Collector Car Corner – Top 10 Auto Racing Movies of all time

This week it’s the Top 10 Auto Racing movies of all-time, according to this author. I welcome your comments if there are some movies you feel should be on the list. Let’s get started, and these movies are in alphabetical order. Remember, these are racing movies, not car movies, so efforts like Fast & Furious, Bullit and Gone in 60 Seconds are not considered. I’ll get to the car movies in a few weeks.

1.  Grand Prix, 1966 – John Frankenheimer’s near three-hour epic won three Oscars and featured James Garner as American driver Pete Aron and his battles both personally and in the race cars to compete on the world’s biggest auto racing stage.  Considering the year it was released, moviegoers were treated to spectacular footage and a good story line of racing, love, triumph and tragedy. In real life, Garner was respected as one of Hollywood’s true gifted drivers and he did all of his driving scenes without the use of a double. Oscars included Best Sound, Best Editing and Best Effects. Pop some corn as this film is worthy.

2. Days of Thunder 1990 – With Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Robert Duval starring, how can you go wrong? In a plot similar to Cruise’s spectacular “Top Gun” success, this time it’s NASCAR and southern style racing that fills the screen in a story of a young driver learning to overcome the setbacks that stand in his way, including his love for the doctor that treats him (Kidman) after an awful high-speed accident. Duvall’s performance is deserving of special note.

3. Greased Lightning, 1977 – Although this move is many times forgotten, it’s worth a spot on our Top 10 as Richard Pryor, Pam Greir and Beau Bridges chronicle the difficult life and times of NASCAR’s still only African American driver to ever to win a top flight NASCAR Cup race; namely Wendell Scott. It’s the “underdog” true-life movie on this list.

4. Rush, 2013 – Anytime you see the name Ron Howard as director, you know your money is well spent be it buying the DVD or paying at the box office (I did both). Rush follows the heated competition for Formula 1 championship honors between rivals James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl), the latter who nearly lost his life in a fiery crash during the 1976 season. True to life in every aspect.

5. Thunder in Carolina, 1960 – First NASCAR based film centered on the Darlington Southern 500 involves Rory Calhoun as the care-free racing roamer who is injured in a crash. He puts a young driver behind the wheel (Race Gentry) and the sparks begin to fly. Connie Hines (Gentry’s wife) and Gilligan Island’s Alan Hale Jr. make the film an enjoyable, old-time favorite. Don’t expect the best in any one area, but Thunder in Carolina was a drive-in draw and today is a NASCAR cult classic.  You’ll see several NASCAR stars of the day make appearances.

6. Talladega Nights, 2006 – How can you not get a kick out of the zaniness of this NASCAR based comedy classic as Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Sasha Baron Cohen unite to form a trinity of laughs all centered on the upper-league of stock car racing.  You’ll see many real-life cameos from Fox Sports announcer Mike Joy to drivers Darrell Waltrip and Jamie McMurray. “Shake and Bake,” (Ferrell and Reilly) go from best friends to worst enemies, and then Cohen appears on the scene, a Formula One champ looking for NASCAR fame. Yes it’s a silly plot, but entertaining nonetheless.

7. LeMans, 1971 – Steve McQueen was the actor behind this interesting movie/documentary as a Hollywood drama scenario combines with lots of action and footage from the world’s number one endurance race, the 24 Hours of LeMans. The plot isn’t anything great, but it’s sure worthy of note thanks to the footage and reality of the production.

8. Winning, 1969 – Everyone knew Paul Newman liked making movies, but his real love was auto racing and his movie Winning was the beginning of his real life ascent to a top class champion driver. His real wife, Joanne Woodward, co-stars as this plot centers around Frank Capua (Newman) and his struggle to make it to the Indy 500 even if it means trouble in his marriage and a strained relationship with his son (Richard Thomas). James Wagner co-stars.

9. The Big Wheel, 1949 – Mickey Rooney takes the wheel in this action packed movie that includes amazing footage from the Indy 500 races of the 1940s. It chronicles Rooney’s character, Billy Coy, trying to overcome a nasty fatal accident he was involved in while racing Midget cars at Ascot Speedway in California. He finds it tough shedding his reputation as this movie is worth the watch based on outstanding footage alone.

10. To Please a Lady, 1950: Clarke Gable and Barbara Stanwyck star as former war hero (Gable) is a Midget car racer who heads to the Indy 500 and crosses paths with newspaper reporter Stanwyck, who knows of his reckless and questionable driving past prior to his Indy 500 effort. Will Geer (Grandpa on TVs The Waltons) also has a role in this saga.

There you have it fans, and I know there are several movies not mentioned that nearly made the list, like the Cars animation, Cannonball Run (not really organized racing) and a few others. I’ll wait to hear from you on racing movies not included.

(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist who welcomes reader questions or comments on collector cars, auto racing or auto nostalgia at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, Pa. 18840 or email at greg@gregzyla.com)