Rad

Rad is a 1986 sports drama about Cru Jones, a teenager in a small town who races BMX bikes and delivers newspapers. When a major bicycle manufacturer brings a big race called Helltrack to the area, local riders get a chance to compete against the country's best. Cru must decide whether to enter qualifying for Helltrack or sit the SATs and go to college, a choice his mother favours and the race organisers complicate as they try to keep him off the track.

Hal Needham directed from a screenplay by Sam Bernard and Geoffrey Edwards, with Robert L. Levy producing. It was Needham's eighth film as director, following Cannonball Run II two years earlier. Bill Allen plays Cru, Lori Loughlin plays Christian, Talia Shire plays Mrs. Jones, and Ray Walston, Alfie Wise and Jack Weston appear as Burton Timmer, Eliott Dole and Duke Best. The Canadian-American production had 44 credited cast and 73 credited crew.

Made for about 3 million dollars, it took roughly 2 million worldwide, less than its cost. On IMDb it holds 6.7 from around 7,800 votes, and on TMDB 6.6 from 116 votes, while a critics' score of 4.5 from 12 reviews is notably lower than the audience ratings.