Tom Cruise paid a poignant tribute to the late NASCAR driver Kyle Busch on Saturday at the Daytona International Speedway, honoring him with an empty chair during the NASCAR Cup Series race. The gesture coincided with Cruise's announcement that a sequel to the 1990 film "Days of Thunder" is in the works.
Cruise was photographed sitting next to an unoccupied seat designated for Busch, who died in July 2026 at the age of 41. Busch passed away from pneumonia-induced sepsis just hours after being hospitalized. His death left a significant void in the NASCAR community and his family.
Busch's wife, Samantha Busch, has been open about her grief and her efforts to navigate life with their two children, 11-year-old Brexton and 4-year-old Lennix. She recently spoke at the Carlos Rodon Foundation’s Third Annual Willow Gala, where she received the Seeds of Hope Award for her advocacy of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. Busch and his wife had both their children through IVF.
"Losing him has been the greatest heartbreak of my life," Samantha Busch stated at the gala. "And if I’m being truthful, there are still so many things I don’t understand and so many times I wish God’s plan looked different than it does."
She added, "Caring for the things that Kyle and I built together can feel incredibly heavy because he should still be here doing it beside me. But I also know that the same God who carried us through infertility is still carrying me now."
Actress Anne Hathaway was also involved in the announcements surrounding the film's sequel. Details regarding Hathaway's role have not yet been released. Cruise is expected to reprise his role as racecar driver Cole Trickle in the sequel, which is slated for a 2028 release. The original "Days of Thunder" premiered in 1990.