From the folks who brought you Baywatch, the made-for-TV Steel Chariots was described by one critic as a combination of Dallas and The Dukes of Hazzard. At base, the story involves the intramural rivalries in a Texas auto-racing family, which extends to open warfare between the sponsors who back the various drivers in the clan. Taking up most of the screen time are the various squabbles between sibling racers D.J. and Brett Tucker (Ben Browder, Gurney Brown), with the boys' parents, played by John Beck and Kathleen Nolan, virtually exiled to the sidelines. A subplot concerns the conflict between moonshining hotrodder Franklin Jones (Brian Van Holt) and his preacher dad (Randy Travis). Providing a modicum of authenticity to the proceedings is the climactic NASCAR-style race, along with appearance by such authentic track habitués as drivers Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett, mechanic Rusty Wallace and announcer Benny Parsons. Steel Chariots first aired September 23, 1997, on the Fox network.
by Hal Erickson
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