time to remember the

legendary crew chief, Harry Hogge,

whose great driver,

Buddy Bretherton,

died here last year

in a fiery crash,

hitting the wall at

over 195 miles an hour.

So you're enjoying the

good life, Harry?

Yeah.

I never minded spreading a little

fertiliser around now and then.

There's worse things.

- How's the truck running?

- Runs good.

I want you to build me a car.

Now, Tim, everybody knows

some downtown car dealer

can't afford a race team.

No driver worth a damn

is gonna sign with you.

Because they wreck one car, you

can't afford to build them another

and they're out of

the deal, you know.

And no car's gonna win

without a driver.

Not even mine.

If you built the car,

I'd get a damn driver.

What kind of driver are you going

to find after the

season's started?

Some old boy who's washed up and

wasn't worth a shit to begin with.

You can work with him.

You can build a driver like

you build a car, Harry.

Tim, take a look at that hound.

That's the best coon dog I've

ever seen or heard about.

And I didn't teach

him a damn thing.

Well, I got somebody.

- Who?

- Take a look at him.

Anybody I gotta take a

look at, ain't somebody.

Then take a look at nobody.

Look, Tim, I gave up racing. You

gotta know that. All right?

You didn't give up racing, Harry.

You quit to avoid an investigation

into Buddy's crash at Daytona.

Hey, I didn't avoid any

goddamn investigation.

Anyway, I talked to NASCAR

and if you come back in there

won't be any investigation.

How the hell did you

sell them on that deal?

I'm a hell of a salesman.

Now, that's a race car driver.

When's your driver due?

Harry tells me your guy

runs those Indy type deals.

Yeah. Sprints, mainly.

Two World of Outlaw championships,

three all-star wins,

seven straight feature wins

and he's been driving ASA.

Hey.

Got yourself a real

statistician there.

Does he know anything

about drivers?

We'll see.

Harry, where'd you say

your driver's from?

Eagle Rock.

It's up around

Wilkesboro, isn't it?

No. Glendale, California.

He's a Yankee?

Not exactly. If you're from

California, you're not a Yankee.

You're not really anything.

You said it.

The shocks are right,

we're dialled in, buddy.

Don't change a thing.

Hey, you ain't buried in

horse manure after all.

Looking pretty good.

You're the one who's looking good.

It hadn't been easy, Harry,

I'll guran-damn-tee you,

but this bitch is ready to run.

I can't tell you how

much we all appreciate

you letting us use the car, Rowdy.

I told you about this, Rowdy.

Harry's got some new driver

and he needs a car just

to turn a couple of laps.

I told you it was

Harry Hogge who'd

asked us personally, as a favour.

Who is this driver?

Tim tells me you've been

running open-wheels.

That's right.

And now you just want

to up and drive NASCAR?

That's right.

What do you know about

stock car racing?

Well, I've watched it on

television, of course.

You've seen it on television?

ESPN, the coverage is excellent.

You'd be surprised at how

much you can pick up.

I'm sure I would.

Look, this may not be the best

time for you to run this car.

Was there some problem?

No, sir. You all go right ahead.

But you bend this bitch

the least little bit,

I'm gonna tear your balls off.

Okay. Would you mind very

much holding on to this?

Didn't he hear what that man said?

Hold on a minute. Don't you

think we ought to talk?

What? About how I'm

gonna run? Sure.

About how you've managed to

live as long as you have.

Look, I ain't gonna let

you race this car.

- What's going on?

- He's had second thoughts.

- You said you'd look at him.

- I've looked at him.

I paid $2,500 to use

this track today, Harry.

Forget it. He needs a brand name

like Exxon or Richard Petty.

Well, I know a damn race

driver when I see one.

What's going on, Harry? Is

this happening or what?

Do us all a favour, Harry.

Let me drive. I won't

make a fool out of you.

That tunnel turn's real tricky.

Now, whether it's hot or cold,

it gets as slick as a butt.

Then you'll slip

and slide and slam

yourself into the wall

before you know it.

So just take it easy.

- I'm dropping the hammer.

- No, you're not.

It's under Rowdy's time.

Well, it might have been better

if he cracked up the car.

- That was fast.

- Yeah?

Thirty-one flat.

That's good enough to take the

pole in the last race here.

Hell, I thought this

was gonna be a joke.

You never drove a

stock car before?

No, sprints mainly.

- What's your name?

- Buck Bretherton. What's yours?

Cole Trickle. It's damn

nice to meet you, Buck.

Damn nice to meet you, too, Cole.

You were one lucky son of a

bitch in that tunnel turn.

That car was way out of shape.

Well, if you think it was

luck, let's do it again.

- You run good.

- Thank you.

Now, go get your own car and

we'll see how you do in a crowd.

So, how come you don't

stick to open wheels?

I lost my ride.

After two championships and seven

straight wins, you were fired?

I lost my ride.

Doesn't matter. I'd

have quit regardless.

- Why's that?

- I wasn't going anywhere.

- Where do you want to go?

- Indianapolis.

But you can't win in Indy

without a great car.

And my name's not

Andretti or Unser.

On the other hand, stock cars are

stock cars. Pretty much the same.

Hey, there's nothing

stock about a stock car.

Look, I'm not trying

to insult you.

All I'm saying is, stock

cars are built to run equal.

- Isn't that right?

- So the rule books say.

So I don't have to worry about

getting beat by another car.

In other words, all

you have to worry

about is getting beat

by other drivers.

Yeah.

You build me a car, and

I'll win Daytona next year.

I'm gonna give you an

engine low to the ground.

Extra-big oil pan that'll cut

the wind from underneath you.

That'll give you 30 to

40 more horsepower.

I'm gonna give you a fuel line

that'll hold an extra

gallon of gas.

I'm gonna shave half an inch off

you and shape you like a bullet.

And when we get you primed,

painted and weighed,

you're going to be ready to go out

on that racetrack. You hear me?

You're gonna be perfect.

Okay. I'm going to pull

this rookie's chain.

Cole, you're wandering

all over the track.

Yeah. Well, that son of a

bitch just slammed into me.

No, he didn't slam into you, he

didn't bump you, he

didn't nudge you.

He rubbed you, and

rubbing, son, is racing.

There goes the fender.

There goes the quarter panel.

All right. Get back.

All right, while we're

still under a caution,

I want you to go back out on

that track and hit the pace car.

- Hit the pace car?

- Hit the pace car.

What for?

Because you hit every other

goddamn thing out there.

I want you to be perfect.

Now, go on. Go. Go. Go.

You're going too high.

Stay in the group.

How about that? This side

we don't have to fix.

I don't want you spoiled, Buck.

This is gonna hurt.

Move. Move. Move.

Did you see that guy?

I've got to pit.

I don't think so. We're busy now.

- You're what?

- We're eating ice cream.

Ice cream?

Now, you're welcome to

come on and get one,

but I don't believe NASCAR

would think much of you trying to

eat an ice cream cone out there.

You have enough trouble riding

around the track as it is.

Take it easy.

Come on now, Cole.

Cole. Cole.

We messed up big-time on Sunday.

I had sponsors in the stands

and I'm hugging and holding hands

and kissing them in the air and

praying for a good showing.

And what do we do?

We end up looking like a monkey

fucking a football out there.

Everybody out, please.

Except you two.

I've got a question.

What is the one thing

you absolutely

need to do to win a race?

- It's pretty damn obvious...

- You keep quiet.

You need to finish the race.

Tim, I realise Harry's

been around a long time.

I'm not saying that his

ways are antiquated

but it'd help to have

a car that handled

properly and didn't blow engines.

Well, if he wouldn't get excited

and over rev the son of a bitch,

the engine wouldn't blow.

Now, Cole, when you

shift the gear,

and that little needle on

the tach goes into the red

and reads 9,000 rpm, that's bad.

It's also my fault if the tyres

blow, if you ask this old fart.

Well, hell yes, it's your fault.

There's 40 other

vultures out there

who managed to finish the

race on their tyres.

You see Darrell Waltrip

using up his tyres?

There's nothing I can't

do with a race car.

Well, that's the difference

between you and me.

- There's only so much I can do.

- That's obvious.

Harry, he doesn't need to

appreciate your job to do his.

Well, he sure as hell does.

How can he expect to race

if he don't know what a

race car can and can't do?

What is this shit, huh?

You want me to work the

pit and you drive?

Fine. We'll try that.

I can't talk to this

son of a bitch.

I can't talk to that son of a

bitch. I really can't. I can't...

- You think he can drive?

- He can drive.

He can drive beyond the

limits of the tyres,

the engine, the

car, anything else.

If the son of a bitch

listened to me,

we wouldn't hardly

ever lose a race.

If we don't get us a sponsor

in the next couple of races,

my ass is fried.

I'm liable to be out of the

car business altogether.

And, Harry, I know you're

great. You know you're great.

But if the guy in the

car doesn't trust you,

we're never going

to win a damn race.

Hey, Harry.

We've gotta talk, all right?

All right, Harry. Talk.

No. On the radio during the race.

Now, you wanna run right on the

ragged edge all the damn time,

you've got to tell us what's

going on with the car.

Or you just want to change

the way I drive it.

Maybe.

Well, maybe you can set up the

car so I don't have to change.

I'd be happy to.

- You just tell me how.

- What do you want to know?

Well, hell, Cole,

you are the driver.

You think she's running

loose or tight? Tell us.

We give a turn here, take

some wedge out there,

we'll win some races.

That's all there is to it.

- I can't do that.

- Why the hell not?

Because I don't know what the

hell you're talking about.

How do you mean that?

Because I don't know

much about cars, okay?

Well, hey, Cole,

that don't make you

a damn bit different from

any driver I ever met.

No, I mean, I really don't know.

I don't know what

you just said about

a turn here and a wedge there.

- I don't know. I don't know.

- How can that be?

What's the difference?

They told me to get in a car

and drive. And I could drive.

The point is, I'd like

to help out but I can't.

I'm an idiot. I don't

have the vocabulary.

- Well...

- Well?

We're just gonna have to

figure one out, aren't we?

Don't worry about it.

All right?

How does she feel?

Her ass is all over the place.

Well, the rear end's

loose. Car's fast.

"Loose" is fast, and "on the

edge," you're out of control.

Now, Cole, there

is something else.

Tyres is what wins a race.

Yeah. What the hell are

you talking about?

If we can't figure

you a way to run

so you don't melt the damn tyres,

we can't finish a race.

So, what do you want?

I'll tell you what,

you run 50 laps any way you like,

then 50 laps like I want you to.

Give me an honest run. If

you do, I'm gonna beat you.

All right. Now we're going to do

it 50 laps my way, all right?

Now, when you were racing

Indy cars out west,

the tyres were twice as wide and

the car weighed half as much.

Now your car weighs twice as much

and the tyres are half as wide

and you're burning

them up, all right.

Now, if you do... When you

burn them up, they melt,

when they melt, they get

greasy and you slip and slide.

And you're out of

control. All right?

Let's go.

His way, my way.

I was six seconds faster.

You can buy me some lunch

at the highway joint, Tim.

What's wrong?

We're trying to figure

out what to do.

- About what?

- About what? We're in trouble.

Rowdy took the pole in 30.25.

We run 31.10. We're almost

a second off the pace.

We're looking for some

speed out of this.

The car's perfect, Harry.

It's the first race

of the season here

at the legendary Darlington

International Speedway.

And the most treacherous

turn is number four.

30:90. Leader's 30:80.

You're running 12th.

Thirty laps to go.

Thanks, Harry.

You're gonna burn the damn

tyres, Cole. So take it easy.

Harry, I'm not going faster.

Everybody else is going slower.

He's right, Harry. I

checked his lap times.

We just haven't fallen off

as much as everybody else.

That's right. You're doing good,

Cole. You're doing real good.

You're running fifth

and you're gaining half a

second a lap on the leader.

Fifteen to go.

Don't pass on the

outside of turn four.

That's right. Stay to the

inside, Cole. Ten laps to go.

And Trickle has moved

into the number two spot,

right behind Rowdy Burns.

- I'm right behind the leader.

- Five laps to go.

Remember me?

What in the hell's going on?

Just a little rubbing,

Harry. Rubbing's racing.

I'm going to take this

rookie once and for all.

All right, God damn

it. That's enough.

You can't play with

Rowdy like this.

He's gonna give you

a real ass ripping.

Just relax, Harry.

Somebody's got to give. And

it's Rowdy Burns who's out.

No. An incredible

recovery by Rowdy.

He retains his position

on the lead lap.

And we have a new leader.

Cole Trickle in the number

46 City Chevrolet Car.

We're under caution

with three laps to go.

- Caution's out. Come on in.

- What for? It's almost over.

You've been on the green for 68

laps. Everybody's

got to pit, Cole.

Go, go. Go, go.

The air gun's jammed,

give me another one.

Give me a gun. Give me a gun.

It's jammed. Come on,

switch it, guys.

Let's go.

- Damn it. Go. Go. Go.

- Go. Get them on quick.

God damn it. Son of a bitch.

Now, Cole...

Son of a bitch.

Cole, we're on the air, all right?

I come into the pit,

I'm in first place.

I go out, I'm in third

with two laps to go.

All right. First of all, don't

get excited, all right.

You're in third place. That's a

pretty respectable position.

Now, what you do is this.

When they slow down

into turn four,

you just keep your

foot on the gas and

drive right by them

on the outside.

Harry, you told me, nobody goes

to the outside on turn four.

Well, now I'm telling

you different. If

you go to the outside,

you can hold it.

He's going to end up in the wall.

All right. Cole, the pace car

is about ready to duck on off.

We don't have a whole lot

of time to talk about this.

Well, tell me how.

It's because we've got a real

good set of match tyres on.

- What?

- What?

Those tyres are matched perfect

and staggered special.

You're gonna get him killed.

Pace car's about

ready duck on off.

If you go to the outside,

you can hold it.

All right, Harry. When it comes

to the car I'll take your word.

The white flag is

out. One lap to go.

The boy don't have the balls

to pass me on the outside.

And they're heading into

treacherous turn four.

Yes.

And Cole Trickle wins his

first ever NASCAR victory.

Second place goes to Rowdy Burns.

Cole Trickle...

Cole, did you have any

idea you could run

the car wide open

into that last turn

and make it stick like that?

- I knew it all along.

- How's that?

Well, in our last

stop, when I came

in, Harry put on special tyres.

Special tyres? Harry Hogge,

what's special about them?

Well, nothing in particular.

Looks like Harry Hogge has

a little explaining to do.

You told me...

I lied. I had to tell you

something to calm you down.

You were acting like

such a candy-ass.

After the air gun stuck, I figured

you'd never get back

on the racetrack.

You son of a bitch.

Try this on for size. We've

got ourselves a sponsor.

Promise me one thing, boys,

whatever else we do from

here, we win Daytona.

That's a promise.

That's a promise.

Selling thousands of dollars

worth of useless mining stock

and they call that a

dog and pony show.

It may be funny, but it's not that

funny when it happens to you, son.

It happened to me.

What? You bought

worthless mining stock?

I told you I lost my ride.

That's how I lost it.

Team owner was a conman. Junk

bonds, worthless companies.

But mainly he sold stolen yachts.

When I won enough races, he even

used my name to promote the sales.

He went to jail and

I lost my ride.

It was pretty

humiliating, actually.

Hell, Cole, there's no

need to be embarrassed

by some lowlife,

piece of trash who

put you in that kind of position.

- Well, Harry, that depends.

- On what?

On whether or not you're related

to that lowlife, piece of trash.

He was my father.

I've never really stuck

with anything since.

They don't trust me,

I don't trust them.

You know how that goes.

Like for instance,

you lied to me today.

It was dumb luck I didn't

end up crashed or dead.

- I ought to punch you out.

- Yeah? Give it a try.

No.

Don't wanna get my ass

kicked by a 60-year-old man.

Fifty-nine.

- Whoop his ass, Harry.

- Come on, Cole.

Oh, God. Come on.

Drivers just don't go to the

outside like that, Cole.

But I knew you could

do it. I knew it.

I believed it in my heart.

- Peach or cherry?

- Cherry.

I'm taking a leak.

There you see now, there's

calculating drivers,

and then there's kamikaze drivers.

And our Cole here's a

kamikaze, like my pappy was.

- And who's that?

- Buddy Bretherton.

Buddy Bretherton was your dad?

- He died at Daytona, didn't he?

- Last year.

How did it happen? Mind my asking?

He hit the wall.

Which turn?

He was probably dead

before he hit it.

The coroner's report showed

massive heart attack.

I believe we've been pulled over.

All right. Everybody out and

up against the wall here.

You're under arrest.

Let's go. Move it.

- What the hell for?

- It's right there in your hand.

Transportation of illegal

alcohol across state lines

for the purpose of distribution.

Well, I don't know what this

looks like to you, Officer,

but this is not distribution.

This is consumption.

Well, that don't

exactly make it legal.

You know what...

Now up against the wall.

- What is this?

- Up against the wall.

Officer?

Well, looks like we've

found something.

- What's that?

- A concealed weapon.

- Where?

- Right here.

Now, the only question is,

will he actually use it?

Please don't be mad. Harry and the

boys just thought

you might like me.

Here we are for summer speed

weeks in Daytona Beach, Florida.

It's the Firecracker 400.

And the favourite here today

is newcomer Cole Trickle

in the number 46

Superflo Chevrolet.

He's the hottest young

rookie in NASCAR history

and has won an unprecedented

five out of his last six races.

Stop playing peek-a-boo in

Rowdy's rear-view mirror.

I thought you boys would've

had enough of that by now.

I'm not doing anything

like that, Harry.

Well, then what are you doing?

He rubbed me the wrong way

and loosened his bumper.

I'm just gonna have to

come all the way out.

Try that and his rear bumper's

liable to go through the radiator

and take you out of

the whole damn race.

That bumper gets

any looser, Rowdy,

they're gonna black-flag you.

Let him go by.

He's waving me by, I'm gonna

take him on the high side.

What are you so

worried about, Harry?

Well, you surely got my attention.

Great driving, great

recovery, Cole.

Cole Trickle now right behind

the number 51 car of Burns,

and they go at it again.

There's a crash coming

out of turn four, Cole.

I see it.

Can you hear me?

- I can't see anything.

- Wiggle your fingers for me.

Wiggle your toes.

I can't see anything.

I'm all right. Take this off.

Hey, what do we got?

Hook up the other monitor.

I'm not a car battery. I

don't need recharging.

Relax, it's just

standard procedure.

Hey, you go screw yourself, okay?

What was that, Mr Burns?

I wouldn't tell you

to do that, Doc.

- What's going on?

- Keep your head down.

Relax.

I can't see.

God, tell me what's going

on. I'm blind, God damn it.

- What's your name?

- What...

- What's your name?

- Cole. Cole.

Cole, would you help us out

and lie still, please?

C-spine and CAT scan, right away.

Yes, Doctor.

Can you move your fingers for me?

Just tell him he's

had a concussion.

His brain is bruised, and like

any bruise, it's gonna swell.

Now that swelling

is almost certainly

what's affecting his vision.

You have a concussion and

your brain is bruised

and it's going to swell. It's

certainly gonna

affect your vision.

You mean this will go away?

Tell him we're gonna run some

tests to confirm everything.

What did his helmet look

like and was it cracked?

No.

- Was it scratched?

- Are you a brain doctor?

Was the helmet scratched

at the front or the back?

I believe it was scratched

in the back and the front.

Are you a brain doctor?

Could someone talk to me?

When I'm driving, I

got a guy on the

radio who talks to

me. I can't see him.

But he talks to me.

Don't worry, we're going

to take care of him.

Harry.

- Are you okay, Harry?

- Yeah. Why?

You look all bent out of shape.

Hell, it's probably just my eyes.

No, it's me, I've

been here all night.

Jesus. What are they

giving me here?

Harry, what happened?

Rowdy was spinning

across the track.

The rule is you go

straight for them.

So I never took my

foot off the gas.

He should have been

gone by the time

I got there, man, but he wasn't.

I think another car hit you

and knocked you into Rowdy.

- He came out of nowhere.

- Yeah.

It's one of those things

that never happens.

I wouldn't even think

about it, you know.

- I'll get the doctor.

- I feel great.

Cole.

Damn nice to see you, Cole.

How you doing, buddy?

It's damn nice to see you, Buck.

How you doing?

Cole, you've met Dr Lewicki.

That's your doctor, Dr Lewicki.

I don't think he's

actually seen me before.

Sure, Harry.

- No...

- Dr Lewicki.

Smock, stethoscope. It's

a great costume, Harry.

So how are you, Doc?

No, Cole, this really

is Dr Lewicki.

I was just about to go off duty.

You thought you'd come

by to look me over.

Well, it's not a bad idea. I

figure your vision's restored?

I think so.

Nothing's blurred? You're

not seeing double?

No haloes around objects?

Flashing lights?

What are you going

to do with this?

Look into your eyes.

Doc, Doc.

Isn't this what you're

really looking for?

Well, that's

interesting enough, Mr

Trickle, but it's just

not my speciality.

She's the real thing?

Well, I wouldn't play no joke on

you in a situation like this.

Sorry, Cole, I'm

trying not to smile.

All right, get out.

Get out. Get out of here.

Get some rest, man.

I am not well.

I can walk, God damn it.

Not as long as you're in

this hospital you can't.

I don't want to be

next to this clown.

You mind picking up

the pace a little?

Hey, man, if you want drugs, you

have to see the nurse. Okay?

Wait.

Get out of the way.

Good morning, gentlemen.

Right this way.

So, neither Mr Burns, nor

in this case, Mr Trickle

present any significant

intracranial injury.

Now hold it, Doc. Let's

have that one in English.

Did they mess up

their squash or not?

Their brains are

intact. As much as

they were before the

accident anyway.

You're willing to

give them clearance

to get back on a racetrack?

Well, that's obviously a dangerous

way to spend your time.

That's a philosophical

objection, Doc,

and I'm looking for a medical one.

I'm not inclined to give

them clearance at this time.

- That's total horseshit.

- Gentlemen, please.

I think they're saying they

would like another opinion.

We would like to

talk to your boss.

You're welcome to, of course, but

Dr Wilhaire and I have consulted

and we're of the same opinion.

Which is a re-evaluation

in a week or two.

Thank you, Doc.

Now, we have a little something

we have to say to the boys here

and I don't think you

necessarily need to hear it.

Who's that?

Okay, Big John's turn.

If you wanna turn yourselves

into a greasy spot

on a country road

somewhere, go right ahead.

I don't give a shit and I don't

think anybody else does,

regardless of what

they say to your face.

But you two monkeys are not

going to do it on my racetrack.

Have you all heard of

Japanese inspection?

Japanese inspection.

You see, when the Japs

get in a load of lettuce

that they're not sure they

want to let in the country,

why, they just let it

sit on the docks until

they get good and

ready to look at it.

By then of course, it's all gone

rotten. Ain't nothing

left to inspect.

In other words, lettuce

is a perishable item

like you two monkeys.

You trade paint one more

time, you so much as touch,

I'm gonna black-flag

the two of you.

Gonna take apart your

race car for 300 laps.

Then if you pass the inspection,

and you put your car

back together, I

might let you get

back in the race.

Now, just to show us

there's no hard feelings,

we're all gonna go out

to dinner together.

- I've got other plans.

- Yeah, and so do I.

Well, you're gonna

have to change them.

And not only that, you two are

gonna drive to dinner together.

Dr Lewicki.

I want to apologise for

what happened with Cole

when you come into

the hospital room.

Mr Hogge, please, it's

nothing to worry about.

And in any case it was

hardly your doing.

Well, that's just it,

I believe it was.

You see, not too long ago

after he won Darlington,

we played a trick on Cole.

We dressed up a pretty girl

in a highway-patrol uniform.

Anyway, we told her to get real

hornery with him and she did.

- By hornery, you mean...

- I mean, real hornery.

Why would you want me

to know about this?

I don't want you to hold

a bad opinion of Cole.

I believe it scares him.

He needs reassurance

from you that he's okay.

After all, you're his doctor.

That's it.

Doc.

I heard you thought I was

a highway-patrol officer.

I also want to thank you

for taking care of me.

It's my job.

It's my life.

Well, this time let's shake hands.

- Of course. Of course.

- Good luck, Cole.

- Dr Lewicki, could I see you?

- You will, I promise.

No, I mean, have some

dinner, go catch

a movie. I'll take you to a race.

That's very sweet, really,

but it won't get you back

on the track any faster.

No, it's not what I meant.

- You got me here, now what?

- Here's how I see this deal.

Since you agree I ain't gonna let

you drive this car to dinner

and I agree you ain't gonna let

me drive this car to dinner,

there's only one way

to settle this.

What are you talking about?

Absolutely.

Let me tell you something, Tim.

If you can't control your race

drivers any better than this,

you might consider sticking

to something you can control.

Like used cars in

downtown Charlotte.

- Too close to call?

- Yeah.

- You're late.

- We had car trouble.

What kind of car trouble?

I believe it was the

radiator. Wasn't it, Cole?

Yes, Rowdy, I believe it was.

Tim, do you know anybody

at Daytona Memorial?

- The chief of staff. Why?

- Is he a race fan?

He was born in the South.

Tim wanted you to

meet Russ Wheeler.

He's gonna be driving for us till

you get your medical clearance.

It's a real pleasure to

race your car, Mr Trickle.

Yeah, thanks for helping out.

Yeah, Tim, I need a home

address of a doctor...

I'm only sorry I won't

be able to drive

it nearly as good as you though.

I'll see you later, Harry.

Yeah, the doctor that...

That...

What?

I was desperate to

get your attention.

Well, you got it. I

walked into a jungle.

No, it's nicely extravagant, but

really, I can't. I'm

a doctor on call.

And I'm a patient. Somebody has to

re-examine me. I need clearance.

Come up here and do that.

I'll take you to a race.

Come on, I don't want to watch you

guys going round and

round in circles,

chasing each other like a

pack of dogs on my day off.

Then how about chasing

me on your day off?

I don't have a day off.

I'm on call 24 hours.

Okay, Doctor, let's suppose you

had a couple of days off...

Sugar. Sugar.

With nothing else to do.

Could I interest you in the

North Carolina countryside?

- Speaking theoretically?

- Speaking theoretically.

Maybe. But you'd have

to convince my boss.

Good. Good. How tall are you?

What did he say?

"Doctor, fly to Charlotte

and check those boys out."

Boy, you're very quick.

You ought to see me drive.

Rowdy's not here.

Well, I told him to meet

us at the infield by 5:00.

Well, we should probably

get started on Cole.

Close your eyes. Palms up.

Open your eyes. Arms down.

Follow my finger.

Stand with your feet together

and close your eyes.

Walk one foot in front of

the other. Open your eyes.

And back on the table.

This is tough.

- Examinations always are.

- Why's that?

Because I'm looking you over and

I might not like what I see.

That has to worry you. Pick a

spot on the wall and look at it.

- Please, don't move. Your eyes.

- I didn't move.

Just focus on one spot.

- What do you see?

- The retina.

What does it look like?

Very pretty, actually.

- Seen enough?

- Just about.

- What did you do that for?

- It's the Babinski sign.

If the toe goes up,

you're in trouble.

You're fine. Put on your

clothes. You're cleared to race.

I'm sorry, it just drove

me nuts in there.

How could you ignore me like that?

I wasn't ignoring you.

I wasn't ignoring you. I gave

you a very thorough physical.

You're not gonna do anything

weird on my leg, are you, Cole?

No.

It's just something Harry

and I work on together.

It's called drafting.

One car tucks in behind another.

Two cars can go faster than one.

They divide the air

resistance between them.

Now, here's where it

gets interesting.

The lead car has to floor it

to hit 200 miles an hour.

But the car that's

stuck behind doesn't.

He can go just as fast and

still have power in reserve.

So, when these two cars

come off that last turn,

the car that's in back can

move out of the draught,

and slingshot past the lead car,

beat it to the finish line.

And he goes straight

to Victory Lane.

- You and Harry work on that, huh?

- More or less.

Yeah, right. Is there anything

you want to do besides racing?

Anything you say.

Cole, there must be

something else that

you want to do in

life, eventually.

I can tell you what I don't want

to be in life, that's a fraud.

I want to know it's

not just dumb luck

that gets me around

that racetrack.

But that's not the question

you're really asking.

What's the question

I'm really asking?

"How can I be in bed

with this guy?"

I know the answer to that one.

Maybe, but you're still asking it.

"How could I, a

brilliant brain doctor,

"be in bed with a guy who

drives a car for a living?"

What's your response

to that, by the way?

Do something to make

me respect you. Do it.

Tell me what you love

so much about racing.

The speed.

To be able to control it.

To know that I can control

something that's out of control.

I'd really have to show you.

Show me.

It's funny about this place.

When I grew up, I hated farming.

All I wanted to do was work on

race cars. Got into racing.

Now all I want to do is to make

enough money to work on a farm.

Hi, Claire, I'm Jennie.

Nice to meet you.

Hi, nice to meet you.

- Hi, Cole.

- Hey, Jennie.

Just beyond the top

of that knoll, we're

going to build our permanent home.

- Costs much to build up there?

- About $10 million.

Oh, Rowdy.

Jennie's gonna do the building.

She's designing the house.

We just want a place that

nobody's ever lived in but us.

Isn't that right, honey?

- Rowdy, what is it?

- I think I'm getting seasick.

Seasick? You've never been

seasick a day in your life.

You didn't forget about

the physical, did you?

Nobody in my family goes to a

doctor unless they're dying.

Just because you ain't

feeling good, shit.

Stand with your feet together.

Put your arms out.

Close your eyes.

Take it easy. Take it easy.

- I'm fine. I'm fine.

- Yeah, I've got you.

- I'm fine. I'm fine.

- All right.

We've got to get you

back to Daytona.

Bill Wilhaire, the head of

neurosurgery, is my boss.

He's as good as they come.

- Did you get sick in there?

- No.

- He did, he got sick.

- Rowdy.

You're one hell of a candy-ass.

I faint and you throw up.

Rowdy, it's imperative that you

get back to Daytona Memorial

and see Dr Wilhaire.

The report on the birth of

another new Winston Cup team.

Behind me, the bright orange

and blue colours of Hardee's

adorn this Chevrolet. Who's the

driver? Well, to

no one's surprise,

it's Russ Wheeler, the young

man who subbed so superbly

just weeks ago for the

injured Cole Trickle.

Listen to this horseshit.

Now joined by car

owner, Tim Daland.

Now, Tim, my question now is,

you've got two competitive

spirits here,

and will these competitive

spirits cause you a conflict?

Well, of course, Jerry,

we believe that we can

maintain the integrity and the

independence of these

two race teams,

otherwise, we

wouldn't be doing it.

Who will you be rooting

for come Sunday, Tim?

Well, I tell you, Jerry, I'll even

wave to him every time I lap him.

These new tyres are terrible.

You should have put on scuffs.

You're doing good, Cole.

I'm too loose.

The car just feels all wrong.

- What's wrong?

- Cole's upset.

- What about?

- About being in that race car.

Wheeler just passed

the eighth car.

He's coming up on your inside.

Jesus.

- What happened?

- The engine blew.

- How?

- I'm not a mechanic, Harry.

Claire, I'm in Georgia today.

Rowdy's in North Carolina.

Well, somebody better talk

him into coming down here.

Claire, we've got a

trauma in the ER.

He's almost certainly

haemorrhaging.

The longer he ignores it,

the more damage is gonna

be done to his brain.

He's your friend, Cole.

- Where's Cole?

- He's on the phone.

He could use a little privacy.

What's wrong with him?

I'll tell you what's wrong

in this deal, it's you, Tim.

You're a victim of your

own goddamn creation.

Two race teams. That's one too

many roosters in the hen house.

It doesn't seem to

bother Russ Wheeler.

Oh, no, no, no. Ever since

that Daytona crash,

Cole's been called a troublemaker.

Wheeler figures he can bump

and bam Cole all he wants.

I don't see Russ doing

anything like that,

NASCAR doesn't see Russ

doing anything like that.

I guess it ain't happening then,

under the watchful eyes of

experts like you and NASCAR.

I tell you what is happening.

Cole's not running good,

he's not looking good,

and now he's got sponsor trouble.

But you don't, is that it?

As far as that goes, no, I don't.

But I want to keep the

sponsor and Cole.

He's the one that really

made this happen for us

and I haven't forgotten

that, Harry.

Right. Right.

You on the phone with

the doc? Fighting?

She's too busy to talk right now.

Here's your owner, Tim Daland.

What do you think about

this young man, Tim?

I think Russ ran a

great race today.

I'm really, really very pleased.

One hundred and two laps complete,

but we're under caution

here at North Wilkesboro.

How come Cole hasn't

seen Rowdy yet?

Cole's no different

from any other driver.

What do you mean

he's no different?

Well, I mean, of course Cole

doesn't want to see Rowdy.

Drivers can't stand

to be reminded of

what can happen to

them in a race car.

They don't go to hospitals,

they don't go to funerals.

You get a driver to a funeral

before he's actually dead,

you made history, Doc.

- He's blocking me.

- That's right.

Move the son of a bitch.

Son of a bitch.

Trickle moving to

the bottom of the

track with both

right-side tyres flat.

Russ Wheeler takes the

chequered flag...

Russ Wheeler don't

deserve to win, Tim.

If NASCAR won't call it lowdown,

shit-assed racing, you better.

- It's just racing, Harry.

- Oh, yeah?

- Cole overreacted. Yeah.

- Oh, yeah?

Change my tyres.

I don't know what

for, Cole. It's over.

Change my tyres.

There seems to be a

little post-race

activity just outside

the pit lane.

You shit.

He's destroyed both my cars.

He's destroyed both my cars.

He's fired. You're fired.

You're all fired. You hear me?

Are you going to get your

bags, head off to Daytona?

Where are you going from here?

I'll take you to the airport,

drop off the rental car,

catch a flight to Charlotte.

You want me to come with you?

You don't have to go

back to the hospital?

- We could also try to see Rowdy.

- Yeah.

Is there anything wrong with that?

Of course not.

I guess I just forgot about that.

Yeah, I know.

Cole.

Let me out of the car, Cole.

Let me out of the car, Cole.

Let me out of the car.

Let me out of the car. Let

me out or I'm getting out.

Hey. Hey, hey.

Claire. Wait. Just wait.

Get away or I'll call the police.

You'll what?

- You heard me.

- Okay, call the police.

But I'm not leaving

until you talk.

- I've got nothing to say.

- Well, I do.

Okay, great. Let's hear it.

- That's it? Fine.

- Just...

You shouldn't be

driving a car anyway.

Not on a road, not on a racetrack,

and not in a parking lot.

You're selfish, you're

crazy and you're scared.

- I'm not scared.

- You are scared to death.

You and Rowdy, you have the same

sickness. It's called denial.

And it's probably going

to kill you both.

You want to control something

that's out of control,

that's what you said

to me, wasn't it?

I'm going to let you

in on a little secret

that almost everybody else in

this world automatically knows.

Control is an illusion,

you infantile egomaniac.

Nobody knows what's

gonna happen next.

Not on a freeway, not

in an aeroplane,

not inside our own bodies,

and certainly not on a racetrack

with 40 other

infantile egomaniacs.

Nobody knows and nobody

controls anything.

Now, you've gotten a glimpse

of that and you're scared.

You might not have the

courage to race any more.

You may never have had it.

God, I hate you for this,

you son of a bitch.

You make me sound like a doctor.

Jennie.

Why are you here?

Where is he?

- I hear you're out of a job.

- Yeah.

You're not looking too good.

How many of these things

do you chew every day?

What did you come here for?

To take you to the hospital.

If it had been anybody

but a damn woman doctor,

I'd have been back on

the track weeks ago.

- Is that right?

- Yeah, that's right.

Listen, man, I've raced with

my legs broke, heart bruised,

eyes popping out of my head

like they're on springs.

This is going to go away

just like anything else.

As far as I'm concerned,

I'm going to live forever,

unless I go to some damn

hospital where they

take your shoes off,

and make you shut

your eyes, and bang, you're dead.

What did you win this for?

This one right here. What

did you win this for?

Doesn't it say?

Yeah, it's the Winston

Cup, buddy. Well,

hell, that's an

easy one to forget.

What's your name? Or has

that slipped your mind, too?

- Screw you, man.

- Okay.

We can go down there and fix your

head or we can fix it right here.

Now, what's it gonna be?

Rowdy would like to see you.

- How is he?

- He's okay.

- How are you?

- Good.

Think he'll make Daytona?

It's not for a few months.

I think he'll make it

out of the hospital.

But he'll never drive

a race car again.

Cole, this is Dr Wilhaire. He's

going to be doing the surgery.

- Cole Trickle.

- Cole.

So, how is he?

Well, the doc here says I

need minor brain surgery.

Well, that's not

exactly how I put it.

Well, listen, Doc, any surgery on

his brain is bound to be minor.

You all mind if I talk

to this guy a second?

Of course.

They say I got a busted

blood vessel in my brain.

So, they want to

drill a hole in my

head and get rid of

the leaky blood.

You think I should let

them do it, Cole?

Yeah.

- You'd let them if it was you?

- I would.

Okay, then I've got to ask

you to do something for me.

Well, name it.

- Drive my car.

- What are you talking about?

Daytona.

No, Rowdy, you have plenty of

time to get ready for Daytona.

You don't need me.

I lost my sponsor. They put

their money on me, not the car.

Now, they ain't too sure I'm

going to come out of this deal.

Are you?

I've got a lot of land and a

lot of plans I ain't paid for.

So the only way to get my

sponsor back is to make sure

my car runs good at Daytona.

All that network

TV shit, you know.

Well, you don't need

me. There's plenty

of other drivers.

You don't need me.

Don't give me that mealy-mouthed

shit, you son of a bitch.

I got to put a driver in my car

that'll finish in the top five,

before my sponsors will pick

up the tab for the year.

Maybe after Daytona,

maybe I can drive.

Maybe it'll be a different driver.

But in the meantime, I want

the best for my family.

So don't you bullshit me, Cole.

Is there some other

reason why I ain't

good enough for you to drive for?

Then you'll do it?

Shit, man. You had me going.

Now, let's get down to business

here. What's your

deal with Daland?

Hell, we'll work that out,

okay? Excuse me for a second.

- Cole, what's wrong?

- Just tell Rowdy I'll call him.

No, no, no, no, sir.

Can't use them. Don't want them.

Couldn't afford them if I did.

What the hell are

you talking about?

Race car drivers. I know all

about you and Rowdy Burns.

And I ain't setting

up that car for

Daytona or anywhere else, Cole,

but you're welcome to come on in.

We'll bring out the

moonshine and start

telling lies and

calling up the women.

But no talk about racing. Come on.

All right, no talk about racing.

Come on, Buck,

I'll race your ass.

I believe I'm gonna take

off. Good night, Harry.

Why won't you set up the car?

Ever since you and Rowdy crashed

at Daytona and Rowdy got sick,

you've been waiting for

the other shoe to drop,

waiting on something

bad to happen to you.

Just like Buddy Bretherton.

He started hearing voices.

All kinds of them, everywhere.

Atlanta, Richmond, Wilkesboro.

And all of them only had

but one thing to say,

"Get out of that race

car. Get out..."

You pegged the engine in Atlanta,

red lined the son of a bitch

and blew it sky-high.

Done it deliberate.

Done it deliberate.

9,400 rpms according to the

little telltale button.

You was worried if

you didn't get out

of that car right

quick, you'd die.

Now call me a liar.

You're not lying.

All right. What the hell

are we talking about then?

Racing Rowdy's car at Daytona.

I can't do it without you.

You can't do it period.

And I ain't going

back there, Cole.

Buddy didn't really die of

a heart attack, did he?

No, he didn't, but you

don't wanna hear about it.

NASCAR privately claimed the setup

on the car is what killed Buddy.

You used thin-walled tubing

to keep the weight down.

The exhaust fumes broke

through the fire wall

and carbon monoxide

knocked Buddy out.

Horseshit. When Buddy hit

the wall at the third turn,

he was jabbering on the radio

about as fast as he was driving.

Carbon monoxide, my ass.

That was the loudest-talking

unconscious man

you ever heard in your life.

Nothing killed Buddy

but his imagination.

Why didn't you let them

investigate, Harry? Why? Why?

Because I should have

known better than

to let him drive in

the first place.

You see, Buddy...

Buddy was a terrible pain

in the ass. He really was.

He thought he knew about cars,

which made him twice

as ignorant as you.

But still...

I look at guys like Buddy...

I've seen him do things in my race

car that's absolutely

unbelievable.

That really showed

me what I had done.

And then you see,

you're gonna automatically

have to sort of love that guy.

Whether you want to or not.

Buddy Bretherton.

I have to ask you

something, Harry.

Now, before Buddy hit the wall,

how was he actually

doing in that race?

- You hornery, no good...

- Hey, hey...

You set up that car.

You set up the car.

If you get back in that car,

you'll die. You'll die. You hear?

I'm not getting back in my

car, I'm getting in Rowdy's.

Well, I see how you're dumb

enough to be a race driver.

You think you'll hide from

your bad luck in his car?

What the hell for? For Rowdy?

If he could run tomorrow, he'd

crash you to win the race.

He's mean.

He's no particular friend, so why?

Because he asked me to.

Horseshit. You just

wanna race again.

Yeah. And so do you.

Well, you're scared.

- You're scared.

- Yeah, and so are you.

Yeah.

What?

I need this, Harry.

I don't have anything else.

You've given me a life.

God damn it, I don't

want to lose it.

Just put me in that race car.

Let me be the one to show

you what you've done.

Just trust me.

Let me drive, Harry. I won't

make a fool out of you.

I honestly just wouldn't know how

this deal's going

to turn out, Cole.

You know.

Neither do I, Harry.

I'm setting up for cool weather.

But if that sun breaks

after you're on the track,

you're liable to run

real loose real quick.

I don't wanna worry you enough,

but Cole's not ready for that.

He's changed. See, he's changed.

You cannot get out of control and

expect him to bring

you right back.

He's liable to hurt you,

you're liable to hurt him.

I couldn't handle that. So...

You've got to take care

of him. All right?

You've got to take care of him.

This is not the kind of answer

I'm looking for from you.

Daytona is a tough racetrack.

And I'm sure, myself

and everybody,

we're going to keep

an eye on Cole to see

if he's there, you know, all

his reflexes and everything.

He's plenty capable of

running that race car good

and I don't think

he has any kind of

effects from the

accident that would

be a factor in the

way he performs.

I'm glad he's well

enough to come back

and I hope I beat him

at the same time.

You know, a lot of

guys don't like him.

And it's just the situation where

the guy's got a lot of talent.

He's wide open, he doesn't

think about anything else,

he just wants to win. I like that.

Since the crash,

he's been a danger

to himself and to other drivers.

But if he comes near me, I'm

going to put him in the wall.

Simple as that.

I don't expect I'll

see too much of

him. Except in my

rear-view mirror.

Come in.

Harry said you wouldn't

mind if I stopped by.

- How's Rowdy?

- He's getting better every day.

Especially since you

told him how much

you were looking forward to

getting in his race car.

So I lied.

What are you thinking?

Just how much I'd like to

know what you're thinking.

I guess everybody's the same.

You've got to be good

at your job before

you can enjoy the

rest of your life.

This is my job.

It's all I know.

You know I can't

watch you do this.

Claire.

I'm more afraid of being nothing

than I am of being hurt.

Walk me out?

We welcome you to the

Daytona 500, the.

Super Bowl of motor racing events.

Certainly among the

favourites for today's race

has to be Russ Wheeler driving the

number 18 Hardee's sponsored car.

He has certainly given race

fans something to talk about

after winning the pole

for today's event.

But don't count out Cole Trickle,

who is returning to Daytona

for the first time

since his near-fatal

accident here last July.

Told me you guys

didn't have a sponsor.

Well, they gave us

just about enough

money to put their

name on the car.

- Tim.

- Cole.

Why is the hood up? What's

wrong with the car?

Take it easy. We had

to change engines.

We forgot to tighten the oil line.

Why did you have

to change engines?

Found some metal

in the oil filter.

- Where did you get the engine?

- Well, we stole it.

Claire, put the boy in his car,

tell him to get out on the track

before he starts

sweating, all right.

So, you're going to get

in your car and take off?

Drive carefully.

Gentlemen, start your engines.

We are underway. The

Daytona 500 is on.

We are 56 laps into

this 200-lap event

and Russ Wheeler is in the lead.

47:01 Lead is 45:90.

You're running last.

What's going on, Cole?

Are you all right?

Just past the halfway mark

and Wheeler still leads.

There's a crash at turn three, and

some oil at the

bottom of the track.

The lead is just taken.

Cars are sliding down from the top

of the track, so watch yourself.

You'd better go high, Cole. Pick

a line you can drive through.

Cole, are you all right?

Answer me, please.

Go around those wrecks.

You can drive through it.

I know it. I know it in my heart.

I'm through it, Harry.

I'm out of here.

Cole's moved up to ninth.

He's coming on strong.

Russ Wheeler in car number 18

continues to lead the way,

but the man on the

move is Cole Trickle.

I'm gonna make a hole

to get through here.

Here we go.

Wheeler knocked me into

Ganz. Ganz spun out.

He's going high.

God damn it.

And on the high side of the

track, Trickle takes the lead.

Go, Cole.

This is it, this is

what it's all about.

With just 23 laps to go,

Cole Trickle is leading.

- Take him now, Russ.

- He's all mine.

The accelerator is stuck, Harry.

It's stuck, it's

on the floorboard.

I can't slow down.

Step on the clutch and let the son

of a bitch blow it.

It's over, Cole.

Son of a...

Cole, you okay?

The good news is the

accelerator is fixed,

the bad news is the

transmission is screwed.

I'm coming in.

Are they out of the race, yet?

They will be in about 45 seconds.

That's the pace car.

Get me out in front of the pace

car or the race is over for us.

- The linkage is all twisted.

- Just give him the high gear.

Get me out there.

I got it.

Pace car's on its way.

Let's go.

- Come on, man, come on.

- Go. Go. Go.

Get out there and help

them. Go. Go. Go.

All right, all right,

we made it. Good work.

I owe you one.

Hey, you can't do that.

That's not your car.

It's my engine in that car,

I gave him that engine,

and that's what my

boys are pushing.

Cole, you better be at Max speed

when the green flag drops.

The pace car pulls off the track.

The green flag is out

and racing resumes.

Wheeler broke away,

he's still in the lead.

- Where am I?

- Running ninth.

- How many laps to go?

- Eight.

What's the interval

between me and Wheeler?

Trickle's fifth and

moving up fast, Russ.

Remember me?

I'm going to draught Wheeler, make

him pull me around the track.

The son of a bitch is on my ass.

He's going to take

me on the outside.

I'm going to put him in the wall.

- What's going on, Cole?

- I'm just setting him up, Harry.

There's the white

flag. One lap to go.

Last lap, Cole.

Don't keep this up, Cole, please.

Harry, this guy's going down.

Last turn, be careful.

He's going to

try and slingshot past you, Russ.

Don't worry, I know Cole. He

always goes to the outside.

This one's for you, Harry.

He's going high.

He's going low.

Son of a bitch.

Here come the cars

to the finish line,

it's Cole Trickle taking the win.

All right. All right.

I thought you weren't gonna watch.

I lied.

- Where's Harry?

- I don't know.

Harry.

Harry, say something, will you?

I really can't. I can't.

You didn't know how this one was

going to turn out, did you?

It's like you said.

There's nothing you

can't do in a race car.

- We won. We won.

- I know. Yeah.

Now, can you walk, or am I

going to have to carry you?

Where to?

- Victory Lane.

- Yeah.

Walk? Hell,

I'll race your ass.