I read this book in high school

Believe it or not, Paul Newman announced in the late 70's that he was going to produce and star in this movie himself, under the title "Stand on It!"

As a matter of a fact, when you see the outtakes of this movie, pay close attention to the clapper thingy as it reads the original title of "Stand on it". The title was probably changed at the last minute.

I just finished reading the book and it would have made such a good movie, Newman would have been great, i love "Slap Shot" and Stand on It could have topped it. The book is really pretty good, i couldnt really put it down. Hal Needham must have really liked it cause some of the wilder car stunts in his movies are in the book (like putting a car into a pool from Cannonball Run)
But being a big Burt fan and loving all his car movies, its still pretty good if your in the right state of mind, what the movie needed was to be a little more like "Hooper" and less like "Cannonball Run." If they tried to do soemthing different and stayed closer to the book it mighta have been the perfect role for him, but someone sould remake it a period movie set in the early 70's and completly politically incorrect.

Bubba, you're an idiot... Studs Terkel had NOTHING To do with this book! LOL

Bill Neely not only wrote it, he lived it... he was the real "Charlie". Curtis Turner was the real "Stroker" and "Sam Bisby" both.

The movie should have been called "Stand On It". Stroker Ace sounds like the nickname for a chronic masterbator.