
Tom Cruise has never been one to shy away from a dangerous stunt, but his preparation for the next "Days of Thunder" movie could take things to an entirely different level.
The Hollywood star is reportedly interested in competing in a NASCAR event, potentially putting his driving skills to the test against real racers before returning to the world of stock car racing.
According to NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell, Cruise has expressed a desire to compete in an ARCA Series race to help prepare himself for the 'Days of Thunder' sequel.
"We have an ARCA Series that's kind of like our touring series and Tom wanted to go race in one of those," O'Donnell revealed Tuesday. "I'm not sure that's going to happen, but he wants ('Days of Thunder') to be as authentic as it can be, and we'll see where the storylines go."
O'Donnell also revealed that NASCAR is producing upward of 80 cars that will be featured and that the organization is actively involved with the production of the film.
Source: https://t.co/Zi1euqixWo
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) October 14, 2026
I wanna see it https://t.co/LfVqaGozYD pic.twitter.com/EIy02jJC02
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) October 14, 2026
The fact that Cruise made such a request shows his willingness to get further involved in the world of NASCAR ahead of "Days of Thunder" sequel. While the likelihood of it happening seems bleak, the amount of attention Cruise would draw if he were allowed to run an ARCA race would be unfathomable.
On a good day, an ARCA series races averages near 200,00 viewers. A race featuring Cruise, though, and the viewership would absolutely skyrocket past normal numbers.
It will be fascinating to see not only if Cruise is able to get the clearance he needs to run a race, but also to see how he performs on the track with other professional drivers if it were to happen.
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