When you think of the intersection between NASCAR and Hollywood, the first things that might come to mind are movies like ‘Days of Thunder’ or ‘Talladega Nights.’ These are the flicks that painted NASCAR in broad strokes, mixing high-speed action with celebrity glam. But long before those movies hit the big screen, there was a Hollywood-NASCAR connection that’s often forgotten. It was one that involved a legendary actor and a famous stuntman.
Let’s rewind to the early 1980s, when Bert Reynolds and Hal Needham, two Hollywood icons, made their mark on the NASCAR world with the iconic Skoal Bandit car. This story is about how they took the thrills of the silver screen to the track, using the popularity of the ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ franchise to fuel a racing legacy. The result? A NASCAR team that captivated fans with not just speed, but with an unspoken charm that only these two could pull off.
Birth of the Mach 1 Racing Team
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The name Hal Needham may not ring as many bells as Burt Reynolds, but he was just as integral to Hollywood’s action-filled films. Needham was the most sought-after stuntman in the industry, known for his daring escapades that tested the limits of physics and safety. He was the first person to test the airbag (fearlessly) when no one knew what it was. And Needham was a wild man behind the wheel, pushing stunt cars to their limits for films like Cannonball Run. If you have seen the movie, you know what we mean.
In the late ’70s, Needham decided to take things to a new level by getting behind the wheel of a rocket-powered car. In fact, he was the mastermind behind the Budweiser Rocket Car, a hybrid-engine monstrosity that could reach speeds of over 700 mph. With Stan Barrett, another Hollywood stuntman, in the driver’s seat, they set out to break speed records.
In 1979, they succeeded, hitting a staggering 739 mph at Edwards Air Force Base in California. It was the first time anyone had ever broken the sound barrier on land and it was in Mach 1.01. But the doubters questioned it and the result was never officially accepted. This had Needham set his sights on a different kind of thrill, and NASCAR was the best option.
And by that time, Needham was already a successful director. Having made films, Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and Hooper (1978), both featuring Reynolds. He used his Hollywood connections to form a racing team. The idea was simple: combine the fame of Reynolds, his own excitement, and the sponsorship from a major tobacco brand, Skoal.
What made the car iconic was the Skoal Bandit logo. And the man behind the wheel? Stan Barrett, the same stuntman who had driven the Budweiser Rocket Car. Though Barrett was no slouch behind the wheel, racing proved to be a different animal. In his first season with the team, he didn’t dominate but showed promise. His best finish was 9th at Talladega that year. While Barrett was the star for a short while (10 races), the team’s real success came when Needham decided to make a change.
It was after seeing a young driver named Harry Gant stand out in Atlanta during the same season. In the race, Gant finished P2 behind Cale Yarborough and Barrett was 16th. Needham decided to tap Gant as the new driver for the number 33 car. And Reynolds was quickly on board. So Gant ran the remaining races of the season. And Gant was exceptionally good. By the end of the season, he finished five races in P2 along with winning three pole awards and a P3 season finish. After this, it seemed like a championship team had been born!
The rise and fall of the Skoal Bandit legacy
With Harry Gant behind the wheel, the Skoal Bandit car entered its golden era. In 1982, the team secured its first victory at Martinsville, and Gant would go on to win nine races between 1982 and 1985. But like many things in NASCAR, the ride wasn’t always smooth. The team faced fierce competition from legends like Dale Earnhardt Sr and Terry Labonte, who often thwarted their championship hopes.
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Over the next few seasons, Gant would lead the team to numerous second-place finishes and even contend for the championship in 1984. Here he finished in P2 behind Terry Labonte. Then again, after a splendid season in ’85, he ended up in P3. But that championship was never won!
Behind the scenes, Needham was still bringing the Hollywood flair to the races, including a particularly memorable (and odd) press conference where he staged a voodoo ritual. He had the voodoo dolls of Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Terry Labonte pinned and cursed. And to everyone’s surprise, it seemed to work—well, kind of (Earnhardt ended up blowing an engine). The Skoal Bandit team won races, but the shadow of Hollywood came with its own set of problems. By the end of 1985, the team’s fortunes began to fade. Gant moved on, and despite a few more strong finishes, the magic started to wear off.
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In 1989, the team was sold to Jackson’s Brothers Motorsports and the Skoal Bandit name disappeared from the NASCAR landscape. The star power of Reynolds and Needham couldn’t keep the team afloat forever, and the Hollywood connection was no longer enough to sustain the dream. On the other hand, Gant went on to win 9 more races but could only manage a P4 season finish after his exit from the team.
Maybe if he had stuck with Mach 1, the team would have flourished. Who knows, it might have still been in NASCAR! What are your memories of the Skoal Bandits? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.