Original subtitles

'Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen'

'and welcome to Brotherhood Raceway Park.'

'This is the first day of qualifying'

'for the Pro-Gas Eliminators.'

'And the winner of this first qualifier'

'with an ET of 9.86 seconds'

'at a top speed of 144.23 miles per hour'

'is Tony Breckard in his Camaro Pro-Gas Eliminator.'

Alright. Wrench.

Look, Harry, I think they're gonna

get a ticket for overtime parking.

'Yeah, not for speeding in that crate, that's for sure.'

Hey, go do your test run.

'You guys need all the practice you can get.'

'The first call for "P" stock in lane 4'

'"C" stock in lane 3, and "N" stock in lane 2.'

Who are those characters?

Well, they're one of the Pro-Gas team we gotta beat.

Is that the old fuel carburetor you're working on?

Harlan, why are you working on the old carbs?

New set hadn't come in yet.

We all chipped in for a new set weeks ago.

'These are shot!'

They're costing 20 per cent of my power

every time I take it out, Harlan.

They're not gonna bring us a win no matter what you do to them.

- I don't want that. - Ah!

You can't drive with those, can you?

Of course, I don't tell youhow to drive, do I?

Harlan, Harlan, he apologizes.

Didn't wanna offend your mechanical eminence.

Let me take you back to the freeway, boys

where you're appreciated.

Now remember, if I'm spotted

I'm gonna make a run for it.

You be watching.

Pick me up.

Hey!

Hey.

Where are you going with the loader? Oh!

LA 15, Mary 5. Any units in position?

'I'm southbound on Fairmore towards Hewitt Avenue.'

I'm running interference for a runaway grader. 10-35.

Let's go.

No brakes! It won't stop!

Fine, fine. Stopped it, didn't I

You sure did.

Boy, Jon, look what you did to the building.

Yeah. Something I've wanted to do all my life.

Beautiful, wasn't it

You're something else, partner.

You guys.

Well, partner.

Can I drive her back?

- It's my only loader. - Don't drive it back.

- Have it hauled back. - Great.

I'll come back later and take your report.

I can go with her now if you wanna stay here and clean up.

Uh, Ponch, I need your help.

'Heating up the rubber on those big racing slicks'

'is Jim Scotty Jones in his Pro-Gas Eliminator, Bonanza.'

'He's getting ready for his first trial run.'

'Looks like trouble on the track for Jim Scotty Jones.'

'There's smoke coming out from the car in all directions.'

'As you know, these cars are finely tuned'

'and running very exotic fuel mixtures.'

'When you're running on the ragged edge like that'

'you can blow at any time.'

'It looks like the truck is pulling up to the car now.'

'The crew will be checking out Jim Scotty Jones.'

'Jones is out of the car, and he's okay.'

Oh. The pistons, man. We're sunk.

It's no big deal, man. We'll just get another set.

Fly

You know how much we paid for them?

What'll we use for money?

Who said anything about money?

Okay.

They're right in the stockroom shelf on the left.

You got it?

- Yeah.

I saw them when I bought the push rods.

It's a box marked super-duty pistons.

Your rings are on a shelf right above it.

Grab some extra stuff to help cover our tracks.

Reading up on hot rods here.

How's it going? Everything okay?

Yeah, if we're too late, we can go home and change

come back and help out.

No, thanks. I can't handle the help I have.

And this magazine..

"Fellow's selling a '69 Hemi super B.

'"Four on the floor, Dana 60'

'"Kregger super-sport mags.'

Only 6,600."

I may invest.

A car like this could win some big prize money.

Grossie, when we all chipped in to buy this Corvette

you flat refused to join us.

Didn't want a thing to do with dragsters.

I thought it was impractical

but seems there's a lot of big money to be won.

Hey, Grossie, we're not in it for the money.

It's a hobby we can all enjoy together.

Ahh, I get it.

You guys are doing a number on me, right?

Asking me to forget about this '69 Hemi super "B"

and join your Corvette hobby group as a contributing member.

Aren't you?

No.

They aren't?

Eh, no, Grossie.

Well..

You can keep the magazines if you like.

He knows there's no big prize money

in Pro-Gas competition.

Grossie feels left out.

He just wanted to join in on the fun with the car.

He's late. He knows he's late.

Late? I'm glad you said that.

I gotta go. I got a business appointment.

Oh, Officer Poncherello!

Come in.

Miss Kohl, make it Ponch.

Ponch, make it Paula.

Alright, very well.

Like I said on the phone, I need some more information

for my incident report.

Oh, and I was so glad you called.

I wanted to thank you properly for what you did today.

Oh, thank you. Alright.

Wow! This is lovely.

Wow! This is nice.

Thank you.

I should have guessed.

I know you have an appointment

but, uh, I thought you'd have a drink with us first.

What went wrong?

No excuses.

If farming taught me anything at all

it taught me no excuses.

I fouled it up.

So, what'll we tell the buyer?

He's waiting for a loader.

Don't tell him nothin' till I see

if I can find another one!

He also wants two D-8 cats.

Now, why don't you just load this one up

and drive it down to the harbor, huh?

Now? What if the heat's on, Sarge?

Better they shouldn't find it here!

On the highway, you're just two innocent truckers.

You don't even have to have proof of ownership.

All you got to have is an export declaration

and I make that up right now.

I don't know. Maybe..

Maybe we ought to move on.

I mean, that was awful close today and besides

this is the longest we've worked one area.

Look, the guy's gonna pay us 5,000 bucks for a loader

and another 10 for a D-8 cat..

...if I can find them before he leaves the country.

Give me a chance. It's only a couple of days, huh?

'Right?'

Sure.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

I wish I could be more helpful.

I think the guy was picked up by a brown or a tan van.

I know it wasn't one of my men. I know them all.

Had to talk them into working for a woman.

Look, this was your first job.

Do you have any professional enemies?

No.

Nobody thought that I'd get this far, including my parents.

I had to fight a lot of fights to get where I am

but, no. Nobody's tried to stop me.

Would, uh, losing a loader do it?

Uh, stop me?

Mmm...no

but it sure would have hurt.

I mean, there are better ways to stop me.

I really would be in a lot of trouble

if you two guys hadn't come around today.

Hey, we just did what any quick-witted

strong, dashing, handsome

dedicated highway patrolmen would do.

Thank you, Paula, for the dinner.

I really didn't expect that.

Yeah. Me, neither.

I expected to take you out to dinner.

I even had my car washed. You're gonna love my car.

Well, I really have work to do.

Well, if you ever need any help--

Uh, excuse me. Call me.

If you can't find me, of course.

It's a promise.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight.

Everything fit?

Perfect, man.

This baby's gonna fly.

And the extra boxes we took to make it look good..

...looks good.

Nothing we need but stuff we sure can sell.

Tires we need.

That stuff will bring enough to buy some tires..

Z-gauge shifter, stall converter.

And that's a tunnel ram, 4-barrel carbs.

'Some special order, man.'

'The stuff's worth bucks.'

You didn't read this, did you?

"56 Vette, Harlin Arliss. CHP will call."

That's for that Vette those cops are running.

We don't sell none of this stuff.

'We don't mention it to anyone.'

I understand, after all, you guys

have been working on that dragster for weeks.

Uh, for months.

I understand.

You and the sarge have it split 7 ways

and 7's a lucky number. I understand.

We did invite you to join us, Grossie. Remember?

And I'm too late. I understand.

'Hey, you divided all the work, all the costs.'

It wouldn't be fair for me to share in the winnings.

Could I have your attention, please?

Or even share in the fun.

Friendship, togetherness..

I'll be brief this morning.

The thrill of victory.

- Grossman.

I understand.

Uh, I have a meeting with the captain this morning

on a ring of thieves who are stealing

construction equipment in our fair city

for the past 3 months.

'Now, some of us were involved with the attempt'

to steal a loader.

Baker, do you have anything more on that?

Well, we have a new idea, sarge.

We'll talk to you about it after briefing.

Okay, vehicles such as these

'are usually parked at the site.'

They look a lot alike, they don't carry any plates

there's no pink slip, and there's no watchmen

usually on duty.

The loader thing happened in broad daylight, remember?

Yeah. That works on big jobs.

Uh, the normal activity tends to obscure

the thieves' activity.

So be alert. All agencies are cooperating.

Take all the help you can get. Okay. That's it.

No!

I have an assignment for every officer here.

If I may have your permission, sergeant?

Oh, by all means.

My fellow victims, and you are my fellow victims

for which of us does not have at heart

the honor of CHP Central?

And which of us has not reposed high hopes

for our drag-racing entry, the Chips?

'What point are you making, Harlan?'

Some lowlife ratfink broke into the auto supply house

and stole our tunnel ram, our dual quad intake

and both carbs we had ordered!

Okay, lieutenant. Thank you.

We'll check back with you.

LAPD has got 17 open files on auto supply store burglaries.

Still working on this one.

Well, I guess we can all chip in

for another set of carburetors.

You couldn't get the order filled in time.

It's a special assembly!

It's got to be tooled in New York.

Well, what are we gonna do?

Skip the big race?

Ah, every path has its puddle.

I'll just do the best I can with the old parts.

Are you sure your lady contractor will cooperate?

Oh, yeah. She's a business person.

I'll approach her with logic.

Mm-hmm. How much money will you need?

Well, um, if you could ask the captain..

It's a real good way to catch the thieves.

You know what I mean?

'If we buy a used machine, then we could'

'get our money back.'

Baker, you're beginning to frighten me.

You sound just like Poncherello.

How much money?

Twenty-five thousand dollars only.

Oh! You're crazy.

You're out of your mind!

That's exactly what the captain's gonna say to me.

"Joe, you're crazy. You're out of your mind!"

You want me to stop repairs on the loader?

Yeah, and put out the word that you'd like

to buy a used one real fast.

Oh, you think that if they'd stolen mine

they might try to sell it back to me.

Well, no, they'd probably try to sell yours

a thousand miles away.

But if they're in the export business

they're probably in the import business.

Therefore, they'd probably try to sell you one

that they've stolen from another state.

We could backtrack, get the chain of evidence

and then we'll put them away. Don't you see?

Well, I understand your logic.

I don't think you understand mine.

What I'm building here is my future, my reputation.

Now, I haveto fulfill this contract.

- Everything depends on that. - Paula, you don't understand.

See, there's no risk involved here.

Now, if my sergeant gives me permission

we'll provide the money for the buy.

Yeah, but I can't afford the time.

Look, I do need a loader. I need that one.

I need it repaired as soon as possible.

'I can't just let it sit there'

while I'm off playing some game

with an unknown thief and a cop.

I guess I thought that we were--

Well, I mean, a nice cop. Don't misunderstand me.

Oh, I don't.

Well, I, I did. But..

Look, I have to take care of myself.

Okay. I got that perfectly straight.

Thank you.

'Remember, folks, next week will be the last chance'

'to qualify for our winter..'

Hey, Harlan.

Finished my shift, and I checked out.

Got nothing better to do.

I'm an outsider, I'm not a member of the group

but, uh, I do have our best interests at heart.

Yeah, I understand.

'...for his first qualifying run today'

'since his repairs of the blown engine yesterday.'

'He's getting ready. He's moving up to the tree.'

'There he goes!'

'Jim Scotty Jones moving out in the Bonanza.'

'It looks like he's blown a tire, folks.'

'The car is all over the track.'

'Somehow, he's managing to keep it in control.'

'His pit crew's jumped into their truck'

'and is racing out to make sure that Scotty's alright.'

'Jim Scotty Jones, a veteran driver here'

'at Brotherhood Raceway has been having an incredible string'

'of bad luck here and this means this week.'

'He started with a blown engine yesterday'

'and it looks now like a blown front tire.'

'Time will only tell..'

Wow, man! Did you dig that power?

You almost wrecked it.

Scotty, that was our last set of tires.

Hey, man, I thought I was gonna get airborne, man.

She really moved!

She ain't gonna move nowhere on the rims, man.

Alright. Relax.

Tires. I told you I know a place where we can get tires.

'This is it.'

I thought you said a tire store.

A place, I said.

Ambex tires.

They moved the shop to a different location.

They use this place for storage.

I gave all my information

to the Los Angeles Police Department.

I didn't even know the highway patrol had detectives.

- Only in auto theft. - Ah!

And these are auto parts that were stolen

so, uh, well, you can see how logical that is.

Okay.

Okay. Here's what they got.

They got a "Z-gauge shifter here

serial number 305--"

Let's get to the, uh, tunnel ram

and the 4-barrel carbs.

No problem. Tunnel ram.

Okay. "76312UX."

Union. X-ray.

Okay. "91065 quicksilver."

Quicksilver?

Q.

Queen.

- Whatever. - Okay. Go on.

'459, silent alarm'

'Ambex tire storage, 1531 monarch.'

'Units responding, identify.'

15, 7 Adam, uh, Monarch from 81st.

Whoo!

Anyone hurt there?

- Sarge.

Oh, it's you two.

I wonder if you have any idea

how much trouble you've caused me?

Twenty-five thousand dollars for a stolen loader?

And I told you that when I asked

the captain for the money, he would say

that I was, um..

Crazy. That you'd lost your mind.

Yeah. Well, he'scrazy.

He's lost hismind.

He approved the 25,000.

Well, don't you get the picture?

'You can go ahead.'

Well, actually, sarge, uh..

You see..

Paula Kohl turned us down.

She wouldn't dare.

Excuse me, sarge?

- Ponch, Jon. - Hi, Grossie.

Hey. You know what this is?

It's a list of stolen auto parts.

Four of the burglaries of auto part stores

have been recent and in each case

'one or two of the items'

'the ones I've underlined'

have been high-test parts

like you'd use in a competition car.

Say, a dragster?

Including carbs

and a tunnel ram.

Our tunnel ram!

We-I-I mean, you know, your tunnel ram.

Stolen!

I'm not giving up.

Look, I figure we each stake out a store

that hasn't been hit yet, okay? Then we'll--

Do you wanna drop this Paula Kohl plan?

Um. Let us talk it over later, okay?

Yeah.

Okay. Istake out a store that hasn't been hit yet.

Look, uh-you get on the phone and give this to LAPD.

It's their job.

Yeah, but it's our dragster.

- Grossman! - Okay.

Your dragster.

See, Paula doesn't wanna play cops and robbers and I'm a cop.

But she did say I was a nice cop.

Yeah but now that we have the money

that puts a whole new complexion on the deal.

Oh, for us. But I mean, what else can I say to her?

I was fair, honest..

...logical, just like you would be

with anybusiness person.

Ahh. Business-woman, Jon.

That's where you made your mistake.

Business, yes.

But a woman appreciates a little..

...you know.

Romance?

Charm.

Special attention?

Right.

Good luck.

Your car is beautiful. You keep it just like it's new.

Yeah. It's a chariot for a princess.

Actually, I just had the car painted and waxed

and the upholstery is new.

Things have happened to this car.

I had it rebuilt a couple of times.

You mean, accidents?

Not traffic accidents.

I'm a very careful driver.

It's in my nature.

Oh, don't take me home. Make a right here.

Where would you like to go?

To the construction site.

Tonight?

Yeah. The dinner was wonderful.

You really made me feel elegant

but now I have to take a little nap.

See, I pay a guy to stand, uh, watch

just till midnight. Then I have to take over.

I've got clothes at the site.

Not very romantic, huh?

It's the company that counts.

You ought to get a regular watchman, Paula.

Too expensive.

You know, in this state alone

your industry had over

a thousand vehicles stolen last year.

- Hmm. - That's $80 million worth.

Most of them were unguarded.

But you don't wanna talk about business.

- No, but I suspect that you do. No.

I would like to get my hands on the guy

that went for your loader.

I hate a guy who'd rip off a pretty lady.

Just a contractor, Ponch.

Ah, but it's not just the big outfits.

I care more about the little guys.

The one who's going out of business because

these goons have ripped off their equipment.

'You care too, right?'

Hey, well, we don't have to talk about it.

Look, I thought maybe we could go--

Jon Baker put you up to this, didn't he?

The lovely evening and all the flattering attention?

- Why, no. It was-- - Well, Ponch.

Appearances deceive. I ama little guy.

I bid this job so low that I can't even

afford to waste one single nail.

I sold my house and everything in it

to finance this.

As of next week, that trailer is my home.

So either I finish this job on time

and on budget or I'm wiped out

and I haven't even been eating that well lately

so I really did appreciate the dinner.

But you can just tell Jon Baker

that his little plan, fell flat.

Hey, hold it.

I did think I could persuade you to help us

but I could have talked to you anywhere.

I don't ask a woman for a date..

...unless I want to.

Okay, so you've had your date

and now you've got your answer.

Look, we didn't know you were in financial trouble

but we can finance the phony buy.

The money's been approved.

You were victimized, Paula.

Most people in your position would be anxious to cooperate.

Yeah, but what if I do and you fail?

Then they come after me. A little vandalism..

A little arson, a little sabotage and I'm up a wall.

And so is the next guy and the next guy and the next.

Yeah, okay. Let the next guy fight his own fight.

And you fight yours. Just don't involve me.

Excuse me.

Could you help me with the chain?

- Fine. No problems.

No signs of anything strange?

Nothing at all. Very quiet.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight.

Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow night.

I didn't ID the vehicles in the yard.

They'd come back clean.

Window dressing to make it look legit.

Any investigation, if they're crooks

they'd pack up and skip.

We're simply soliciting aggravation

if we involve Paula Kohl against her will.

Oh, we won't but they will if they're

setting her up for another hit.

If, if?

If the van Ponch tailed

is the one she observed.

And according to your reports on the loader caper

she's not even sure the van was part of it.

But I'm sure what I saw last night.

Well, between losing you off the patrol

for a day or two and..

...giving you 25,000 to play with

I mean, the choice is obvious.

Keep all appropriate agencies informed

and don't try to be heroes.

Joe, we never tryto be.

15, 7 Dandy, this is special unit 1

southbound Stewart from Stockton.

You sure you wanna hit this place again so soon?

Listen, man, that D-8 cat is worth ten grand to us.

Just honk if there's any trouble, huh?

Police. Sit still. Put your hands on the wheel.

Hey, police! Halt!

Oh!

Just take it easy. You may have a concussion.

No, I'm okay. Let me up. I'm okay.

- Alright. Alright. Alright. - I'm okay.

I'm okay.

- Yeah. Really.

Alright.

Stop! Halt!

Hey, this is my personal car!

Don't just stand there. Get me out of here!

Are you okay?

Killed my car!

Hey, have I got great news!

Grossman, the man killed his car.

Don't you care if I'm hurt?

- No.

Wanna hear the good news?

Is Ponch alright? Oh, Ponch, your car.

He killed it.

I don't understand what happened.

Remember what you said to Ponch about the next guy?

You were the next guy and this is what happened.

And you fought the battle?

Our battle, like you said

without involving you.

Look, I'm sorry.

I-I said I was wrong.

Paula, maybe you'd better go see a doctor, huh?

Hey, Paula, we got 'em all.

Your job is safe. Good luck.

That was charming.

Logical.

It's about the dragster, you know? The good news.

What? You find a tunnel ram for the dragster?

How'd you know that?

- Hey! Grossie. - Hey.

'Ladies and gentlemen it's time'

'for the first semifinal event'

'in the Pro-Gas elimination.'

'Coming on the track now is Frank Poncherello'

'driving his Pro-Gas corvette, the Chips.'

'He's paired in this semifinal with Tommy Johnson'

'in his corvette, the Bullet.'

'This should be a hot race, folks.'

'And here we go with the first semifinal.'

'The cars are at the starting line.'

'Poncherello is staged.'

'Johnson is moving up now'

'and he is staged.'

'And the winner in this first semifinal'

'with an ET of 9.37 seconds'

'at 143.18 miles per hour'

'is Frank Poncherello.'

Alright, Ponch! Atta boy!

'And he moves into the finals.'

'And on the track now is the Bonanza'

'driven by veteran driver Jim Scotty Jones.'

'Scotty's been turning some very fast times in his last few runs'

'in spite of a blown engine earlier in the competition.'

'He is teamed with Spider Trent at the wheel of a charger.'

'Spider Trent was last year's champion in this class'

'and you can bet he's going to try to hang on to that trophy.'

'Both drivers are staging now.'

Come on! Go on! Go on!

'And he does it.'

'Scotty Jones, the winner..'

So, Grossie, where'd you find a tunnel ram?

A guy from Fresno had it.

See, I made a list of stolen parts

with the serial numbers.

Hey, I see you guys did alright, huh?

You're in the final. Congratulations.

Grossie, I see they let you in on the fun.

'Where'd you get the tunnel ram?'

Um, remember my list of stolen parts?

I got the serial number

wired New York and found out the maker

shipped one to Fresno. Then when I--

- Hey, Jon. - Yeah.

You get a look at the guys who ripped off

that Ambex tire place?

Not really. Why?

I don't think so. Why?

That Bonanza crew, new tires?

The racer and the truck?

Hey, guys, remember my list?

Hey, that's not the truck we chased.

You were chasing a stolen.

LAPD recovered it yesterday.

I went there.

What

Ambex.

I'm checking out stolen racing stuff.

'Ambex loses racing tires.'

So I go get the serial numbers.

'What else?'

I'd say check the stuff in their pit.

Go. Come. Stay.

Big deal.

'And this is the big one, folks.'

'The final event in the super stock'

'Pro-Gas eliminator.'

'It's Frank Poncherello in the Chips'

'running head-to-head with Scotty Jones'

'at the wheel of the Bonanza.'

'But where's the Bonanza?'

'Last call for Scotty Jones' Bonanza.'

'In the staging area now, please.'

'Last call for Scotty Jones.'

'Okay, the Bonanza's on the track now'

'and it's a tense moment, folks'

'as both of these drivers prepare themselves'

'for this last run.'

'A final word from a crew member'

'and they're just about ready to go.'

'This is it, folks. Thisis the big one.'

'Poncherello is on the track'

'heating up the rubber on those big racing..'

'There seems to be a problem at the starting line.'

'Scotty jones is pulling back from the start.'

'Now Poncherello is doing the same. Something's wrong.'

'Would the starter please check with the drivers?'

'Bonanza seems to be leaving the racetrack.'

He's in the car! I whipped him, man.

I passed him! I beat him.

Hands down, right? You saw it?

Yeah, I saw enough.

Frank, I have known you to pull some utterly..

...foolhardy stunts, but this...this..

What am I gonna do about you?

Well yo..

You can call somebody to tow me. I ran out of gas.

Get out of the car.

Put your hands on your head.

Uh, folks.

Folks, uh, I got to get back to the office

but, uh, before I go..

Uh, Frank your car was on official business

so the department will repair it.

Alright!

We don't like to, but it's, um..

- Uh, logical. - Charming.

Yeah, I'd also like to thank Paula Kohl

for throwing this victory party.

Even though, even though the victory was by default

over a car built mostly of stolen parts.

Oh, and the new owners move in tomorrow

so try not to spill anything on the carpet, please.

Hey, a little bit of dragster club business.

Now, we all know that, uh

Artie Grossman would like to get in the club.

So, uh, all in favor of letting him in?

Uh...okay. Aye.

Alright. Yay!

Well, it's unanimous, Grossie. You're in.

Uh, just as soon as you take care of this.

Yeah, sure. What is it?

It's a bill from New York.

Uh, they won't ship the tunnel ram and carbs

until you pay, uh, $1,200.57.