A lot of people are bashing this movie and I think it's only because most people don't understand it. Outside of racing, it's a movie about redemption, rebellion, finding your 2nd nature, and moving to greater things. The plot may seem sporadic and far fetched but you have to approach it thinking in the mind of what an adrenaline junkie would feel. I'm a racer myself and this movie couldn't ring more true. We all have wanted to beat a rival or find what suits us and Randy Quaid and Will Rothhaar really put these ideas into perspective.

I got this DVD from my public library for my visiting grandkids, 10 and 13. We all watched it together, and were well entertained. I especially thought Randy Quaid was a great pick to play Vic Davies, middle aged father, engine builder, single father, and former champion Kart racer. His son Watts (Will Rothhaar ) is a good kid, but keeps getting into trouble. Minor stuff, but in the opening scenes we see him street racing his cart against a dual sport motorcycle, and ending up in someone's swimming pool.SPOILERS. Dad and son do not have a good relationship, turns out mom died in an accident 4 years earlier, both of them have trouble moving on. The break comes when dad decides to teach son how to be a good racer, using the indoor track grandpa had made for dad in the shop many years earlier. Dad also designed and built a Kart, there is some drama during the qualifying race, when right before a rain postponement, their Rotax motor breaks. So they take one that dad and mom had made 4 years earlier, install it, and Watts ends up coming from behind to win the race.

This movie is cute but it is nothing like real Go Kart racing. At national events they would never let you go out on the track without a neckbrace. NEVER! Also Watts drives a Rotax well Rotax's do not shift and in the movie you can hear it shift. Lastly his enemy is out on the track with him and he is pushing karts off the track and making karts crash. In real life they do not stand for any sort of pushing or bumping you would be Disqualifed in a matter of seconds. There are plenty more things wrong with this movie but these are the three that stand out the most. The movie isn't horrible but it could have been more realistic. Anyone who knows anything about go karting or racing can tell that it is all wrong.

Kart racing isn't so easy, of course. And a goof I noticed: after the "Davies Comet" engine is installed, there is still footage of Watts racing with the Rotax Max. Also, kids that age do not race with MaxSr engines.The indoor lapping in the shop was a bit nuts.The racing sounds were overdubbed with car engines or something, because I drive a rotax kart and I have never heard it sound like that. These are two-cycle engines, and I rarely heard the noises I associate with these engines during any of the racing/driving footage.Also, these karts--RotaxMax--do not make 105mph top speed.