MOTORCITY focuses on the local amateur drag racing scene in Detroit, Michigan, but goes beyond just the sport. The film follows John Quick, Carter & Son Racing, and Karri Anne Beebe over two years as they strive to shave tenths of seconds off their race times.

As the documentary progresses, the relationship between techno and car racing, and the self-perception of a European view of American life are discussed. The film delves into the fascination and the need for explanation surrounding the sport, which has captured the American imagination since the 1950s.

Summereder's film offers a philosophical, intellectual exploration of the purist nature of drag racing, showcasing it as a pure, uncompromising manifestation of the American Dream, representing freedom, mobility, speed, and the conquest of new land. MOTORCITY also delves into the history of the city of Detroit and its connection to drag racing. The documentary offers insight into the rise and fall of the city, as well as the success and struggles of its African American population.