In 1990, Tom Cruise found himself on the backstretch at Daytona with two heavy cameras strapped to his car, racing against the setting sun to finish a scene for Days of Thunder. Then the car caught fire. Cruise recalled the moment at a NASCAR drivers’ meeting in August, joking that the crew couldn’t reach him because the radio wasn’t working. The shoot had given him a firsthand taste of the speed and unpredictability he was trying to bring to the screen.

The film’s connection to real racing went further. During the 1990 Daytona 500, two Days of Thunder cars took to the track to capture footage alongside the actual field. But while the cars were prepared by Hendrick Motorsports, it was licensed NASCAR drivers Greg Sacks and Bobby Hamilton behind the wheel, not Cruise. More than three decades later, as Cole Trickle prepares to return to the big screen, NASCAR’s latest update suggests the actor may be looking for a different kind of experience this time.

“I was shocked, said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR CEO. “We have an ARCA [Menards Series], which is our National Touring Series, and Tom [Cruise] wanted to go race in one of those. I’m not sure that’s going to happen. But we want it to be authentic as it can be, we’ll still see how the storylines play out and all that.”

O’Donnell shared the revelation during a Front Office Sports interview, recalling a conversation with Cruise at Daytona International Speedway in August, when the actor announced the sequel. According to O’Donnell, Cruise has expressed interest in competing in an actual ARCA Menards Series race as part of his preparation. While NASCAR’s CEO stopped short of confirming that the idea would become reality, the request offers an intriguing glimpse into just how seriously Cruise is approaching the project.

The ARCA Menards Series provides a different challenge from performing a driving sequence for a movie. It is a national touring stock car championship featuring developing drivers and experienced competitors, with races held at established venues across the country. NASCAR acquired ARCA in 2018, and the series now sits below the three main NASCAR national touring divisions. It is generally considered the fourth level of NASCAR’s stock-car ladder, below the Cup, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Craftsman Truck Series.

For Cruise, getting behind the wheel in a competitive environment could provide a closer look at the demands drivers face during an actual race. Learning how a car responds in traffic, managing its handling over a run, and understanding the rhythm of a race are different experiences from driving alone during a controlled filming session. However, no ARCA entry has been confirmed, and O’Donnell’s comments make clear that Cruise’s request remains an idea rather than a finalized plan.

Cruise has already experienced driving a real stock car with Days of Thunder. The new film will bring Cruise back as Cole Trickle, the ambitious racer introduced in the original movie. Trickle arrived in NASCAR with natural speed but little stock car experience, forcing those around him to help channel his talent into consistent results. His journey culminated in a dramatic battle for victory at the Daytona 500, making the character one of the film’s defining connections to the sport.

Cruise confirmed in August that Trickle would return for the sequel, which is scheduled to arrive in theaters on June 2, 2028. Anne Hathaway will star alongside him as a team owner and engineer, bringing another perspective from inside a NASCAR operation. Director Jonathan Levine is attached to the project, with Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Tommy Harper serving as producers. Although the full storyline remains under wraps, the confirmed roles suggest that the film will again place the people and relationships behind the racing at the center of the story.

NASCAR is also preparing for a substantial production. O’Donnell said the organization expects to build more than 80 race cars for the movie, with some destined to be wrecked during filming. The effort reflects the scale of the project and the importance of showing modern stock car racing authentically.

O’Donnell explained that the sequel will portray how the sport has evolved since the original film. Rather than focusing only on the garage-built cars and racing culture of the early 1990s, the production intends to showcase modern technology and the systems that shape NASCAR today. “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,” O’Donnell said. The organization is also working with the filmmakers to explain details such as the points system, the Chase, and race distances in ways that new audiences can understand.

That effort is tied to a broader opportunity for NASCAR. O’Donnell recalled Cruise telling him, “I’m going to be putting you in front of an entirely new audience, and you need to be ready.” The organization is therefore working with the filmmakers to help newcomers understand how NASCAR works, rather than assuming viewers already know its championship format or race structure.

That wider goal could make Cruise’s proposed ARCA appearance particularly interesting. A genuine race would be a demanding undertaking, not merely another scene to film, and it remains uncertain whether NASCAR will approve the idea. Still, the request reinforces the star’s desire to immerse himself in the sport as he returns to Cole Trickle.

With the sequel aiming to introduce NASCAR to a fresh audience, Cruise’s preparation could become part of the story long before the movie reaches theaters.