START YOUR ENGINES.

Engines roar, dirt flies, and crowds cheer as a series of race cars tear through a racetrack. At the heart of this high-speed ballet is Mykola Koval, known in the racing world as "Myko," his car a striking blue and yellow, echoing the colors of the Ukrainian flag. He’s door to door with a competitor, expertly sliding around the corners at a ridiculous pace all the way across the finish line. He decisively wins the contest, but due to a technicality, his victory is snatched away by a controversial ruling from the judges, hinting at political tensions.

Back in the pits, his mechanic, Yana, protests, saying that the Russian judges are biased against him. Mykola is a “roll with the punches” kind of guy, but his ego won’t let him stand back and do nothing. He knows that he’s a fan favorite so rather than quietly taking the loss, Myko grabs a microphone, walks out onto the track, and gives an impassioned speech, ultimately leading the crowd to boo the judges and winning driver. He may have technically lost the race, but it's the humiliated judges and belittled winning driver who lost the respect of the fans.

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As they prepare to return to Odessa, one of Myko’s friends and British racer, Liam brings ominous news of an imminent attack on Ukraine. Mykola rushes home to his family, leaving Yana to navigate the race car transport semi back alone. Mykola arrives home to missiles tearing through the sky. He, his wife Nina, and their two children pile into one of his old race cars and he uses every bit of his amazing driving skills to get them to Nina’s parents’ house across town.

Along the way, they come across their son’s karate teacher, Mr. Petrenko, and his family helplessly stuck in the ditch. Rockets continue flying overhead, but Mykola helps them and the two families hunker down in the basement at Nina’s parents, Nana and Pop Pop’s house. Myko, usually so full of life, is introspective, troubled by the news of looming conflict. At Nina's parents' house, amidst the fear and uncertainty, Myko finds an unexpected ally in Pop Pop, Nina's father. Their relationship, once strained by Myko's flashy lifestyle and Pop Pop's stern military background, finds common ground in the fight to protect their family. The group hatches a plan to escape Ukraine before the borders close, but it requires a trip to Mykola’s race shop to gather supplies and his big American pick-up truck, fondly named “Beef Cake.”

The next day, Mykola and Mr. Petrenko put their plan into action, but their visit to his race shop intertwines Myko’s fate with that of his country, as a team of Ukrainian soldiers beg for his expertise for their battered vehicles. Reluctantly, he obliges and quickly upgrades their SUV with bigger tires, drills some makeshift metal paneling to the doors to help with bullet proofing, and changes the fluids. Myko's journey from egotistical champion to reluctant hero begins. The skills that made him a star on the track are now his greatest asset in a fight for survival.

Nana and Pop Pop refuse to leave their home despite the pending danger and unforeseen circumstances force the two families to make one final stop at the race shop before heading to the border before it closes for good at sunset. When they arrive, there are more Ukrainian soldiers looking for help with their car. The families watch Mykola expertly and quickly repair the vehicle, attaching sheets of scrap metal over the bullet holes in the doors, while Nina tends to the minor wounds of the soldiers.

As the two families drive off for the border, now with two working cars, there is an uneasy feeling in the air about leaving the country when the soldiers need Mykola’s expert help. The two families sit in a painfully long line of cars waiting to cross into Moldova. Myko's world has shifted on its axis and a solemn, collective decision is made. He and Petrenko will stay behind to help with the war effort. This marks a pivotal moment. Myko, once driven by personal glory, now considers working toward something far greater—the safety of his family and the future of his country.

The ticking clock toward a full military lock-down at sunset leaves very little room for proper good byes. With no other option, Nina breaks from the waiting line of cars and takes “Beef Cake” the pick-up truck into full off-road mode. Mrs. Petrenko and the children bounce around in the cab as they cross the border to safety just as the sun breaks the horizon. Mykola and Petrenko however, take their car in the opposite direction. The sole car driving against the exodus of cars waiting to flee Ukraine. Their country needs them.

*Full story outline available upon request