Watch The Last Race

The Last Race is a 2018 documentary film directed by Michael Dweck. The film explores the nostalgia and beauty of stock car racing on the Long Island's Riverhead Raceway track, where the track's blue-collar racing community struggles against the inevitable extinction of the sport. The documentary puts together 23 years of footage that Dweck captured in and around the track to create a story arc for the movie.

Set in the town of Riverhead, New York, the documentary offers a glimpse into the world of the Riverhead Raceway. It covers the track's history and its significance to the town's small community, which sees the track as much more than just a venue for noise-filled entertainment. The film offers a close view of the lives of the racers, their families, and owners of the track, many of whom are struggling to keep the track alive against the looming urban expansion.

The documentary features the struggles of two drivers, Marty Berger and Barbara Cromarty, who have both been racing in the Riverhead Raceway since 1972. Berger is a tough-looking man in his seventies who has two nicknames at the Riverhead Raceway - "Madman" and "Muscles." A legendary figure of the Riverhead track, Marty started his racing career at age 17 and has been racing ever since. Now he is facing the challenges of aging, and the threat of the track closure. Barbara started racing at Riverhead at age 16 and continues to race, year after year, despite personal struggles.

The Last Race also delves into the devastating effect of urban sprawl, which is making it harder to keep the Riverhead Raceway functioning. The track's owners, Jim and Barbara Cromarty, have been fighting to keep the track running for years, but they keep encountering problems. They face opposition from environmentalists and developers, who want to turn the site into a mall or a condominium complex, and from local residents who complain about noise and other nuisances.

Overall, The Last Race is a beautiful ode to a disappearing piece of Americana. Michael Dweck weaves an evocative and immersive narrative that takes the viewer right into the lives of Riverhead Raceway's racers, owners, and fans. The film is a powerful reminder of how important it is to preserve our communities' history, culture, and sense of place, even as we move forward into the future.

The Last Race is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 15 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.9 and a MetaScore of 77.