Lightning Rod

Director: Christopher Storer, who is the producer of The Bear and has directed many of their best episodes. He balances character drama with ensemble comedy and can bring some to life some high intensity moments.

Johnny Rev, a young man in tech school to become a certified mechanic, is played by Michael Johnston of Obsession fame. He showcases a mix of good drama and comedy chops both in that horror movie and now in this series.

Johnny's mentor and coach, Randy Schmidt, is played by Jon Bernthal from Punisher and The Bear (so he is quite familiar with Storer). Randy also owns Randy's Repair Shop, where Johnny works. Randy is a bit grumpy having been stuck working lots to pay for his past mistakes.

Johnny encounters a pompous racing rival in Max Schleigel, played by Ben Schwartz, who is the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog and also acted as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein in Parks and Rec. among other roles. His cockiness shows up in his racing.

The movie opens at a Motorcross event where 5 males who look to be between 15 and 22 are racing each other through a course. One in blue is in the lead as they approach a hill, but then a rider in orange blazes past. He holds off the others to claim first place--and a trophy "Congrats to Johnny Rev!"

Back in the basement of his mom's house, Johnny moves some other trophies around on a table to make room for the new one. He begins to talk to himself, "Yeah, I enjoy these races but there has to be something more."

The next day, it's 7 a.m. and Johnny has just arrived at Randy's Repair Shop. The owner out in one of the bays calls out to Johnny, "Hey! How was your weekend? Did you sleep the whole time?" "Well, I had that Motorcross race. I came in first. Again!" "Atta boy!" Johnny asks Randy about his weekend, and Randy tells Johnny that he had been at a hillclimbing race. "You mean like you watch people walk up a hill?" "No, where did you get that idea?! No, they race up a mountain in hot rods. Say, you should join me at next week's race."

Johnny and Randy go to the next local race. Johnny says at one point, "I like the speed, but I think I can go faster. How do I enter the next race?" "Whoa, young man, there's more to it than just speed. How about after work on Monday, we go out to the hills?"

Randy trains Johnny in the hills and helps him to shave off parts of seconds.

Johnny takes part in a race on the local track. Near the end of the course, he takes a curve too widely and ends up in the ditch. He is able to get back on the road but loses precious time and comes in 4th place. "Johnny, you have to become one with the car! Accelerate up the mountain but then brake to those turns sharply."

Johnny signs up for the Tennesee Hillclimbing Championship near Mammoth Cave. They keep working on his "Lightning Rod" in the Garage to give it more power for climbing. Randy tells Johnny about the 4-time defending champion Tennessee hillclimber Max Schleigel: "He is really fast but where he wins is making really sharp turns. You will need to be real good on your turns, but you will have a chance if you can beat him on the straightaways. At the race, Max tells Johnny, "That's a good-looking car, but you won't be able to beat me! I have trunk full of 1st place trophies!" Johnny has good race but didn't push enough on the uphills giving Max the victory.

Both Max and Johnny have qualified for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Johnny first tests the course with its 156 turns on 12.42 miles on his motorcross bike. Randy: "There's a reason why it's for the professionals. Johnny you just have to push it the whole time!"

The night before the race, Johnny is sitting in a chair moving with every turn  The words from Randy come back to him: "Johnny, you have to become one with the car!" Max: "Not going to help when you have to go up against me!"

It's Johnny's turn to race. At the first checkpoint, he is a quarter second of the pace of the lead rider. Randy tells him over the walkie talkie: "Push harder!!!" By the end, he has taken the lead by 0.4 seconds. But then there is still Max to go. Johnny has a bit of a wait in the victory circle.

Max gets to the first timepoint in record time. But the ups (and even downs) of the course get him a bit flustered. And in the end, Johnny wins by 0.2 seconds!

Randy and Max celebrate with the only drink they can find--a 2-Liter bottle of Pepsi--spraying it all over each other. Back in the Tennessee Hill Country, they have a big party at Randy's Shop.