Tom Cruise Pitched NASCAR CEO on Driving in Real ARCA Race for "Days of Thunder" Sequel
The movie star, set to reprise his role as Cole Trickle in a 2028 sequel, expressed a desire for authenticity that extended to competing in NASCAR's developmental series.
Actor Tom Cruise has expressed a strong desire for authenticity in the upcoming "Days of Thunder" sequel, reportedly asking NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell about the possibility of competing in a real ARCA Series race. The sequel, slated for a 2028 release and starring alongside Ann Hathaway, aims to capture the essence of stock car racing, much like the original 1990 film.
O'Donnell revealed that Cruise, who will reprise his role as fictional driver Cole Trickle, inquired about participating in one of NASCAR's lower-tier ARCA Series events. "I was shocked. He said – we have an ARCA racing series, which is kind of our national touring series. But Tom wanted to go race in one of those," O'Donnell told Front Office Sports. While acknowledging the unlikelihood of such a request being fulfilled, O'Donnell noted Cruise's commitment to making the film as realistic as possible.
Cruise attended the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race at Daytona International Speedway in August for the announcement of the sequel, where he met with drivers and O'Donnell. NASCAR is actively involved in the new film, hoping it will provide a similar publicity boost to the sport that the original "Days of Thunder" did over three decades ago.
NASCAR anticipates the sequel will showcase the modern evolution of the sport. "It's embracing, instead of a car being put together back in a garage, embracing the technology, embracing everything that goes into the sport," O'Donnell explained. He added that Cruise intends to introduce NASCAR to a new audience and emphasized the need for the sport to be prepared to educate these newcomers on its intricacies, such as the points system and race formats.
Cruise himself has stated his intention for the sequel to highlight the community and culture surrounding NASCAR, not just the racing itself. "There's something very special about racers and the whole community. It's a culture, and I was very proud to be able to reflect that in the first Days of Thunder, and I am honored to share it with the world," he said.