Motorcycle racing is the rage in 1920s America. WWI vet, Eddy Pearson thinks his luck is changing when he wins a big race in Dayton, Ohio, but when he goes to collect his winnings, he has a run-in with the race promoter, who accuses him of cheating. He's banned from major races in the North, so he heads south. In New Orleans, Eddy spots a poster in a shop window advertising "The Barrel of Death" - a carnival attraction at the local fairgrounds. Standing on the spectators' platform, Eddy witnesses the spectacular crash of the daredevil motorcycle stunt driver and at that moment, realizes that opportunity has come knocking. Maybe my luck's changing after all.