Pit Stop (1969)
8KPit Stop: Directed by Jack Hill. With Brian Donlevy, Richard Davalos, Ellen Burstyn, Sid Haig. Grant Willard sponsors drivers in a “new” form of race car driving called The Figure Eight. The rise and fall of one such driver is the whole story behind PIT STOP.
“u0026#39;The Winneru0026#39; (aka u0026#39;Pit Stopu0026#39;) was made in the period between Jack Hillu0026#39;s wonderful horror cult classic u0026#39;Spider Babyu0026#39; and his early 70s Pam Grier-led renaissance (u0026#39;The Big Bird Cageu0026#39;, u0026#39;Coffyu0026#39;, Foxy Brownu0026#39;,etc.). While this movie very rarely gets mentioned it is one of Hillu0026#39;s very best, and is a tough and super cool car racing drama, much better than one would expect. Richard Davalos (best known for playing James Deanu0026#39;s brother in u0026#39;East Of Edenu0026#39;) plays Rick Bowman, a drag racing street punk who comes to the attention of car enthusiast Grant Willard (the final role for Brian Donlevy, fondly remembered as Professor Quatermass ). Willard bails him out of jail and offers him sponsorship as a race car driver. Bowman eventually accepts and becomes entranced by the tricky u0026quot;figure eightu0026quot; track Willard introduces him to. The king of the track is cocky and talented hot dogger Hawk Sidney (Hill regular Sid Haig in one of his most memorable and entertaining roles). Bowman and Sidney clash and Bowman sets his sights on knocking the latter of his perch while stealing his girl Jolene (Beverly Washburn who played Haigu0026#39;s demented sister in u0026#39;Spider Babyu0026#39;). This is just the beginning for the ruthless Bowman who will let nobody stand in his way and will attempt to destroy any man, and seduce any woman who crosses his path. Pretty soon he has his eyes on Ellen McLeod (u0026#39;The Exorcistu0026#39;s Ellen Burstyn ) the wife of champion racer Ed McLeod who he befriends. Will he betray his friends and colleagues on the eve of The Big Race, or will he finally discover he has a conscience? This is a taut and terrific drama with strong performances and exciting racing sequences that deserves to be better known. Highly recommended.”
