Dust to Glory is a heck of a ride—an emotionally loaded race picture that packs considerable action into its 90 odd minutes, taking a breather every now and then to offer unique perspectives of the contestants in the 30-year annual Baja 1000 race in Ensenada, Mexico—the longest point-to-point race in the world. Created by Step Into Liquid director Dana Brown, who also serves as narrator, it’s a sports movie of considerable skill and sensitivity—and it’s a documentary to boot.

Director Brown may be an expert craftsman who thrillingly captures the daunting trek with technical immediacy, but Dust to Glory’s greatest strengths are all emotion—the static interviews with the drivers themselves. There are as many different perspectives here as there are contestants, and what emerges is a rich picture of diversity that ranges from the drive of professional racers Mario Andretti and Robbie Knievel to the familial ties of everyday Mexican families who enter the race as tradition and rite of passage.

The contestants, driven not by the promise of riches or professional status, all have their own compelling reasons for being a part of the grueling race that rivals Indy and Daytona in stature but surpasses them in unpredictability and danger.

Of the many personal stories here, one of the most resonant must be that of pro Malcolm Smith, who’s driven the race for many years and dedicates an inordinate amount of personal time—and money—to a Mexican orphanage. In the film’s best sequence, Smith and his own son are visibly overwhelmed at the product of their own selfless contribution to the children’s lives.

The other racers’ stories and motivations are all over the map, but no one here is in it for what little financial gain the race offers. What’s going on here is the thrill of achievement and more to the point, the meaning such an accomplishment can bring not to a racing career but to a driver’s place in the world. It’s a dangerous trip and one that offers a glimpse of the edge—the unknowable outside the perimeter of everyday living.

There’s a kick to the way Dust to Glory unfolds in its comprehensively shot depiction of the race itself. Indeed, the camera seems to be everywhere, following intimately through every twist and turn of the landscape, and every exhilaration and disappointment.

Dust to Glory employs large-scale moments of thrilling excitement with small personal stories that are undeniably affecting. If Brown ever decides to train his eye on narrative film, he’ll be a near-perfect action film director—one who knows the value of character moments against a grand backdrop.