Real-life grade-school Ricky Bobbys — they wanna go fast — are the winsome stars of the documentary “Racing Dreams,” which is to speed demons what the spelling-bee doc “Spellbound” was to word mavens.
The film follows the exploits of three adolescents driving top-of-the-line go-karts in the World Karting Association racing circuit — the NASCAR training ground where wicked machines do 60 mph.
Thirteen-year-old Brandon Warren is a natural, but he has a wild streak — and his father is in and out of prison. Josh Hobson, 12, is a sweet lad from Michigan whose family can’t handle the enormous equipment bills. Annabeth Barnes, 11, who slips Brandon her phone number by sticking it on the bottom of the racing trophy, has special worries (she can’t be caught dead wearing her racing shoes to school; also, the helmet messes up her hair). But she also has the best shot at making it to the big leagues because of a NASCAR diversity program.
Marshall Curry’s film is rich in humor and heartbreak, wryly observant (there is a Karting for Christ service at one race) yet free from snark. Make a pit stop to see it.