One of the most natural things there is to a human being is racing. As soon as man stood upright it took a look at the guy next to him and set out to prove he was faster. Then we moved on to horses where the races were run by the animals under the control of their human masters. This lead to vehicles that the horses could pull from chariots to harness racing but the same basic concept has held for all time. You set out a track or course of some pre-measured distance; gather others with the reputation for being swift and then race. All of those eons of running and riding horses have led us to invention of the car which made possible on of the true pieces of Americana; NASCAR. Officially it is called the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing although for most people the acronym is the name of the sport and has become one of the most popular past times for the nation. There have been many other races involving fast cars like the Indianapolis 500 to the international Grand Prix but NASCAR is as American as mom and apple pie. In the golden age of horse racing people would dress up in their finest clothing and the race would be a major social event. This has never been the case for NASCAR and its many devoted followers. They go to the race with the wife and kids dressed in their works shirts, blue jeans and work boots. Horse racing has been called the sport of kings but NASCAR is the sport of the working class. This is only natural since for most American males there is a special bond between a man and his car that transcends all other relationships. A boy is ushered into manhood with his driver’s license and his first set of car keys. Many men will tinker for endless hours keeping his beloved vehicle in top condition. Watching a NASCAR race is an extension of that great love. There is also a strong interconnection between NASCAR and country music. The fan base for both of these all American endeavors is close to 100%. This made it only natural for CMT, Country Music Television, to come out with the definitive documentary about NASCAR; "NASCAR: The Ride of Their Lives’. It shows the men and machines behind this sport in a way that has never been presented. This is a quality documentary not just some programming the network threw together to fill a gap in their schedule. I am quite sure that it could have made a run in a theatrical release if it had been given a chance. If you are a NASCAR fan or even if you want to know more about the sport this is something that you have to have.

What separates this film from all the others you might have seen on the topic is the way it blends first person accounts of some of the greats of the sport with an in depth historical perspective. This is something that was obviously made for fans by fans. Now there are some people that may feel that watching a bunch of cars speed around an oval track over and over is boring but after watching this documentary you will see that this is a true sport where the drivers, their crews, machines and families are put through a grueling and arduous trek a quarter of a mile at a time. This is also a look at our society in a microcosm of the sport. To trace the history of the sport is to understand something that goes beyond the track. There was a time when women were not allowed in the pits. A few of the wives took it on themselves to change that rule and now work besides their husbands. This film is far from boring as it pulls back the veneer of the sport to go where few fans have been before. It is a history lesson, biography and race film all rolled up into one entertaining and informative package.

The film opens with a comment by the narrator, Kevin Costner, that from the first Daytona 500 race to the fiftieth the journey of NASCAR has been about more than racing. It has been about those who have taken the ride. This sums up the focus of the documentary; that it will give the viewers a look at not only the sport but the men and women that made it great. The first official NASCAR race was at Daytona on February 22, 1959. Some great vintage film of the event is show to help place the documentary in its historic perspective. The fiftieth race was run on February 17, 2008. the track seem pretty much the same and although there have been many modifications and advancements to the vehicles the spirit of the men involved in the sport has remained the same. The film contrasts the events of the first and fiftieth races show the crowds, the spectacle surrounding the events and the men preparing to race. In the first race we see Richard Petty climb into his car which is juxtaposed to a modern driver. The driver from last year looks more like an astronaut climbing into the old Mercury space craft than a car. Many of the sections of the film concentrate on some of the changes that were made in the race and attitudes surround the sport that mirrored social changes in our culture. One such segment was on the struggle driver Wendell Scott had for acceptance. In 1961 he became the first African American driver in the sport. This was just prior to the civil rights movement that would occur just a few years later. The sport is extremely popular in the south were segregation and discrimination was wide spread. Although he came in first in a race in Jacksonville, Florida he was not announced as the winner. Another intriguing section of the film covers the battle that was fought for women’s rights in the seventies. The wife of NASCAR legend, Stevie, the wife of NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip wanted to help her husband in his career. At the time there were signs posted that forbad women and children from the hectic pit area; for their own protection of course. Stevie was persistent and managed to get the rules changed and was allowed to work along side Darrell in the put crew. Segments like this demonstrated just how American the sport is mirroring the social changes that were taking place in our nation. Feminism and civil rights were explosions in our culture and many of the advances started in NASCAR before gaining general acceptance. Some of the stories were far more personal in nature. Tragedy followed the family of Bobby Allison. In 1988 he nearly died in a crash on the track that lead to his retirement. His son Clifford was killed in a crash in 1991 followed by a helicopter crash covering a race that took the life of his other son. Davey.

The brilliance of this documentary is how it gives a complete look at the sport. The racing footage is amazing to watch but what will really affect you is the behind the scenes stories. This humanizes the greats of the sport and shows them as dedicated drivers and most importantly men that are even more devoted to their families. This is a human tale of courage, conviction and most of all love.