NASCAR showman the focus of documentary on ESPN
NASCAR fans will not want to miss ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary – Tim Richmond: ToThe Limit
In the 1980s, U.S. racing car driver Tim Richmond lived his life the way he raced cars – wide open. Born into a wealthy family, Tim Richmond was the antithesis of the typical Southern, blue-collar, dirt-track racers who dominated NASCAR. Nicknamed “Hollywood”, he was a flamboyant showman who basked in the attention of the media and fans, especially the attention of female admirers. But it was Richmond’s on-track performances that ended up drawing comparisons to racing legends and in 1986, when he won seven NASCAR races and finished third in the Winston Cup series points race, some believed he was on the verge of stardom. When he unexpectedly withdrew from the season-opening Daytona 500 in February 1987, media reported that he had pneumonia. In reality, the diagnosis was far more dire: he had AIDS. Richmond returned to the track in 1987, but he was gone from the sport by the next year as his health deteriorated. He spent his final days as a recluse, dying on August 13, 1989, at the age of 34.
Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Rory Karpf, whose documentaries have been narrated by the likes of Paul Newman, Kevin Costner and Tom Cruise, examines the life and tragic death of one of NASCAR’s shooting stars.
Tim Richmond: To The Limit is part of ESPN’s 30 For 30 series commissioned to celebrate ESPN’s 30th anniversary with 30 original documentaries by 30 leading film-makers.
Watch it on ESPN, on DStv channel 230, Wednesday 9 February at 9pm. Re-airs on 12 Feb (4pm), 13 Feb (10.3pm) and 14 Feb (6pm).