Junior Jackson (Jeff Bridges) is a Southern boy with a penchant for driving too fast along his native North Carolina backroads. But when his father, Elroy (Art Lund), is jailed for moonshining, Junior decides to go pro, if only to be able to buy Elroy a few prison privileges. With the help of his brother, Wayne (Gary Busey), he slowly climbs the ranks of the various racing circuits. Often at odds with corporate sponsors, Jackson nevertheless becomes one of the first celebrities of NASCAR.