Race the Sun is a 1996 American comedy-drama film directed by Charles T. Kanganis and starring Halle Berry and James Belushi alongside Casey Affleck, Eliza Dushku, and Kevin Tighe.
These include Daniel Webster, a surfer and aspiring designer, Marco Quito, an outspoken and flashy cool kid, Gilbert Tutu, an overweight and shy, yet brilliant computer geek, Oni Nagano, a whiny valley girl of Japanese descent, Eduardo Braz, a young mechanic who is quick to defend his heritage and his friends from insults, and Luana Kanahele, Eduardo's girlfriend.
In a teacher's meeting, Sandra attempts unsuccessfully to raise awareness for the science fair that week since no students at Kona Pali are participating.
The other students arrive and Marco instantly begins to trade words with Steve, and Sandra attempts to defuse the situation by getting them to walk away.
Braz being the mechanic, Daniel being the designer and handler of fiber glass, Marco offering himself as the lead driver, Gilbert's computer knowledge is also employed while Luana is left to eventually think of a position with the team.
Oni then introduces Uni Kakamura, a math prodigy who is just as shy and soft-spoken as Gilbert as an addition to the team, and Daniel says he could bring someone else in.
Sandra talks to Frank to ask for his help, but refuses by pointing out that the students are lolos with no drive or higher aspirations beyond being low income, minimum wage workers.
Due to that strategy, the Kona Pali team is able to outperform everyone else and barely qualify by completing the required hundred laps, defeating Sutcliffe Academy and a resentful Steve in the process.
Jack Fryman attempts to have the Cockroach rebuilt and redesigned to have Celtech's solar panels after being pressured by his superiors, but the team refuses with Braz emphasizing that their car was built by "animals".
On the second day things go smoothly until a sand storm hits that damages several cars, but the cockroach and Cindy survive intact.
One day an oxygen tank blew up and killed four men, including Gilbert's father who jumped in front of Frank to save his life.
That night at the hotel, Marco mocks Gilbert for being a registered driver, and Cindy tells Uni that she should be more assertive against Oni, who tends to boss her around.
As Braz and Luana walk through the nearby streets, they see Jack talking to Daniel, having approached him moments earlier in an attempt to persuade him and the team to drop out of the race.
On the final day, Marco also suffers from the heat and becomes delirious while in the car causing it to swerve onto the dry sand as Hans and his team pass them.
The Cockroach crawls and the rest of the team runs to his side to keep him from giving in, with Uni finally standing up to Oni as Hans passes them smugly.
Through their encouragement, Gilbert is finally able to pass over the hill and Marco gets on the back of the Cockroach to coach him as they gain momentum and catch up to Hans.
Eventually using a maneuver to cause Hans' car to flip over on momentum, the Kona Pali team is cleared to finish in third place, much to Jack Fryman's dismay.
The film was written and co-produced by Barry Morrow, who had shared the 1988 Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay for Rain Man.
"[7] Hollis Chacona of the Austin Chronicle said "you might as well call this movie Hot Runnings", and notes that J. Moki Cho's character Gilbert gives this film substance and a "sweet quality that makes it easier to swallow than you might expect".