Dale Earnhardt Jr. ranks his favorite NASCAR movies

What’s your favorite NASCAR movie? Dale Earnhardt Jr. answered the age-old question on The Dale Jr Download, delivering an awesome answer. Hint, it’s not the one he made a famed cameo in.

“Last American Hero. Last American Hero, Jeff Bridges is the star. It’s about Junior Johnson, loosely, and Junior Johnson’s story as a moonshiner and a driver,” Earnhardt Jr. revealed. “I think the reason why I like it is because it was before — it was done in ’71, ’72, ’73, and it’s before — Hollywood eventually is going to sensationalize. When we see movies made about people that we know, the story, you see some of the Hollywood sensationalism creep into the story. They embellish parts of it. They’ve got to make it, right? It’s a movie. But this was made about racing, about NASCAR, before that was really a thing, I believe. So, it’s authentic. It’s really authentic.

“So, when they’re filming at the short-tracks, and filming his rise to the big time, it’s a really authentic feeling. Staying in boring old lonely hotel rooms, and getting in disagreements with these punks at these local race tracks. There’s some football of Ralph Earnhardt driving at Metrolina, which is really neat. I don’t know, I just felt like it was really — it didn’t feel like they stretched any truths in that movie. Yeah, it was really authentic. Some cool actors in it too. Jeff Bridges, badass. Back before Jeff Bridges was super, super famous, he played Junior Johnson in a NASCAR movie. How cool is that?”

Of course, Earnhardt Jr. made an appearance in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and while that movie was wildly successful, it certainly doesn’t paint NASCAR in as positive of a light as some other movies do. Still, if Will Ferrell ever wanted to get back behind the wheel for a sequel, we’re sure the interest would be there.

Speaking of potential sequels, there’s some rumors that Days of Thunder will be getting a part two, now that the Mission Impossible series has come to a (presumed) end for Tom Cruise. That’s something Earnhardt Jr. would sign up for, as that’s one of his favorite NASCAR movies, along with other flicks like Six Pack and Stroker Ace.

“I loved Days of Thunder. I thought it was cool,” Earnhardt Jr. added. “The rumors around a second one? I’m down. We’ll see. I’m curious if [Tom Cruise] is still driving in Days of Thunder 2, of if he’s the owner now.”

Time will tell if we see a sequel to Days of Thunder, but after Top Gun: Maverick, we’re willing to trust Tom Cruise and company to get it right. Now go and rent The Last American Hero and see if Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s favorite NASCAR movie lives up to the hype if you haven’t seen it yet.