Pit Stop,” a film about figure-8 racing, oddly shows no pit stops

David S.
By David S. Wallens
May 20, 2021 | movie, Figure 8

The things you find while mindless searching the TV listings: "Pit Stop," a 1969 black-and-white feature film by Jack Hill, centers on figure-8 racing at Los Angeles's long-gone Ascot Park. Note: The film does not feature any actual pit stops.

It does, however, contain plenty of car-on-car violence, illegal street racing, brooding actors and fisticuffs—look out for that right hook! Also: beer drinking, cigarette smoking and that rock-and-roll music.

The cast features film noir legend Brian Donlevy, Sid Haig of Rob Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses," and Ellen Burstyn of everything from "The Exorcist" and "Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore" back in the day to the starring role in the upcoming feature "Queen Bees."

Also featured: the utter destruction of numerous American sleds.

We found it showing on Roku.

Trailer:


Trailer with director commentary:

 

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Comments
Brett_Murphy
Brett_Murphy GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
5/20/21 12:20 p.m.

I don't care that this is about a different movie, this goes here.

slowbird
slowbird UltraDork
5/20/21 1:04 p.m.

This looks a lot like the footage used in the beginning of the first Herbie movie.

Edit: I was close.

"The opening scene of the demolition derby cars is footage from the film Fireball 500."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Love_Bug#Stock_footage

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
5/20/21 2:59 p.m.

So, a little backstory. A few months back, we bought a new TV. Our old was like 15 years old and died. Okay, fine, I can accept that. 

We wound up getting the same TV that my parents have. My dad was excited that we have Roku. But we already have AppleTV, I told him.

Finally, just recently, I set up the Roku. Let's see what all the excitement is about....

First thing I find: Barney Miller (best show ever).

Next thing I find: coverage of a Japanese skatepark contest that my friend competed in.

Third thing: This movie. 

triumph7
triumph7 Reader
5/21/21 10:56 p.m.

Of course right before "Pitstop" tonight on the Movies! TV network was "LeMans".

californiamilleghia
californiamilleghia SuperDork
5/22/21 9:43 a.m.

Ascot was a couple miles away , you could hear them running from our house , 

I forgot about the "lake" in the middle  :)

My friends ran the modified stock  racing and another friend ran the dune buggy class, 

It was shut in 1990  and now its a Giant  parking lot for insurance auction cars.

Cooter
Cooter UberDork
5/22/21 9:54 a.m.
triumph7 said:

Of course right before "Pitstop" tonight on the Movies! TV network was "LeMans".

...and immediately before that was "Gran Prix"
No photo description available.

Jeff Shaffer
Jeff Shaffer New Reader
5/23/21 2:25 p.m.

Great film...friend of mine dad raced figure 8 there at that time and is in the film his uncle owned the club seen in the movie.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
5/24/21 9:28 p.m.

In reply to californiamilleghia :

Yes, I noticed the lake. 

So, looking at the Ascot track map helps things make sense. The figure 8 tracks that I have been to used most of the oval with the standard X in the middle.

I see how Ascot's figure 8 was pretty much a track within the oval--with the little lake in there somewhere. 

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