25 Action-Packed Racing And Driving Movies

Forbes

03-05-2025

James Garner in Grand Prix, 1966.
Whether you are watching Fords or Ferraris, NASCAR or Formula One, even beaters or luxury models, there is something exhilarating about cars. The best car movies capture the pull of the open road and the excitement of the race track. While most movies about racing and cars are usually sports or action films, others come from genres like horror, heist films, or even animation. Driving movies had a bit of a heyday in the 1970s but are still popular today with mega franchises like The Fast and The Furious. These high-octane racing movies and heart-pounding car flicks will put you in the driver's seat.
Movies about cars have existed since the silent era, with films like 1927's The First Auto and 1914's Kid Auto Races at Venice. Almost as long as we have had cars, we've had films about cars. The 1940s saw the establishment of both Formula One and Nascar Racing in the real world, which led to even more car fans. By the 1970s, the driving and racing genres were booming. The highest-grossing film about cars appears on this list, but many of the best films about cars feel more like cult classics.
'Films about cars' isn't really a defined genre. This list focuses on movies that feature racing, car chases or cars that are heavily involved in the plot. Generally, having a great car chase scene isn't enough for this list (although there are a couple of noted exceptions). These films are ranked by two metrics: how good the film is overall and how integral racing/cars/driving scenes are to the plot. It also takes into account how impressive the action surrounding cars is.
Many movies about cars and racing are cult movies. Wading into the genre can often feel like a crash course in older, low-budget and oft-forgotten films. However, on a list of deep-cut films, Freeway Speedway is probably the deepest. Also sometimes called Megalopolis Expressway Trial, the film is the first of six films made between 1988 and 1996 about illegal highway racing on Japan's Shuto Expressway.
The film is very low-budget, and the stunt driving is not as impressive as other films on this list (much of it is racing against a clock and changing lanes). However, there is something deeply cool and charming about how it captures Japan's popular but dangerous 1990s street racing culture. It was directed by Katsuji Kanazawa. While the film series is still banned in Japan, it was distributed in Hong Kong and later on DVD in the U.S. after the popularity of The Fast and The Furious. Not everyone will like Freeway Speedway, but super fans of car movies will likely find something to love. Unfortunately, it is not currently on streaming.
Fire-shooting exhaust pipes from a car in "Gone in 60 Seconds."
Gone in 60 Seconds is a heist thriller about a retired car thief made to steal 50 luxury cars to save his brother. Directed by Dominic Sena, it stars Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, Delroy Lindo, Will Patton, Christopher Eccleston, Chi McBride and Robert Duvall.
The film definitely falls into the category of 'so-bad-they-are-good' movies. Gone in 60 Seconds is a remake of the 1974 H. B. Halicki film by the same name. The 1974 version notably has the longest car chase scene in film history (it is about 40 minutes, and over 90 cars were destroyed during its filming). However, there is something enjoyable about the 2000s version. Find it here.
"The Last American Hero," 1973
Based on the life of NASCAR driver Junior Johnson, The Last American Hero (sometimes also called Hard Driver) follows a racer who decides to go pro to help his recently imprisoned father, and become one of NASCAR's first icons.
Directed by Lamont Johnson, the film stars Jeff Bridges, Valerie Perrine and Geraldine Fitzgerald. While it doesn't have the most substantial plot, the film is held together by a good central performance by Bridges and some fascinating insight into the early days of NASCAR. It is available to stream here.
The cast of "he Cannonball Run," directed by Hal Needham, 1981.
The Cannonball Run takes inspiration from the 1979 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an actual road race from Connecticut to California. The film follows several zany characters as they race across the country. It was directed by Hal Needham, a stuntman turned director who was also behind another great car-centric action-comedy film, Smokey and The Bandit.
As a comedy from the 1980s, much of the film doesn't age well (especially when it comes to some racial stereotypes). The large ensemble cast features Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Terry Bradshaw, Adrienne Barbeau, Jackie Chan, Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin. Notably, while a Hong Kong co-production, it was Chan's second Hollywood role. It was also one of Martin's last films (he also appeared in the film's 1983 sequel, Cannonball Run II). The Cannonball Race inspired other films, including 1976's Cannonball and The Gumball Rally. Unfortunately, The Cannonball Run is not currently on streaming.
Actor Steve McQueen appears on a poster for the racing movie 'Le Mans', aka 'The 24 Hours of Le ... More Mans', 1971.
Le Mans follows a fictionalized version of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1970. The film uses footage from the real race but invents a new narrative surrounding the event. It follows a driver who is haunted by the death of a previous competitor in a race the year before, and is attracted to the driver's widow.
Le Mans stars Steve McQueen and Elga Andersen. McQueen was a racing enthusiast and wanted to make a film about Le Mans. However, the film had a complicated production, and in 2015, a documentary, Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans, was made about it. The documentary is also a must-watch for any fans of McQueen or his history as a racer and race enthusiast. The car he drove in Le Mans a Porsche 917, chassis 022, was also famously auctioned and restored. Find the film here.
"Thunder Road" lobbycard featuring Sandra Knight and Robert Mitchum, 1958.
Thunder Road comes before the heyday of the car movie. However, it is a notable cult addition to the genre and even continued to play at drive-in theaters through the '70s and '80s. The film is about a Tennessee moonshiner family and one son who serves as a runner as competition comes to town.
Directed by Arthur Ripley, Thunder Road stars Robert Mitchum, Gene Barry, Keely Smith and James Mitchum (Robert's real-life son who plays his younger brother in the film). While Mitchum originally wanted Elvis Presley to play his younger brother, the singer was far too expensive. The part went to his son and became James Mitchum's first credited role. A poster for the film inspired the Bruce Springsteen song of the same name, but Springsteen had not actually seen the movie at the time. It is available to stream here.
Logan Lucky follows the Logan family as they try to pull off a heist at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. While it is a little more of a heist film than a driving film, its race track setting makes it great for any fan of racing films. It stars Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Riley Keough, Daniel Craig, Seth MacFarlane, Katie Holmes, Hilary Swank, Katherine Waterston and Sebastian Stan.
Director Steven Soderbergh came out of retirement to work on the film, which was written by his wife, Jules Asner (credited as Rebecca Blunt). Given his previous experience directing the Ocean's Franchise, he was a perfect choice to direct this type of heist comedy and even said the film was an 'anti-glam version of an Ocean's movie." Find Logan Lucky here.
Peter Fonda helps up Susan George in a scene from the film "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry," 1974.
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry is a bit of a cult favorite in the car genre. It's not a perfect film, but it's a fun and very 1970s look at crime, muscle cars and racing. The film follows a hopeful NASCAR driver, his girlfriend and his repairman who go on the run after attempting to rob a supermarket.
Directed by John Hough, the film stars Peter Fonda, Susan George and Adam Roarke. The film inspired another notable car movie, Edgar Wright's Baby Driver, especially through Roarke's character of Deke, who is omitted from the title but is present for the entirety of the film. Find Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry here.
A poster for John Frankenheimer's 1966 drama 'Grand Prix' starring James Garner.
Grand Prix follows a group of Formula One drivers competing for the championship after a harrowing crash. Directed by John Frankenheimer, Grand Prix stars James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, Toshiro Mifune, Brian Bedford, Jessica Walter, Antonio Sabàto and Françoise Hardy.
The film uses actual racing footage and has many cameos from Formula One racers. It won three Oscars for Sound and Editing. While the racing scenes may not be quite as thrilling as they were to 1960s audiences, the film is extremely impressive for its time and the action ages better than expected. It's available to stream here.
Special Delivery is a really fun Korean action film about a driver for criminals who is tasked with transporting the son of a baseball player turned underground gambler through the streets of Busan.
Directed by Park Dae-min, it stars Park So-dam, Song Sae-byeok, Kim Eui-sung and Jung Hyeon-jun. Sometimes, this film's plot feels a little convoluted, but it delivers excellent action scenes and a sweet message about family. It is available to stream here.
Actor Vin Diesel attends Universal Pictures' "Furious 7" premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 1, ... More 2015 in Hollywood.
Are any of the Fast and Furious movies truly great? Hard to say. Depends on what you are looking for. However, the best of the 11-film franchise is arguably Furious 7. From noted horror director James Wan, Furious 7 follows the Fast family as they have to come back together to take on a former foe's brother set on revenge and rescue a kidnapped computer hacker.
The movie stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Djimon Hounsou, Kurt Russell and Jason Statham. It is the last Fast film to feature Walker, who died in a car accident during the early production stages of the film. His brothers Caleb and Cody Walker performed as stand-ins for the actor for his remaining scenes, and the film was dedicated to his memory. Furious 7 is one of the most expensive films ever made; however, it is also one of the highest-grossing films ever made (it currently is the thirteenth, but peaked at number four and is the highest grossing film about cars ever). If you are looking for more Fast and Furious films, 2011 Fast 5 is probably the other best entry to the franchise. Find Furious 7 here.
Sandra Bullock during Sandra Bullock Takes Bus Driver Test "Speed" Promotion
While Speed is about a bus and not technically a car, it definitely feels like part of the 'car chase genre.' The film follows an L.A. city bus that has been hooked up to a bomb that will explode if the bus driver drops the speed below 50 miles an hour.
Directed by Jan de Bont, Speed stars Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton and Jeff Daniels. The film is pure action fun and is widely considered a '90s action classic. It did well both with critics and at the box office. Speed won two Academy Awards for Best Sound and Sound Effects Editing. The film is available to stream here.
Richard Cook, chairman of Walt Disney Motion Pictures, speaks before the first public screening of ... More Pixar Animation Studios' film "Cars" at ShoWest
Yes, the Cars franchise is very much for kids, but even though it is an animated film, it's a pretty fun take on the racing genre. The movie follows an anthropomorphic race car named Lightning McQueen, who has to reconsider his priorities after getting stuck in a small town on Route 66.
Directed by John Lasseter, the film features the voices of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Michael Wallis, George Carlin, Paul Dooley, Jenifer Lewis, Michael Keaton, Katherine Helmond, John Ratzenberger and Richard Petty. Real racers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mario Andretti and Michaell Schumacher also make cameos in the film. Find it here.
The bar area is shown at the afterparty for the premiere of Columbia Picture's "Talladega Nights: ... More The Ballad of Ricky Bobby"
"If you ain't first, you're last!" Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is easily the silliest film on this list. While it isn't exactly a heart-pounding racing thriller, it isn't trying to be. The comedy follows the life of fictional NASCAR star Ricky Bobby, who risks it all by racing a Formula One opponent.
Directed by Adam McKay, Talladega Nights stars Will Ferrell (who co-wrote the film with McKay), John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole, Michael Clarke Duncan, Leslie Bibb, Jane Lynch and Amy Adams. The film also features cameos from real-life NASCAR racers and commentators, including Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr.. It is available to stream here.
Death Proof is far from a perfect film. Death Proof is the Quentin Tarantino-led half of Robert Rodriguez and Tarantino's double feature, Grindhouse. While it isn't even the better of the two Grindhouse films, it has one of the coolest racing scenes of the 2000s. The movie follows a depraved stuntman who purposely causes car wrecks to kill unsuspecting female passengers.
The film stars Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Jordan Ladd, Rose McGowan, Sydney Poitier, Tracie Thoms, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and real-life stunt artist Zoë Bell. For those with no love for B-movies or midnight showings, Death Proof will likely feel like an uneven and bizarre film. However, for the right audiences, is it a love letter to '70s cult classics like Vanishing Point and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Death Proof is available for streaming here.
Two-lane Blacktop, lobbycard, from left: Laurie Bird, James Taylor, Dennis Wilson, 1971.
Two-Lane Blacktop is very 1970s and a true cult racing film. The film follows a mechanic, driver and hitchhiking girl on a cross-country race for pink slips. Directed by Monte Hellman, the street racing classic stars James Taylor, Warren Oates, Laurie Bird and Dennis Wilson.
It's a profoundly unique film that sometimes gets slightly bogged down by metaphor. However, it is a wonderfully crafted and beautiful film that will stick with viewers. If you can deal with a little bit of abstraction with your car movies, Two-Lane Blacktop is a must-watch. It is available here.
"Death Race 2000," aka: "Frankensteins Todesrennen," 1975.
Death Race 2000 is an interesting film. There is something deeply silly, campy and schlocky about it; however, it has some satirical elements that really work. The movie follows a cross-country race/entertainment competition put on by a totalitarian regime that awards drivers for maiming pedestrians. Think of it as The Hunger Games meets Grand Theft Auto.
Directed by Paul Bartel, the film stars David Carradine, Sylvester Stallone, Simone Griffeth, Louisa Moritz and Don Steele. Roger Ebert famously gave Death Race 2000 zero stars; however, he lightly praised the film in a review of The Fast and the Furious in 2001 as part of a 'great tradition of summer drive-in movies.' Death Race 2000 was remade in 2008 as Death Race, which was even given a 2017 sequel, Death Race 2050, but the original is by far the best. Find it here.
Taxi is the first film in a French five-film franchise about a Marseille taxi driver who gets pulled into helping take down crime. Taxi follows the driver as a policeman blackmails him into tracking a German gang.
Directed by Gérard Pirès and written by Luc Besson, the film stars Samy Naceri, Frédéric Diefenthal and Marion Cotillard. While the 1997 Peugeot 406 might not be the coolest car featured on this list, this film uses it for some really fun driving scenes. Taxi received a 2004 American remake starring Queen Latifah, Jimmy Fallon and Gisele Bündchen. However, it is not as good. The original Taxi is available to stream here.
A car flies through the air while traveling down a San Francisco street in a still from "Bullitt," ... More directed by Peter Yates, 1968.
Bullitt follows a San Francisco cop determined to take down a mobster after the murder of a witness. The film stars Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset, Don Gordon, Robert Duvall, Simon Oakland, Norman Fell and arguably, the 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback.
It was the first American film directed by Peter Yates. Yates was already associated with great car chase scenes in films like 1967's Robbery. However, in Bullitt, he outdoes himself. The 10-minute-long car chase through San Francisco is easily one of the most iconic car sequences ever shot. The practical stunt work in this film is extremely impressive. It won an Oscar for Best Film Editing, and in 2007, the film was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress. It is available to stream here.
Gene Hackman as Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle in "The French Connection."
While The French Connection isn't all about racing or even really about cars, it has one of the most famous car chases put to film. Based on the 1969 non-fiction book of the same name, the film follows NYPD and narcotics officers as they try to track down a French Heroin kingpin.
Directed by William Friedkin, The French Connection stars Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider and Tony Lo Bianco. It was nominated for eight Oscars and won five, including Best Picture. It has been a favorite of many directors, including Akira Kurosawa. David Fincher said that it 'had a profound impact' on his life. Steven Spielberg also used it as an inspiration for his film Munich. The French Connection is currently available to stream here.
Rush is one of the best movies about Formula One racing. Directed by Ron Howard, the film is about the real-life feud between drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda during the 1976 motor racing season.
The movie stars Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara and Pierfrancesco Favino. The best parts of Rush are really the racing scenes and the musical score by Hans Zimmer. However, it also has great performances by Hemsworth and Brühl. While it received good reviews and even a BAFTA for editing, it still feels a bit like a hidden gem. Find it here.
A poster for the British release of Richard C. Sarafian's 1971 action road movie, "{Vanishing ... More Point," starring Barry Newman.
Richard C. Sarafian's Vanishing Point follows a pill-addicted driver who makes a bet that he can transport a car from Colorado to California in under 15 hours. However, his erratic driving puts the cops on his tail.
Much of the film happens in an iconic 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Magnum. While it was originally met with mixed reviews, the film became a cult classic, especially for fans of classic cars. The film stars Barry Newman, Cleavon Little and Dean Jagger. Vanishing Point is a favorite of Steven Spielberg's, and it has been referenced in other classic car films like Edgar Wright's Baby Driver and Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof. It is available to stream here.
Cars on display at the Premiere of FOX's "Ford V Ferrari" at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Based on a true story, Ford v Ferrari follows designer Carroll Shelby and racer Ken Miles as they build a better vehicle for the Ford Motor Co. and compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966. Directed by James Mangold, the film stars Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Caitríona Balfe, Tracy Letts and Josh Lucas.
Ford v Ferrari has more going on than the typical racing film. It is a film about innovation, corporate intrigue and some really big personalities in addition to being about racing. The film won two Oscars for sound and film editing; it was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Sound Mixing. Find it here.
All the Mad Max films are arguably racing movies; he is the road warrior, after all. However, Mad Max Fury Road isn't only arguably the best of the franchise but also the one that feels most like a racing film. Directed by George Miller, the film follows Max as he helps Imperator Furiosa smuggle women away from the Warlord Immortan Joe in a dystopian big rig.
Fury Road stars Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult and Hugh Keays-Byrne. It was nominated for ten Oscars, winning six. The film's practical effects are especially notable. The cars have wonderful dystopian designs, and the action is fabulously shot. It's not your average racing film, but that's a good thing. Find it here.
Dennis Weaver pushes a car in a scene from the television film "Duel," 1971.
Duel is a technically a made-for-tv movie and originally aired as an ABC Movie of the Week. However, it was given a theatrical release after. It is easily one of the best TV movies ever and has garnered a cult audience. It is also the second feature film from director Steven Spielberg.
The film follows a traveling salesman who is pursued and terrorized by a largely unseen truck driver after the salesman tries to pass him on a rural California freeway. The film stars Dennis Weaver, while stuntman Carey Loftin serves as the truck driver. Spielberg wanted Weaver to star in the film because he loved him in the Orson Welles film A Touch of Evil and Weaver gives an amazing performance. While some part of this film lean a little heavily on voice over, the California desert, 1971 Plymouth Valiant and the nail bitting action make it iconic. It is available to stream here.
Bottom Line
Rev the engine and get ready to go because these films will transport you right to the race track or getaway car. Vroom, vroom!
There are currently eleven films in The Fast and Furious franchise. The first film, The Fast and the Furious, came out in 2001, and the most recent Fast X premiered in 2023. While not all of these films are great, they are flashy and really fun.
If you are trying to watch them in chronological order, they actually go: The Fast and the Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Fast & Furious (aka the fourth one), Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious, the spin-off Hobbs & Shaw, F9 and finally Fast X. However, if you are just going to watch one, Furious 7 is the best.
There are three Disney Pixar Cars movies and two spin-offs: Cars (2006), Cars 2 (2011), Cars 3 (2017), Planes (2013) and Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014). The best is easily the first, which follows a race car, Lightning McQueen, who learns about the slow life in a small town off Route 66.
The second film is the low point of the main franchise, which follows a rusty tow truck that becomes an international spy at the World Grand Prix. Cars 3 is okay but a bit forgettable. It follows Lightning as he has become a veteran racer and must compete against younger, more technologically advanced cars.
While notably uncool cars like the 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 and the 1974 Dodge Monaco have been used in comedies (Back to the Future and The Blues Brothers), usually iconic cars are sports cars.
One of the most iconic cars on film is the 1964 Aston Martin DB5. The Aston Martin is a staple of James Bond films, and this 1964 model was driven in Goldfinger and Thunderball. The DB5 has become synonymous with the glamorous European spy; however, Lotus Esprits and Alfa Romeos also appear in many Bond films. The Dodge Charger has also been used in many films. It appears in the Fast and the Furious franchise, The Dukes of Hazzard, Death Proof, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Bullitt and more.
If you are looking for a serious look at NASCAR, 1973's The Last American Hero is a look at the life of Junior Johnson and the early days of the sport. Directed by Lamont Johnson, the film stars Jeff Bridges, Valerie Perrine and Geraldine Fitzgerald.
However, if you are open to a sillier, more tongue-in-cheek film, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a great choice. It follows the fictional racer Ricky Bobby as he takes on a Formula One racer. Directed by Adam McKay, Talladega Nights stars Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole, Michael Clarke Duncan, Leslie Bibb, Jane Lynch and Amy Adams.
Some of the best car chases happen in films that didn't quite make this list (usually because they weren't enough about cars.) However, if you are looking for great chase scenes, Thelma and Louise, The Blues Brothers, Police Story 3: Super Cop and No Time To Die all have amazing ones.
That being said, two car chase scenes were so iconic that they cemented their respective movie's spots on this list. 1968's Bullitt takes a Ford Mustang to the streets of San Francisco. Directed by Peter Yates, the stunt work in this film is very impressive. It stars Steve McQueen and follows a cop on the trail of a mobster after the death of a witness. 1971's The French Connection has another must-see chase. The film features a hijacked 1971 Pontiac LeMans racing through the streets under the subway tracks of Brooklyn. Directed by William Friedkin, The French Connection stars Gene Hackman as a policeman on the chase from a drug kingpin.