As far as I know, this is the only movie you can find that's about Figure 8 Racing....a bizarre sport that is part demolition derby and part actual auto race. A few places still put on these races...though where, I have no idea.

The first thing you'll probably notice is that although this film came out in 1969, it's in black & white. Nearly all movies in 1969 were in color and I can only assume it's not in order to let the filmmakers use old black & white footage and intersperse it through the movie.

Rick (Richard Bowman) loves illegal drag racing and apparently is pretty good. He's so good that after begin jailed for it, Grant Willard (Brian Donlevy) bails him out and offers to have him race for him on the figure 8 circuit. However, Rick likes to be his own man...and starts off driving his own car. Soon, he hopes to be sponsored by Willard...which might happen if he can win against the likes of the truly nutty Hawk Sidney (Sid Haig). And, if he can, how will the Hawk react (hint: It will NOT be good)?!

"Pit Stop" is a film that has many of the things you'd expect to see in a Roger Corman production. It's cheap, the actors are mostly unknowns and lesser known actors and they use a lot of stock footage. This is NOT a complaint, really, as he had an amazing knack for making the most of these cheap films....and they never are dull! This can all be said of "Pit Stop"...despite its deficiencies, it is exciting and they make the most of what they have been given.

By the way, this is Brian Donley's last films andEllen Burstyn appears in a supporting role. Of all the cast, the most enjoyable to watch is Sig Haig...who is wonderful in his VERY colorful characterization.

Pit Stop was truly a film made on the cheap. Not even color was used and that's pretty rare for 1969. Made it look like it was one of those cheap dragstrip films from the 50s. In fact this starts as a race for the pinks.

Brian Donlevy in what was his last film is big into all kinds of auto racing and he's at an unofficial drag race always on the lookout for talent. He finds it in Dick Davalos though he has to bail him out of jail.

Introducing him to the stock car racing scene Donlevy has Davalos meeting all kinds of folks. Including Sid Haig. This guy is one psycho and granted there are few rules at the lower level. But I would think this guy would be barred from every auto track in the nation from Watkins Glen to Daytona to the Indianapolis Raceway.

Looking at some of the racing films that came out at the time this one did Pit Stop doesn't come close to items like Winning, Grand Prix, or Steve McQueen's Le Mans.

Definitely second rate, lots seem to like it though.

PIT STOP is a typical drive-in thriller of the late 1960s, set around the virtually unknown world of "figure eight" racing. This is a bit like stock car racing and involves youthful drivers bombing around a circuit and quite often smashing into each other. The edgy protagonist joins up to challenge a seasoned professional, but must first take mentorship from an old timer before he can win out. I found the main actor quite wooden, but there are solid supporting turns from old-timer Brian Donlevy, a youthful Ellen Burstyn, and the great Sid Haig who steals all his scenes as the antagonist of the piece. The film's race sequences are quite ordinary, but exploitation director Jack Hill keeps a tight rein on the proceedings, so this is fast and frenetic, never flabby.