Tom Cruise stars as Cole Trickle, a young hot-shot racecar driver who enters the world of NASCAR. Old-time crew chief Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall) soon realizes that the cocky Cole knows nothing about cars other than driving. A father-son bond develops between Cole and Harry that propels them to legitimacy in the race world. An accident leads Cole to meet neurologist Nicole Kidman and romance blossoms. But Cole's hot temper creates trouble with sponsors, NASCAR officials, and fellow competitors. With Randy Quaid, Fred Dalton Thompson, Michael Rooker, and Cary Elwes. "Let me out of the cah, Cole!"