50 Best Racing Movies Of All Time Ranked

It didn't take long after the advent of moving pictures for someone to have the idea to put automobiles on screen. The first car chase is largely credited to 1903's "Runaway Match"; by 1913's "The Speed Kings," Fatty Arbuckle was overseeing a thrilling hotrod race, and all sorts of imaginative scenes were being filmed as one emerging technology embraced another. 

The difference between "race" and "chase" in cinema history can sometimes feel like splitting hairs. But by 1968, Steve McQueen and "Bullitt" were defining the modern car chase, empowering folks like McQueen and Paul Newman to embrace their racing obsessions, and a few decades later, the "Fast and the Furious" franchise would become one of the most profitable series of its time. Now, more than a century later, car chases/races remain every bit as thrilling to film audiences.

From documentaries about real-life drivers to fictionalized accounts of famous races, films that are pure adrenaline-fueled fantasy on a racetrack and others about racing on two wheels, dirt, or some other way, the "racing" movie is a genre open to interpretation. Some films are genuinely great works of filmmaking, others the sort of movies made for light Saturday night viewing when you want to turn off you brain and just go along for the ride. 

Below is a breakdown of the absolute best racing movies of all time. While strict "car chase" classics have been saved for their own list elsewhere (sorry, "The French Connection"!), as have films depicting other sorts of races (our apologies, "Hidalgo"!), this list considers all genres — and serves as a reminder that as long as we have cars to take us places, we're going to want to see who can get there the fastest.

Sometimes it's hard to think of Burt Reynolds and not imagine him behind the wheel of an automobile — understandable, given his late '70s/early '80s run in "Smokey and the Bandit" and "The Cannonball Run" movies. Lost, perhaps, in the gauzy haze of recollection is another Reynolds gem that deserves just as much love, 1983's Hal Needham-directed "Stroker Ace."

While not a hit with critics (or the box-office) at the time, "Ace" has since become something of a cult classic, particularly with real-life race car drivers. In fact, in 2021 — 38 years after the movie's release — NASCAR driver Corey LaJoie repainted his car in tribute to the film.

"As a teenager in the 1980s, 'Stroker Ace' was always a favorite of mine," LaJoie said of his embracing of the chicken-themed "Ace" look. "As one of my all-time favorite movies, it's pretty cool Circle B Diecast has come up with a paint scheme to honor 'Stroker Ace' ... this is a great opportunity to honor not just Ned [Beatty], but also Hal Needham, Burt Reynolds, Jim Neighbors, Loni Anderson and Bubba Smith."

That collection of early-'80s stars makes "Ace" a lot of fun. Sure, it might not be anyone's first, second, or even third-favorite Burt Reynolds car movie, but "Stroker Ace" is nevertheless an entertaining watch. 

In terms of critical reception, "Smokey and the Bandit" may have won out over "The Cannonball Run," but for fans of racing — or, quite honestly, just the sight of actors who look like they're having fun — this film, also directed by Reynolds friend/longtime stuntman Hal Needham, is hard to beat.

The movie's all-star cast includes not only Reynolds and his pal Dom DeLuise, but also Dean Martin, Jackie Chan, Farrah Fawcett, Sammy Davis Jr., and even Roger Moore poking fun at James Bond right in the middle of his run playing the character. At times, this screwball comedy about a cross-country race feels like you've been invited to the most amazing early '80s party you could ever want to attend. "Cannonball Run" managed to rank third in domestic gross for 1981 (beating such classics as "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "For Your Eyes Only"), a reminder of just how popular of the movie was with audiences. A 1984 sequel would up the revelry, but fall woefully short by just about every other metric.

This was the movie during which the "Fast & Furious" franchise started really digging into the cops and robbers, double- and triple-cross-heavy lore that would weigh down later installments and sap some fun out of the franchise. But that is only lightly touched upon in "2 Fast 2 Furious," the only installment that would be directed by John Singleton. It is also the only film not to feature so much as a cameo by Vin Diesel; Tyrese Gibson, his quasi-replacement, just isn't the same.

Despite such shortcomings, "2 Fast 2 Furious" was more of the same in all the ways that mattered. With a studio emboldened by the unexpected success of the fairly modestly-budgeted original, they threw a lot more money at the sequel — and it showed in some impressive-looking race and stunt scenes. Some people missed the somewhat scrappy nature and smaller scope of the original, but those days were long gone as the series was only going to get, well ... significantly faster and much more furious from this point on.

Plenty of race movies are adaptations of existing material, but 2003's "Michel Vaillant" is unique in that it is a live action movie based on a series of French racing comic books from the late-1950s. The comics, which have continued to exist in various forms to this day, had previously been turned into both a live-action and an animated series in France, with the latter being brought to the U.S. in the early-'90s through a partnership with Mattel, rebranded as "Heroes On Hot Wheels."

But the most ambitious use of the "Michel Vaillant" IP thus far is the film. Although it was not well-received by critics or audiences in its native France, and was deemed a failure in spite of an aggressive marketing campaign, with a script co-written by Luc Besson it is worth a look — if you can track it down. 

"Michael Vaillant" has never seen any sort of official release outside of France, but this stylish, fever-paced racing film benefits from its characters having a different vibe than those in typical American-made racing dramas, and it deserves to be seen in the States.

In a poll that asked "Fast & Furious" fans which installments they would get rid of if they could, the "winner" was "Tokyo Drift." The third entry in the series, "Tokyo Drift" takes the "2 Fast 2 Furious" approach of shedding major characters to the extreme by introducing an almost entirely new ensemble. It was an odd, "Halloween III"-like gamble for a series that didn't seem to be losing fans at that point. Was it meant to be the start of its own separate series to run concurrent with the "main" entries? Was the franchise going to take the "Final Fantasy" route and have each movie be its own thing with unique stories and characters? It's tough to know what any long term plans would've looked like, because "Tokyo Drift" was seen as a disappointment upon release and the franchise soon got back on its original track — relegating "Tokyo Drift" to being a barely-recognized side story (except when it isn't).

But the racing in "Tokyo Drift" is some of the most impressive in the series. The first thirty minutes makes for one of the most intense stretches of car-based action ever put to film, and the movie's climactic downhill race might just leave you breathless. Overall, some may view the film as a disappointing "Fast & Furious" entry, but that doesn't make it a bad racing movie. 

It may have taken until 2014 for Norway to produce its "first real car movie," but the Land of the Midnight Sun started strong, with a film successful enough to spawn two sequels over the ensuing six years. The local media were calling "Børning" a Norwegian reboot of "The Fast and the Furious," showing that they had high hopes for the film's potential. And while the plot of "Børning" is quite different than any of the "Fast & Furious" movies, the stylistic and spiritual similarities are definitely there — along with moments when it is worthy of mention alongside the United States' all time most popular racing franchise.

Norway's critics were a bit kinder to "Børning 2" on average, but the original serves as the ideal representation for the trilogy because — like the original "The Fast and the Furious" film — it has a smaller focus on a tighter core of characters and is forced to remain a more localized experience because of its smaller budget. Whereas things go much more into stunt territory in the second and third films, the original "Børning" is still primarily a race movie, and one that is worth the difficult task of finding a way to watch it outside of its native land. As of this writing, only the third movie is available digitally in the U.S. (currently on Netflix). 

Elvis Presley made a handful of movies that received a positive reception from critics — "Jailhouse Rock," "King Creole," "Viva Las Vegas," and "Flaming Star" — but he released about four times as many that were largely panned. Somewhere between those well-reviewed films and the ones so bad even his biggest fans can't defend them is "Speedway," Presley's 1968 race car romp. His romantic co-lead in the film is Nancy Sinatra, in what would be her last film role. Coincidence? It's hard to say.

Presley's "Speedway" character is Steve Grayson who, breaking with the tradition of the typical protagonist of a fictional NASCAR movie, is a really kind, sweet, and generous guy. His manager takes advantage of him by gambling away Steve's winnings, which gets Nancy Sinatra's IRS agent involved. Yeah ... like most Elvis movies, it's best not to get too bogged down in the details of the plot. Whenever things start to get too ridiculous, Presley will flash his 1,000-megawatt smile, swish his hips, and/or sing a song. And in the midst of all that, there even manages to be some halfway-decent racing action. It's nowhere close to Presley's best film, but miles away from his worst; "Speedway" is the sort of movie that's fun to have on in the background of a breezy Sunday afternoon.

When people think of Richard Pryor movies, they tend to go straight to the absolute best or the absolute worst. The comedian made a lot of films during his career, with many that have been almost entirely forgotten — and in some cases, that's probably for the best. But among Pryor's lesser-known films that deserve more attention is the 1977 biopic "Greased Lightning" where he portrayed Wendell Scott, the first black NASCAR winner. 

To be fair, it's the kind of movie that is perhaps a bit more important than it is a good movie, but that's not to say it isn't worth watching. In fact, beyond just bringing more attention to trailblazer Scott, Richard Pryor gets the rare opportunity in "Greased Lightning" to show that he truly can act beyond just being the bumbling funny guy, making the movie well worth checking out.

There aren't any impressive racing scenes in "Greased Lightning," with most of the action shown from inside the car. While that was likely done for budgetary reasons, it also allows the focus to be on Pryor rather than his racing, which is entirely the point. After all, not every "racing movie" needs to be jam-packed with racing any more than every movie about a football player needs to have extended scenes of on-the-field action. 

Here it is: The movie that launched a billion-dollar franchise and countless memes about family. It's hard to remember a time when a movie in the "Fast & Furious" franchise had what could be classified as a modest budget, but indeed, "The Fast and the Furious" was made for the relatively meager cost of $38 million. "2 Fast 2 Furious" nearly doubled that, and the budgets only continued to balloon with each subsequent entry. 

Besides needing all that extra cash to pay the salaries of the ever-expanding roster of stars, later "Fast & Furious" movies put those massive budgets to use on increasingly over-the-top set pieces that are exciting to watch but get further and further away from what made the franchise popular in the first place. The original movie was actually still mostly about street racing, and was content to thrill audiences with just having cars do cool things while racing other cars. In this way, it remains the best entry in the series in terms of pure racing action, and is likely still the favorite of those who just want to see a movie that celebrates cars and car culture.

Many American moviegoers were first introduced to international superstar Jackie Chan via his roles in "The Cannonball Run" and "Cannonball Run II." In fact, it was the bloopers over the end credits in the sequel that inspired Jackie to start including bloopers at the end of his own films, a tradition he would maintain for decades. However, despite being associated with racing movies early in his American career, it would be awhile before he'd star in his own take on the genre. When he did, in 1995's "Thunderbolt" (aka "Dead Heat"), he did so with a bang.

Up until very recently, Jackie Chan was known for doing all his own stunts — and that includes stunts that involve him being behind the wheel as well. So all of the very impressive (and very dangerous) driving and racing sequences in "Thunderbolt" are indeed being performed by Jackie himself, making them all the more captivating. And no CGI work here. 

Some have pointed out the similarities between "Thunderbolt" and "The Fast and the Furious," even going so far as to say that Jackie's car action romp directly inspired the latter. Either way, "Thunderbolt" doesn't get as much love it should and was overshadowed by the release of "Rumble in the Bronx" that same year, but it definitely deserves a place among Chan's best movies.

Pixar was known for not making any bad movies for the first 15 years or so, an impressive run bookended by the first two "Toy Story" movies; then they released "Cars 2," to this day the only Pixar movie with a "Rotten" score on Rotten Tomatoes. But "Cars" is one of the company's biggest franchises — especially in terms of profits — and they weren't about to let it go out like that.

There was a lot riding on "Cars 3." Not only did it need to make up for its disappointing predecessor, but it had to live up to Pixar's previous "part 3," the widely-beloved "Toy Story 3." 

Although "Cars 3" isn't in that neighborhood, it did save the franchise with a film that was at least as good as the original. It smartly brings the action back to the racetrack after the globe-spanning spy movie the second movie aspired to be, and the 11 years that had passed since the original film meant 11 years of technological advancement in the field of computer animation, allowing Pixar to deliver some of the most visually striking, almost photo-real animated racing action ever seen. 

Even those who aren't huge into anime have probably heard of "Initial D," arguably the most famous racing anime franchise of all time that doesn't feature the Mach 5 and a talking monkey. One might be tempted to check out the 2005 live-action film adaptation if they are curious about the franchise, but that would be a mistake. Not only is that film generally considered a disappointment, but it doesn't do justice to the property and explain why it's been popular for the better part of 30 years. 

In terms of "Initial D" in feature-length film form, the way to go is "New Initial D: The Movie," a somewhat rebooted trilogy that was released across the mid-2010s. Honestly, all three movies tell one huge story and each one is more of a chapter in an extra-long film, and the entire thing is well worth the time investment. But the first installment, subtitled "Awakening," is a good place to start and a thoroughly entertaining racing epic that could be enjoyed as a standalone movie if not for the obvious cliffhanger ending. Ultimately, there are all kinds of ways to experience the world of "Initial D," from movies to series to video games and manga, and it's a journey that any racing fan should take even if they are hesitant when it comes to anime. 

Originally titled "Veloce come il vento," or "Fast As The Wind," in its native Italy, "Italian Race" explores a racing family plagued by their own shortcomings and determined to rise above. 

The film focuses on a brother and sister, he a former racer past his prime, she an up-and-coming one with the potential to be a champion. Unfortunately, his drug use has taken a terrible toll on both his career and life, though he still has the mind of racer. She has all the tools needed to become an all-star, but is too green and uncertain of herself. It might be easy to spot what's coming from a mile away — his grizzled experience, coupled with her young athleticism must work in tandem in order to achieve racing glory as a family.

While "Italian Race" covers a lot of familiar beats and doesn't try to resist most of the underdog sports movie cliches, it still manages to rise about its formulaic trappings with strong performances, a fresh directorial eye, and miles and miles of heart. American audiences likely won't know anyone in the entirely Italian cast, but it's not hard to see why the film's two main leads are both big stars in their home country. 

In his first documentary feature, filmmaker Roman Polanski used the unique access he had from being friends with Formula One driver Jackie Stewart to craft one of the all time great racing documentaries. Named as such because it takes place over the course of an entire weekend of Stewart preparing for, competing in, and ultimately winning the 1971 Monaco Grand Prix, "Weekend of a Champion" premiered at the 22nd annual Berlin Film Festival in 1972 and was subsequently put into an archive and unseen for decades. 

Finally, in the early-2010s, someone working at the archive asked Polanski if they could dispose of it — so Polanski decided instead to restore it and do some minor tweaking, even adding a 15-minute prologue featuring himself and Stewart reminiscing about the race. It was re-released in 2013 and is now widely available on physical media and multiple streaming services.

Why it was shelved isn't entirely clear, and it doesn't come without significant baggage following Polanski fleeing from the United States to avoid jail time for the alleged sexual assault of a minor in the 1970s and the subsequent additional assault claims that have since been made against him. But there's little denying the excellence of "Weekend of a Champion" and what an unprecedented snapshot it is of a very specific person, time, and place in racing history.

When the first "Cars" hit theaters, a lot of reviewers were calling it Pixar's first "dud." Nevertheless, "Cars" was hugely successful at the box office, would become a major merchandising juggernaut, and continues to be one of Pixar's biggest most popular movies with children. Viewed through the prism of "Cars 2" and some of the more lackluster Pixar efforts since, the debut Lightning McQueen adventure seems to be more highly regarded with each passing year.

While "Cars" isn't in the same league as "Toy Story" or "The Incredibles," it is a really fun movie, squarely aimed at kids. It's also a solid racing film, and to fault a movie for being made for the younger crowd is unfair, as young race fans deserve good movies too. It might be a better "racing movie for kids" than it is a "Pixar film" — but to the generation that was at just the right age when it came out, it's a beloved classic.

Stay away from the 1997 made-for-TV sequel and the 2005 Lindsay Lohan reboot; the original 1968 "The Love Bug" is the only movie that successfully pulled off the story of an anthropomorphic VW bug that can beat much faster cars in races. The plot is absurd, of course, but it's also a ton of fun for those who can suspend their disbelief and just go along for the ride. Audiences at the time certainly did, as this goofy racing adventure was the second highest-grossing movie of 1969, behind only "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

Not only was "The Love Bug" charming in its day, but it has held up surprisingly well, perhaps because of the practical effects employed to make the car do all the crazy things we see on screen. The big race finale, which sees Herbie break in two and have his two halves finish in both first and third place, will put a smile on the face of even the grumpiest viewer. "The Love Bug" also has the distinction of being one of the last live-action movies to be in production before Walt Disney passed away in 1966, and feels like the perfect way for his creative legacy to push across the finish line. 

Narrated by Brad Pitt, 2015's "Hitting the Apex" was dismissed by one reviewer as only being for people who have an "interest in watching men lean over at high speed." It's a good line, but reducing the dangers of taking a motorcycle turn so low to the ground that you could kiss it as some frivolous pursuit is both silly and reductive. "Apex" does a terrific job showing just how difficult such a pursuit can be.

The film focuses on moto grind prix racing, which is basically the Formula One of two-wheeled racing. Documentaries about taking motorcycles off of high jumps and having them go careening through forests and across narrow mountainside paths might seem inherently more exciting, but that's like saying watching cars "just" race on a racetrack is boring. Existing MotoGP fans will obviously find a lot to love in "Hitting the Apex," but perhaps more importantly, it will remind others that there is a lot more to the sport.

Many documentaries come with the caveat that they are intended mostly for existing fans of their subject. In the case of "Road," it might actually be quite the opposite. Racing history enthusiasts don't need much introduction to or education about the equal parts influential and tragic Dunlop family of racers. Instead, the target audience for this film might be those who have little to no knowledge of the Dunlops and only associate that name with tires and "The Wire."

Sometimes referred to as the first family of road racing and one of the sport's true dynasties, the tale of the Dunlops — some killed by the sport, and the one who continues to race despite losing three relatives to it — is an emotional and compelling one. Liam Neeson's narration adds an extra gravitas to the saga. For those who already know the story, the film is still worth taking for a spin; for the uninitiated, it's a must-watch.

Few filmmakers have had a more circuitous career than David Cronenberg. While he might be most famous for sci-fi body horror films like "The Fly" and "Scanners," he has tackled numerous other genres — including racing. No, this isn't the one about the people who get aroused by car accidents — that's "Crash" (no, not that one... the other one). See? Strange and interesting.

Only a few years into his career, after initially establishing himself within the genres of sci-fi and horror, Cronenberg was already eager to show the world that he had great range as a writer/director. He first did so with this 1979 racing action movie, which he also co-wrote but didn't come up with the initial concept for — a first for him. Indeed, "Fast Company" is a fairly straightforward racing film that doesn't really bother with any of the psychological trappings or social commentary typically inherent in his work. It's just a fun drag racing romp with a great B-movie vibe that exhibits a lot of the technical prowess of Cronenberg but without the weirdness or multiple layers of meaning. Cronenberg loves racing, and this is the only movie where he ever got to show that off; he planned to make a Formula 1 movie as well, but unfortunately for racing fans it never got off the ground.

Not all racing is done directly against others. There is an entire subsection of the sport focused on setting and beating speed records, with the racers on the track alone and competing only against a clock. Land speed racing might not seem like it would make very compelling material for a film, but the biopic "The World's Fastest Indian" disproves that assumption mightily. Starring Anthony Hopkins as Burt Munro, "Indian" is as much about a man's journey to get to his big race as it is about the big race itself. Fitting, since the real Munro worked on his motorcycle for the better part of two decades before he used it to set his first speed record.

Munro was already in his fifties before he began setting and beating records, and much of the movie is about people telling him he's too old and him refusing to do so — overcoming one obstacle after another, even though many would've made even the most ambitious person call it quits. There aren't enough movies, racing or otherwise, about how it's never too late; "The World's Fastest Indian" is an argument for why the world needs more.

The Williams Racing team has been around since the 1970s and is one of the most well-known and successful in the world of F1 racing. The simply-titled "Williams" is a documentary not only about the team, but about its founder, Sir Frank Williams. The movie follows Williams' life from his early years to running the successful team, and it isn't always the most flattering portrayal. One reviewer even goes so far as to say that "Frank Williams has his legacy well and truly besmirched" by how he comes off through the course of the film. Others are a bit kinder, acknowledging it as a warts-and-all portrait but claiming it is still an overall affectionate look at the man and his legacy.

Either way, it's clear that "Williams" is no puff piece, and there is something to be said for movies that don't simply resort to blind worship of their subjects and instead take a more honest look — even if people come away from the movie with negative feelings about the person in question. Nobody ever said racing, particularly F1 racing, wasn't a messy sport — and "Williams" is a surprisingly honest portrayal. 

"Logan Lucky" sets its climactic heist at a speedway, and features multiple NASCAR drivers and commentators showing up in the film as themselves, making it both a car chase and race movie. It's also just a really good film.

Maintaining the "Ocean's Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen" heist vibe while moving the action from Las Vegas to the Charlotte Motor Speedway, director Steven Soderbergh unpacks one of his best mainstream Hollywood films, with a cast that includes Daniel Craig in his most delightfully outlandish performance this side of Benoit Blanc from "Knives Out." Because it's a Soderbergh film, there are A-list stars deep into the credits, and even the briefest feel well-conceived and never just mere cameos. Could this be his best heist movie, over any of the "Ocean's" films? It's not a difficult stance to defend. 

A documentary as effective as any narrative racing film, this film from Nate Adams and Adam Carolla (yes, that one) covers much of the same material from "Ford v Ferrari," detailing the '60s rivalry between Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari that exploded onto the pavement of Le Mans.

Ford and Ferrari are to 1960s racing what the Lakers and Celtics were to 1980s basketball, two teams that took turns winning it all and leaving nobody else with even half a chance. Spurred on largely by bruised professional pride, the battle between Ford and Ferrari on the race track during this era was legendary, and "The 24 Hour War" is a masterpiece-level depiction. 

One of the first fictional racing movies to feature cameos by real drivers, 1966's "Grand Prix" starred James Garner, with appearances from F1 drivers like Phil Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, and Jim Clark. It's also noteworthy in that it was the first American film to feature Toshiro Mifune, best known as a longtime collaborator of director Akira Kurosawa. The movie expertly blended filmed scenes with real footage of racing, something that was also novel for its time.

Beyond all the ways "Grand Prix" was a trailblazing film, however, it is also a genuinely great one. It was a true spectacle film in the best possible way, with impressive, heart-pounding set-pieces interspersed between moments of compelling character drama. The race scenes dazzled audiences at the time, and hold up better today than one might think, particularly in the high-def Blu-ray remaster released in 2011. "Grand Prix" won several technical Oscars and earned a nomination for director John Frankenheimer, and stars the always-charming James Garner.

It's too easy to look at all the deaths that have occurred in the history of Formula One racing as a footnote, tragedies in the moment turning into statistics for future generations. That's what makes "Senna" such an important film — it puts a spotlight on one life tragically lost to the sport with the intention of making viewers consider whether F1 racing, or any form of entertainment for that matter, is worth anyone risking their lives.

Even though the movie is a posthumous look at its subject, the filmmakers were able to utilize copious amounts of existing footage of Ayrton Senna's career and construct the events almost as if they were occurring in real time, bringing a sense of powerful urgency. As such, the film plays even better for those unfamiliar with Senna and his ultimate fate.

Ultimately, "Senna" is able to celebrate its subject's life and accomplishments before depicting his death, which seems more respectful of his legacy. The film comes highly recommended to anyone, no matter their previous interest in Ayrton Senna or any form of competitive racing; anyone with a heart will have it filled — and, unfortunately, broken — while watching "Senna."