Are you the type of person who can’t get enough racing documentaries in your life? If so, you might already know about Speed Is My Need, a new documentary from serial documentarian Mark Sloper. This film features in-depth discussions with racing legends Colin Edwards, Leon Haslam, and Freddie Spencer. There’s also plenty of on-track British Superbike series drama as the main plot follows Haslam’s comeback journey in the BSB series. To sweeten the deal, Rick Broadbent, Peter Hickman, and Ron Haslam are also interviewed in this film. 

In the past, director Sloper has brought the world the I, Superbiker doc series, as well as a variety of music documentaries on the likes of the Beatles, David Bowie, Sid Vicious, and others.  Clocking in at 74 minutes in total, Speed is my Need dives deep into what goes on in professional racers’ heads as they tear around at ridiculously fast speeds on track. Viewers also get a glimpse into how both racing and medical technology have changed over the years.

Leon Haslam
Fast Freddie Spencer

From the famous Top Gun quote to the Need for Speed video game series, the need for speed is a feeling that anyone who wants to go fast, in or on any vehicle, knows well. It’s probably no surprise that when marketing this documentary, some graphic designer seems to have drawn upon the Need for Speed movie poster for their inspiration:

Speed Is My Need Poster
Need For Speed poster

Through advances in safety gear, bike, and medical technology, racers are able to compete at levels that would have been simply unthinkable in the past. Crashes still happen, but racers are able to walk away relatively unscathed from moments that would have previously have caused serious injury or death. When racers do suffer injuries, modern medical care is able to heal them more quickly and completely than ever before, as well. None of this is any guarantee—but the advances are nonetheless impressive, especially if you’re familiar with racing history. 

As you might expect, theatrical release of this documentary seems limited. If you’re in the US, you can rent or buy the digital version via Amazon Prime or iTunes.

Sources: Vimeo, MoreBikes, Vision Films, IMDB

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