It isn’t very often that a feature film centered around legitimate drag racing is produced. For most Americans, the only resemblance to such a movie made in the last couple of decades has been the “Fast and Furious” series, which has gone over with the drag racing purists like a lead balloon. But that’s about to change as a brand new, independent film that focuses on grass roots bracket racing is set to begin production in 2011.

Fore more information, visit shiftfilm.com.

Shift, as its been titled, is directed by and stars Randy Spence and follows the story of a North Carolina sportsman drag racer who sacrifices nearly everything in his quest to escape his fathers shadow and become the next Classic Gear Jammers champion. Spence, cast as “Boomer Honeycutt.” separates from his fiancee and is forced to move into his van. After awakening from a rough night out and learning that he has an 11-year old son with his high school sweetheart, Boomer sets out to chase his dream on the racetrack. The film is set against the backdrop of stick-shift drag racing in the South, with early filming already taking place at Farmington Dragway and other tracks around the state.

Says Spence, “The sport of Drag Racing is much more than horsepower, muscle cars, and blazing speed.  During the hot summers of my youth in North Carolina it gave my family something we could all actually agree on.  There is nothing like the smell of burning rubber and the sound of a 4-speed breaking loose under the lights on a Saturday night.  We could all share in our love for drag racing.  So many miles on back country highways, and days spent in unbearable conditions together with one goal.  Win.  The wins on the track were few and far between,  but those times gave us something greater than any trip to the winner’s circle.  With SHIFT we hope to share some of that.  SHIFT will be a realistic portryal of the sport  we love  and the people who know that life is best lived in high gear.”

Jeg Coughlin Jr. is set to play a cameo role in the film as himself during an on-location scene to be filmed at the NHRA national event in Charlotte this spring, with talks ongoing with other professional drivers to play small roles in the film as well. Production of “Shift” will be completed in late 2011.