The Driver and The Mechanic are two car freaks driving a 1955 Chevy throughout the southwestern U.S. looking for other cars to race. They are totally dedicated to The Car and converse with each other only when necessary. At a gas station, The Driver and The Mechanic, along with a girl who has ingratiated herself into their world, meet G.T.O., a middleaged man who fabricates stories about his exploits. It is decided to have a race to Washington, D.C., where the winner will get the losers car. Along the way, the race and the highway metaphorically depict the lives of these contestants as they struggle to their destination.