In the opening scenes of the 1990 film "Days of Thunder," Robert Duvall’s character Harry Hogge watches Tom Cruise’s Cole Trickle drive up to his first practice session on a motorcycle. Skeptical of his qualifications to drive in NASCAR, Hogge asks Trickle, "What do you know about stockcar racing?"
Trickle replies, "Well, I’ve watched it on television of course. ESPN, the coverage is excellent. You’d be surprised at how much you can pick up."
And, in the world of Hollywood movies, that was enough to put Trickle in the Cup Series – the top-level of NASCAR.
But in preparing for the long-awaited sequel to "Days of Thunder" – set for a 2028 release with Cruise reprising his role at Trickle – the movie star wants to get behind the wheel for real. That’s
according to NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell, who talked about the making of the movie recently at Front Office Sports’ Tuned In event.
"I was shocked. We have an ARCA racing series … Tom wanted to go race in one of those," O’Donnell said. "I’m not sure that’s going to happen, but he wants it to be as authentic as it can be."
If the Cup Series is the Major League Baseball of stockcar racing, ARCA is essentially Single-A baseball. It is a national touring series that sometimes competes during the same weekend as NASCAR races. For example, the ARCA Menards Series will begin its 2027 season at Daytona on Feb. 20 along with NASCAR’s other three national touring circuits. The 20-race schedule next year also makes stops at other iconic tracks, like Talladega.
It’ll be up to NASCAR – which acquired ARCA in 2018 – to determine whether the 64-year-old Cruise is qualified to race in the series. It’s worth noting that the barrier to entry in ARCA is much lower than the Truck, O’Reilly or Cup Series. ARCA has allowed 15-year-olds to race, and YouTube star Cleetus McFarland made his ARCA debut at Daytona in 2025.
Back in 1987 while preparing for the first "Days of Thunder," Cruise did test a second-tier O’Reilly Auto Parts Series car at Daytona, reaching nearly 180 miles per hour in the machine made by Hendrick Motorsports.
O’Donnell says that Cruise wants this film to be as authentic as it can be.
"I think if you look at the first one, it showcased what NASCAR was at the time. And so, in talking to Tom Cruise when he was at Daytona, it's all about where we are today and going forward," O’Donnell said. "It’s embracing, you know, instead of a car being put together back in the garage, it’s embracing the technology, everything that goes into the sport. And Tom's message to us was, 'I'm going to put you in front of an entirely new audience and you need to be ready.’”
O’Donnell added that NASCAR is "producing probably over 80 race cars" for the film.
"Some we don't expect to be back – they'll be wrecked as part of it," O’Donnell said.
Oscar-winning actress Anne Hathaway will star alongside Cruise in the sequel. Jonathan Levine will direct the film, while Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper are producing. Levine and screenwriter Will Staples attended the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway just south of Atlanta in July.
Several drivers have said they’ve communicated with the filmmakers on the sequel, answering questions about racing, offering advice on stories and scenes. Carson Hocevar, the hard-charging driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, says he’s been talking with Cruise’s team since January.
"There's some things that we'll work together on. Do people understand the point system? How does the Chase work? How long are your races? All these things to make sure that a new fan who may come out to the racetrack understands," O’Donnell said. "Because for us, this is a whole new open door for us to bring new fans."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tom Cruise wants to race in ARCA ahead of 'Days of Thunder 2', NASCAR CEO says
