Steel Chariots

As a long-time NASCAR fan, once again it's sad to see Hollywood botch a racing film. (Days of Thunder is the most well-known flawed portrayal.) Steel Chariots, a Fox made-for-TV film, is far worse than Days of Thunder was, though. Days, for all its portrayal of NASCAR drivers as homicidal and/or suicidal maniacs when behind the wheel, had good actors (Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, Nicole Kidman, Fred Thompson), while this film has actors who seem more wooden than the NASCAR personalities who make cameos. It also has some really offensive stereotypes, perhaps -- perhaps -- one step ahead of Dukes of Hazard. A couple of good race shots are all that salvage this from being an unmitigated disaster... instead, it's a very slightly mitigated disaster.