Rick Bowman, a dragracing street punk, concerns the attention of businessman Grant Willard. Willard bails him out of jail and offers him as a stock car driver. Bowman accepts and enters the demolition derby-adjacent entire planet of"figure eight" racing. The figure eight track's king would be cocky hotshot Hawk Sidney. Sidney and bowman battle. Hawk friend Jolene falls prey to Bowman's charm. Bowman's gaze shifts on Ellen McLeod, the wife of winner racer Ed McLeod. As Bowman moves upward in the rankings, his regard for his friends slips- giving way to outright obsession with becoming the very best.