User:The Bushranger/sandbox

Steel Chariots is a 1997 made-for-TV movie starring Ben Browder and John Beck and directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. Aired on September 23, 1997 on Fox, it was intended as the pilot for a proposed 13-episode TV series, poor reception meant that the series was not picked up.

Plot
NASCAR driver D.J. Tucker must battle injury and his on-track rivals to both get the girl and win the championship.

See:
 * Need to find an image of the #9 "Ace Hardware" Ford: See:

Cast
As per screen credits, first identified:
 * John Beck as Dale Tucker
 * Kathleen Nolan as Ethel Tucker
 * Ben Browder as D.J. Tucker
 * Heidi Mark as Amber
 * Randy Travis as Rev. Wally Jones
 * Scott Gurney as Brett Tucker
 * Madison Michele as Melissa Bogart
 * Brian Van Holt as Franklin Jones
 * Heather Stephens as Josie
 * Robby Preddy as Charlotte Tucker
 * Jeff Gordon as Himself
 * Mark Martin as Himself
 * Rusty Wallace as Himself
 * Ned Jarrett as Himself
 * Benny Parsons as Himself

Production
Steel Chariots was filmed at Talladega Superspeedway during the weekend of the 1997 Winston 500. On May 10, 1997, Mark Martin won in a caution free- race record speed of 188.354 mph, at the time, the fastest NASCAR race ever run.

The production featured NASCAR drivers: Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace and also had the ESPN broadcast color crew of Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett, both noted former drivers.

Reception
Steel Chariots was described as "a high-school drama set at a NASCAR stock car race".