Do you know anybody at Daytona Memorial?
- The chief of staff. - Is he a race fan?
Russ Wheeler is driving for us, till you get your medical clearance.
It's a real pleasure to race your car, Mr. Trickle.
l need the home address of a doctor ...
I'm only sorry l won't be able to drive it as good as you.
I'll see you later, Harry.
The doctor ...
What?
l was desperate to get your attention.
You got it. l walked into a jungle.
It's nicely extravagant, but l can't. I'm a doctor on call.
Somebody has to re-examine me. I'll take you to a race.
l don't want to watch you guys chasing each other on my day off.
How about chasing me on your day off?
l don't have a day off. I'm on call 24 hours.
- Let's suppose you had a day off. - Sugar.
Could l interest you in the North Carolina countryside?
- Speaking theoretically?. - Speaking theoretically.
Maybe. You'd have to convince my boss.
Good. How tall are you?
- What did he say?. - Fly to Charlotte to see the boys.
You're very quick.
You ought to see me drive.
- Rowdy is not here. - l told him to be here by five.
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.
Back on the table.
- This is tough. - Examinations always are.
l might not like what l see.
That has to worry you. Pick a spot on the wall and look at it.
Please, don't move your eyes. 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 Lowinski sign.
lf the toe goes up, you're in trouble. You're cleared to race.
I'm sorry, it just drove me nuts in there.
- How could you ignore me like that? - l wasn't ignoring you!
l wasn't ignoring you. l gave you a very thorough physical.
- Don't do anything weird. - l won't.
It's something Harry and l work on together.
It's called draughting.
One car tucks in behind another. Two cars can go faster than one.
They divide the air resistance.
The lead car has to floor it to hit 200 mph.
The car behind doesn't. He can go just as fast with power in reserve.
When these two cars come off that last turn, -
- the car at the back can move out of the draught, -
- slingshot past the lead car and beat it to the finish line.
He goes straight to Victory Lane.
- You and Harry work on that? - More or less.
Yeah, right. Is there anything you want to do besides racing?
- Anything you say. - You must want something else ...
... eventually.
l can tell you what l don't want to be in life, and that's a fraud.
l want to know it's not just luck that gets me round that racetrack.
- But that's not what you're asking. - What am l asking?
- How can l be in bed with this guy?. - l know the answer to that one.
How could a brilliant brain doctor be in bed with a racing driver?.
What's your response to that, by the way?.
Do something to make me respect you.
Tell me what you love so much about racing.
The speed.
To be able to control it.
To know that l can control something that's out of control.
I'd really have to show you.
Show me.
It's funny. When l grew up, all l wanted to do was work on race cars.
Now all l want to do is to make enough money to work on a farm.
- Hi, Claire, I'm Jennie. - Nice to meet you.
We're going to build our permanent home up there.
- Does it cost much? - About $10 million.
Jennie's doing the building. She's designing the house.
We just want a place that no one's lived in but us.
- What is it? - I'm just seasick.
You didn't forget about the physical.
Nobody in my family goes to a doctor unless they're dying.
- I'm just not feeling good. - Stand with your feet together.
Put your arms out.
Close your eyes.
Take it easy. I've got you.
I'm fine.
Go back to Daytona.
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. You're one hell of a candy-ass.
It's imperative that you get back to Daytona and see Dr Wilhaire.
There's another new Winston Cup team sponsored by Hardee's.
The driver is Russ Wheeler, -
- the young man who subbed so superbly for Cole Trickle.
Listen to this horseshit.
With these two competitive spirits, will there be any conflict?
We believe we can maintain the integrity of these two race teams.
Who will you be rooting for, Tim?
I'll wave to Cole every time l lap him.
- These new tires are terrible. - You're doing good, Cole.
I'm too loose.
- The car feels all wrong. - Cole's upset.
- What about? - About being in that race car.
Wheeler just passed the eight car. He's coming up on your inside.
Jesus!
- The engine blew. - How?.
I'm not a mechanic, Harry.
I'm in Georgia. Rowdy's in North Carolina.
Somebody better talk him into coming down here.
The longer he ignores it, the more damage will be done to his brain.
- Where's Cole? - He's on the phone.
We could use a little privacy.
- What's wrong with him? - What's wrong is you, Tim.
- Two race teams is one too many! - It doesn't bother Russ Wheeler.
No, with Cole's reputation Wheeler knows he can bump him all he wants.
l don't see Russ doing anything like that, neither does NASCAR.
It ain't happening then, under the watchful eyes of you experts!
l tell you what is happening:
Cole's not running good and now he's got sponsor trouble.
- But you don't? - No.
But l want to keep the sponsor and Cole. He made this all happen.
Right!
Were you on the phone with the doc? Fighting?
She's too busy to talk right now.
Here's your owner, Tim Daland.
Russ ran a great race today. I'm very pleased.
102 laps complete, but we're under caution here at North Wilkesboro.
- Cole hasn't seen Rowdy yet. - Cole's just like any other driver.
He doesn't want to see Rowdy.
Drivers don't like to be reminded of what can happen to them out there.
The only time a driver goes to a funeral is when he's actually dead.
- He's blocking me. - That's right.
Move the son of a bitch!
Son of a bitch!
Trickle at the bottom of the track with both right-side tires flat.
Wheeler takes the chequered flag.
Wheeler doesn't deserve to win. That's low-down shit-assed racing.
It's just racing. Cole overreacted.
- Change my tires. - l don't know what for. It's over.
There seems to be a little post-race activity just outside the pit lane.
You shit!
He's destroyed both my cars!
He's fired! You're all fired!
- Are you heading off to Daytona? - Where are you going from here?
I'll take you to the airport. I'll catch a flight to Charlotte.
- You want me to come with you? - What about the hospital?
We could try to see Rowdy.
- Is there anything wrong with that? - Of course not.
- l guess l forgot about that. - Yeah, l know.
Let me out of the car.
Let me out.
- Let me out or I'm getting out. - Hey!
Claire! Wait.
- Get away or I'll call the police. - I'm not leaving until we talk.
- I've got nothing to say. - Well l do!
That's it? Fine.
You shouldn't be driving a car, not on a road or a racetrack.
You're selfish, you're crazy and you're scared.
You and Rowdy have a sickness. It's called denial.
And it's probably going to kill you both.
You want to control something that's out of control, right?
I'm going to let you in on a secret that most other people know.
Control is an illusion. Nobody knows what's going to happen next.
Not on a freeway, -
- and certainly not on a racetrack with 40 other infantile egomaniacs.
Nobody controls anything. You've had a glimpse of that and you're scared.
You might not have the courage to race anymore.
l hate you for this. You make me sound like a doctor.
Jennie ...
Why are you here?
Where is he?
- l hear you're out of a job. - Yeah.
You're not looking too good.
- How many of these do you take? - What did you come here for?.
To take you to the hospital.
lf it wasn't for that woman doctor, I'd be back on the track.
- Is that right? - Yeah, that's right.
I've raced with my legs broken, heart bruised and eyes popping out.
This is going to go away. I'm going to live forever, -
- unless l go to some damn hospital where you just lay down and die.
What did you win this for?. This one right here.
- Doesn't it say?. - Yeah, it's the Winston Cup.
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!
Rowdy would like to see you.
- How is he? - He's okay.
- How are you? - Good.
- Will he make Daytona? - He'll make it out of the hospital.
But he'll never drive a race car again.
This is Dr Wilhaire. He's going to be doing the surgery.
Cole Trickle.
How is he?
The doc says l need minor brain surgery.
Any surgery on his brain is bound to be minor.
- Can l talk to this guy a second? - Of course.
A blood vessel in my brain busted.
They want to drill a hole in my head and get rid of the blood.
- Should l let them do it? - Yeah.
- You'd let them if it was you? - l would.
Then I've got to ask you to do something for me.
- Drive my car. - What?
Daytona.
You've got plenty of time to get ready for Daytona.
l lost my sponsor. They're not sure I'm going to come out of this deal.
Are you?
I've got a lot of land and a lot of plans l ain't paid for.
So to get my sponsor back, my car has to run good at Daytona.
All that network TV shit.
- There's plenty of other drivers. - Don't give me that shit.
My car has to be in the top five, -
- before my sponsors will pick up the tab for the year.
Maybe after Daytona l can drive.
In the meantime, l want the best for my family, so don't bullshit me.
Is there some other reason why l ain't good enough to drive for?.
Then you'll do it?
Shit, man! You had me going.
Let's get down to business. What's your deal with Daland?
l haven't worked it out. Excuse me for a second.
- Cole, what's wrong? - Tell Rowdy I'll call him.
No, sir! Can't use 'em. Don't want 'em. Can't afford 'em.
- What are you talking about? - Race car drivers. You and Rowdy.
l ain't setting up that car for Daytona.
But come on in. We'll bring out the moonshine and start telling lies.
- But no talk about racing. - All right, no talk about racing.
I'll race your ass.
I'm going to take off. Good night, Harry.
Why won't you set up the car?.
Ever since you and Rowdy crashed at Daytona -
- you've been waiting on something bad to happen to you.
Just like Buddy Bretherton. He started hearing voices.
All of them saying one thing:
''Get out of that race car.''
You pegged the engine at Atlanta and blew it sky-high.
It was deliberate.
9,400 rpm according to the telltale button.
You thought if you didn't get out of that car you'd die.
Now call me a liar.
- You're not lying. - What are we talking about then?
Racing Rowdy's car at Daytona. l can't do it without you.
You can't do it period.
l ain't going back there, Cole.
Buddy didn't die of a heart attack.
No, he didn't, but you don't want to hear about it.
NASCAR privately claimed that your car is what killed Buddy.
You used thin-walled tubing to keep the weight down.
- Carbon monoxide knocked Buddy out. - Horseshit.
When Buddy hit the wall, he was talking as fast as he was driving.
That was the loudest-talking unconscious man you ever heard.
Why didn't you let them investigate?
Because l should have known better than to let him drive.
Buddy was a terrible pain in the ass.
He thought he knew about cars, which made him twice as ignorant as you.
Still ...
Guys like Buddy ...
I've seen him do things in my car that are unbelievable.
He showed me what l had done.
Then you automatically have to sort of love the guy ...
... whether you want to or not.
Buddy Bretherton.
l have to ask you something.
Before Buddy hit the wall, how was he doing in that race?
You ornery, no good ...
You stay out of that car.
lf you get back in that car, you'll die. You hear?.
I'm not getting back in my car, I'm getting in Rowdy's.
You dumb drivers.
You think you'll hide from your bad luck in his car?.
He'd crash you tomorrow to win the race!
- He's no particular friend, so why?. - He asked me to.
- You just want to race again. - And so do you.
Well, you're scared.
Yeah, and so are you.
Yeah.
What?
l need this, Harry.
l don't have anything else.
You've given me a life.
l don't want to lose it.
Put me in that car. Let me be the one to show you what you've done.
Just trust me.
Let me drive. l won't make a fool out of you.
l ... honestly don't know how this deal's going to turn out.
Neither do l, Harry.
I'm setting up for cool weather. lf the sun breaks, you'll run loose.
Cole's not ready for that. He's changed.
You cannot get out of control.
He's liable to hurt you and you're liable to hurt him.
l couldn't handle that.
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.
We're going to keep an eye on Cole to see if he has all his reflexes.
l don't think that the accident will affect the way Cole performs.
l hope l beat him.
A lot of guys don't like him. The guy's got a lot of talent.
He just wants to win.
He's been a danger to himself and to other drivers.
lf he comes near me, I'm going to put him in the wall.
l only expect to see him in my rear-view mirror.
Come in.
Harry said you wouldn't mind if l stopped by.
- How's Rowdy?. - He's getting better every day.
Especially since you said you were looking forward to racing his car.
So l lied.
- What are you thinking? - 'What's he thinking?''
Everybody's the same. You've got to be good at your job to enjoy life.
This is my job.
It's all l know.
You know l can't watch you do this.
Claire ...
I'm more afraid of being nothing than l am of being hurt.
Walk me in?
Welcome to the Daytona 500, the Superbowl of motor racing.
Among today's favorites has to be Wheeler in the Hardee's car.
He's the man to watch, after winning the pole for today's event.
But don't count out Cole Trickle.
He's returning to Daytona for the first time since his accident.
l heard you didn't have a sponsor.
They gave us just enough money to put their name on the car.
- Tim. - Cole.
Why is the hood up? What's wrong?
We had to change engines. We forgot to tighten the oil line.
- Why did you change engines? - There was metal in the oil filter.
- Where did you get the engine? - We stole it.
Claire, put the boy in his car before he starts sweating.
So, are you 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 the 200-lap event and Wheeler is in the lead.
You're 47:01 . The leader's 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. Oil at the bottom of the track.
Cars are sliding down from the top of the track.
You'd better go high. Pick a line you can drive through.
Cole, are you all right? Answer me, please.
Go around those wrecks. You can drive through it.
l know it in my heart.
I'm through it, Harry!
I'm out of here.
Cole's moved up to ninth.
Wheeler continues to lead, but the man on the move is Cole Trickle.
I'm going to make a hole to get through here.
Here we go.
Wheeler knocked me into Ganz. Ganz spun out.
He's going high. Goddamn it!
Trickle takes the lead.
Go, Cole.
This is what it's all about.
With 23 laps to go, Cole Trickle is leading.
- Take him now, Russ. - He's all mine.
The accelerator is stuck.
l can't slow down.
Step on the clutch and let the son of a bitch blow it.
Son of a ...
The accelerator is fixed, but the transmission is screwed.
- Are they out of the race? - They will be.
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.
- I've got it. - Let's go.
- Come on. - Go! Go! Go!
Get out there and help them!
- We made it. Good work. - l owe you one.
That's not your car.
It's my engine in that car and that's what my boys are pushing.
You've got to be at top speed when the green flag drops.
The green flag is out and racing resumes.
Wheeler's still in the lead.
- Where am l? - Ninth. Eight laps to go.
- Am l gaining on Wheeler?. - Trickle's moving up fast.
Remember me?
I'm going to draught Wheeler, make him pull me around.
He's on my ass.
He's going on the outside. I'm going to put him in the wall.
I'm setting him up, Harry.
There's the white flag. One lap to go.
- Don't keep this up, Cole, please. - This guy's going down!
Last turn, Russ. He'll try and slingshot past you.
l 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 comes the finish line, and Cole Trickle takes the win!
- You weren't going to watch. - l lied.
- Where's Harry?. - l don't know.
Harry ...
- Say something, will you? - l really can't.
You didn't know how this was going to turn out.
It's like you said: There's nothing you can't do in a race car.
- We won. - Yeah.
Can you walk, or am l going to have to carry you?
Where to?
- Victory Lane. - Oh yeah.
Walk?. Hell ...
I'll race your ass!