Welcome to Episode 35!
Synopsis (Kristin)
- The story of Cru Jones, a young man who can overcome all obstacles that prevent him from participating in the BMX race “Helltrack.” As he works towards his dream, Cru falls in love with Christian, an amateur racer. With the help of Christian and her friends, can Cru’s “Rad Racing Team” defeat the top BMX factory rider, Bart Taylor?
Actors & Crew
- Jeannine Bill Allen William Lawrence Allen (born November 7, 1962) is, more like was, an American actor.Allen was born in Wichita, Kansas. He became famous for his role in the 1986 film Rad as BMX racer Cru Jones. Among other roles, William appeared as Roger Sloate in the 1987 Family Ties television episode “Matchmaker”. Bill has toured extensively for the band The Pipefitters with his harmonica, alongside actor Lou Diamond Phillips.
- Kristin Bart Connor Barthold Wayne Conner (born March 28, 1958) is a retired American Olympic gymnast. He was a member of the United States men’s national artistic gymnastics team and won two gold medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He owns and operates the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy in Norman, Oklahoma, along with his wife, Romanian Olympic gold medalist Nadia Comăneci. In addition, Conner is a long-time gymnastics commentator, and both Comăneci and Conner are highly involved with the Special Olympics.
- Jeannine Lori Loughlin– Lori Anne Loughlin born July 28, 1964) is an American actress. From 1988 to 1995, she played Rebecca Donaldson Katsopolis on the ABC sitcom Full House, and reprised the role for its Netflix sequel Fuller House (2016–2018). Loughlin is also known for her roles of Jody Travis in The Edge of Night (1980–1983), Debbie Wilson in The CW series 90210 (2008–2012), Jennifer Shannon in the Garage Sale Mystery television film series (2013–2018), and Abigail Stanton in When Calls the Heart (2013–2019). She was a co-creator, producer, and star of the two seasons of The WB series Summerland (2004–2005). After her 2 month prison release in 2020 for conspiracy, she resumed her career and appeared in several television films and series including episodes of Blue Bloods, Ted, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and a recurring role in On Call.
- Kristin Talia Shire– Talia Rose Shire (née Coppola; born April 25, 1946) is an American actress and member of the Coppola family. She is best known for her roles as Connie Corleone in The Godfather trilogy and Adrian Pennino Balboa in the Rocky series. For her work in The Godfather Part II and Rocky, Shire was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively, and for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama for her role in Rocky.
- Jeannine Ray Walston– Herman Ray Walston (November 2, 1914 – January 1, 2001) was an American actor. He started his career on Broadway earning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees (1956).He appeared in the films South Pacific (1958), Damn Yankees (1958),
The Apartment(1960),Kiss Me, Stupid(1964),Paint Your Wagon(1969),The Sting (1973), Popeye (1980), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), and Of Mice and Men (1992). Walston also starred as the title character on My Favorite Martian and as Glen Bateman in the miniseries The Stand (1994). For his role as Judge Henry Bone in Picket Fences he earned two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Budget & Release (Kristin)
Budget: $3mi
Box Office: $2mill
Release: March 21, 1986:
Rerelease (Theaters): Mar 22, 2026 HAPPY 40Th ANNIVERSARY!
Rated: PG
J:
-Primarily filmed in and around Cochrane and Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with some additional scenes shot in California (The beach montage was shot on Torrance Beach, California, near Miramar Park, and the “Pipeline” skatepark in the Upland/Claremont area was used for the opening scene.)
The film was released on VHS and LaserDisc in 1986, where the film quickly found a following and became a top-ten video rental for two years after the film’s release
This film had little “top critic” reviews and that’s ok. It wasn’t made to win major awards. It was made to spark excitement in it’s young middle/high school viewers. It developed a cult following with it’s music, sick tricks and passion for BMX. The majority of positive reviews have come from after 2010 where this film brings up great nostalgia.
