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3/19/03
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Darr
Hawthorne has over 20 years of experience
in the entertainment business and
television commercial industry as
a marketing representative, executive
producer, commercial producer, and
film editor. As a producer and editor
he won many national and international
advertising awards.
Darr
acquired his addiction to drag racing
in 1964 when he toured to the U.S.
Nationals with Wild Bill Shrewsberry
and Jack Chrisman. He also worked
on Division 7 Sportsman crews in
the 1970s & early '80s. He's been
a freelance motorsports journalist
covering NHRA, nostalgia drags,
NASCAR, and IRL. He's been a Touring
Professional Spectator, and is currently
helping his son build a '64 Chevy
II Funny Car.
He
will contribute his thoughts to
DRO as the mood strikes him. He
is from California, after all.
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Editor's note: This began
with an assignment for an Off the Track movie
review, but Hawthorne got up on his soapbox
and morphed it into a column. "Right on Track"
premiers on the Disney Channel Friday, March
21 at 8:00 PM ET/PT and will repeat March
22, March 23, March 25, March 31, April 9
and April 17.
I think most of America wants and craves good, wholesome family entertainment, something you can sit down in front of the television and enjoy with your kids. When I heard about the new Disney Channel movie "Right On Track," I was intrigued. That the movie focused on Jr. drag racers Erica and Courtney Enders, their love for competition, their special association with their father and his love for drag racing -- bring it on!
The movie begins with a contemporary front
engine dragster race, with Ender's movie dad,
played by Jon Robert Lindstron, driving Jack
Harris' Nitro Thunder dragster. With an unbelievable
flagman start (circa 1990?) we are off in to
the world of Jr. Dragsters, although we never
quite understand why dad gave up his promising
drag racing career.
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Erica
Enders (left) is played by
Beverly Mitchell (right) in the film. |
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What begins as a cuddly family tale rapidly
evolves into a platform for women's rights.
Clichés abound with a redneck hillbilly warning,
"Think it's a good idea to have a girl out there?"
when Erica, played by Beverly Mitchell, receives
her competition license.
But the stereotypes continue.
"I want to win that, dad," as Erica spies her first Wally, conveniently twirling on the trophy table. With a dedicated father like hers, no wonder she went on to win 37 Jr. Dragster titles and was named Rookie of the Year in 2000. Erica worked hard, but the backing of her family made this race team work.
In high school, Erica gets into a rift with other members of the girls volleyball
team who pose the age-old question of whether
drag racing is a physical sport or not. We go
through the trials and tribulations of high
school dating and lost weekends at the strip.
Erica eventually fixes the mean volleyball girl's
stalled car after a skating party.
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