she is going to Top Fuel. He becomes her crew chief. She wins her first NHRA national event in 1976, then the World Championship in 1977. Finally, tired of Connie's womanizing, she drops him from her team. Angry, he successfully pursues reinstatement by the NHRA. Shirley, with little sponsorship and an inexperienced crew, has two lean years, but she rebounds in 1980. She races against Connie in that year's NHRA championship final. She is victorious, and they reconcile. Jack, her ex-husband (who had watched the victory on TV), gives her a private cheer. Cast Bonnie Bedelia as Shirley Muldowney Beau Bridges as Connie Kalitta Leo Rossi as Jack Muldowney Hoyt Axton as Tex Roque Bill McKinney as "Big Daddy" Don Garlits Anthony Edwards as John Muldowney, Shirley and Jack's son Tiffany Brissette as Little Shirley Ellen Geer as Marianne Kalitta, Connie's wife The film also marked the film debut of character actor Leonard Termo, who had a small role as Good Joe. Reception Rolling Stones Michael Sragow gave Heart Like a Wheel a mostly positive review, deeming it "flawed but energetic". He remarked that compared to other film biographies, the storyline and depiction of the core subject matter (drag racing) are lacking in drama and clarity, but in part because of that, are much more true to life. For this reason, he felt that drag racing enthusiasts would get more out of the film than those unfamiliar with the sport. He praised the acting as the movie's strongest point, particularly the performances by Bedelia and Bridges. Muldowney's reaction Muldowney would rather have had Jamie Lee Curtis play her; she called Bedelia "a snot", and stated, "When she was promoting the movie on TV shows, she would tell interviewers she didn't even like racing. She got out of race car like she was getting up from the dinner table." Although Muldowney acted as creative consultant on the production, she has mixed feelings about the film itself, stating, "No, the movie did not capture my life very well at all, but more importantly, I thought the movie was very, very good for the sport." Accolades The film was nominated for the American Film Institute's 2008 AFI's 10 Top 10 list in the sports film category. See also List of American films of 1983 References External links 1980s biographical drama films 1983 films 20th Century Fox films Aurora Productions films American biographical drama