Hurley, A Movie about Porsche Racer Hurley Haywood

Probably the most famous American Porsche Racer in the world, Hurley Haywood has a documentary out on Amazon Prime about his racing career and his coming out as gay. Actor and Porsche racer Patrick Dempsey produced the documentary and is featured throughout as the movie follows Hurly support of Patrick’s teams’ race at the 24 Hours of Daytona. more...

The movie Hurley had been on my Amazon Watch List for a while so finally one rainy day I decided to turn it on. Linda is not into racing movies but she does like Patrick Dempsey so she was watching the movie out of the corner of her eye while futzing around the house.

The early part of the movie is racing oriented telling the story of Hurley’s start in the sport and his teaming up with Peter Gregg to become the dominant team in Porsche Sports Car racing in the US and for Hurley eventually on the worldwide stage.

As the movie progressed it started to get into Hurley the man and the challenges he faced personally with his then unconventional lifestyle choices for one involved in motor racing, a very macho sport.

It was at this point that Linda left what she was doing and joined me in the living room to watch the rest of the movie. The movie captured both of our attentions with racing. lifestyle and personal drama unfolding as the 24 Hours of Daytona progresses with commentary by Hurley Haywood and Patrick Dempsey.

I had grown up following the Sports Car team of Gregg and Haywood and remember Peter Gregg’s death being reported in Competition Press the only source for racing news at the time. I didn’t know the circumstances surrounding Gregg’s suicide but this movie handles it elegantly and provides the added insight from Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg’s son.

If you are a Porsche racing fan, you have to see this documentary. And, if others in your family are not so much, I still think they will enjoy the movie as you hear an individual in the world of racing describe his life challenges on and off the track.