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Not long ago, the world watched as young athletes represented their countries in the Olympic Games. From a young age, those athletes dedicated their lives to their sport, training while other kids went to birthday parties and hung out at the mall. The same is true of the kids in director Marshall Curry’s documentary, Racing Dreams—but these kids are training for a very different kind of competition.
Eleven-year-old Annabeth Barnes spends her weekends at the track, pursuing her dream of becoming the first woman to win NASCAR’s Daytona 500. Still too young to get behind the wheel of a real car, Annabeth competes in the WKA, the World Karting Association—often called the Little League of professional racing. Throughout the season, she competes against boys her age—and she usually beats most of them, too.
One of the boys to beat is 12-year-old Josh Hobson, a thoughtful, considerate competitor—and a national champion. When he’s not racing, he’s practicing everything from his driving plans to his interview techniques, dreaming that someday he’ll be just like his racing hero, Jeff Gordon.
And, finally, there’s 13-year-old Brandon Warren, a hot-headed daredevil who lost last year’s title after being disqualified in the last race for rough driving. As he approaches what could be his last year of racing, though, he’s facing a new problem. His father, who’s been in and out of prison for Brandon’s whole life, has decided to visit him at his grandparents’ house, putting the whole family on edge.
Racing Dreams follows the three young competitors throughout a year of competition—through the wins and losses, the family drama, and even an adorably awkward romance. You’ll get to know them both on and off the track, as they deal with the pressures of competition and the sacrifices they have to make to compete.
Of course, the film’s most exciting moments are the scenes at the track, during the WKA’s five races. The racing scenes are intense and suspenseful—as, like the kids’ families, viewers watch from the sidelines, anxiously waiting to see who will pull ahead and get the win in the end. Karting is a dangerous sport—with kids racing at 80 to 90 miles per hour in an open vehicle—and, with each new race, you’ll hold your breath, hoping that all three kids make it out unharmed.
But Racing Dreams is about more than just the races. As you follow the kids and their families from race to race, you’ll get attached to them. You’ll worry about poor Annabeth, whose passion seems to waver as she thinks about the sleepovers and parties that she’s missing at home. You’ll be inspired by Josh’s hard work and dedication. And even though Brandon isn’t the easiest character to love, you’ll even start to cheer for him as he deals with a difficult family situation and possibly the end of his dream.
After watching the kids for 90 minutes, you’ll become so attached, in fact, that you’ll want some kind of a follow-up—to see where the kids’ racing dreams take them in the next year. But, unfortunately, the film ends with the racing season, and you’ll be left with some unanswered questions.
Still, Racing Dreams is an entertaining and inspiring documentary that the whole family can enjoy. It’s not just a movie about car racing or NASCAR. It’s a movie about racing toward a dream. And whether your dream is to be a NASCAR champion, an Olympic champion, or even a successful musician, you’ll relate to these young dreamers’ stories.
