NASCAR drivers scrambling for cameos after Tom Cruise announces ‘Days of Thunder’ sequel

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Joey Logano has won 71 NASCAR races and three Cup Series championships during his illustrious career.

But the driver of the No. 22 Penske Racing Ford said nothing would make him appear cooler in the eyes of his five children than securing a cameo in the upcoming sequel to “Days of Thunder,” which will star Tom Cruise and Anne Hathaway and is set for release in 2028.

“Yeah, are you kidding me — that’s like wicked cool dad points to be in ‘Days of Thunder,’” Logano said Wednesday at the NASCAR playoff media day.

Logano isn’t the only driver pushing for a role in the follow-up to the 1990 movie starring Cruise as fictional NASCAR driver Cole Trickle.

Chase Briscoe wants in, too.

“Absolutely, I would love to be,” Briscoe said. “I would think they are going to use some of the drivers. Maybe our car will just be in it, but I would love to be in there.”

Kyle Larson thinks it would be cool to be around while the movie is in production, but joked, “I’m not an actor, so I don’t want to make the film worse.”

Filming is scheduled to begin early next year.

Logano said he has watched “Days of Thunder” numerous times, often alongside his children, who love the movie.

NASCAR drivers Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace, Neil Bonnett and Harry Gant all appeared in “Days of Thunder,” so Logano is hopeful he might be able to pull some strings and get a small part in the sequel.

“Hopefully that happens,” Logano said with a laugh. “I wouldn’t say no, that’s for sure. Absolutely I’d do it.”

Cruise surprised drivers last weekend when he showed up for the Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway, emerging from a black Chevy Suburban and attending the drivers’ council meeting.

He and some of the screenwriters spoke to drivers and team owners to get a feel for their routines and how the sport has changed since the original movie’s debut 36 years ago.

“It was really neat,” Briscoe said. “All of a sudden, Tom Cruise walked in and none of us knew that was happening. And he’s just sitting there and talked with us for like 20, 25 minutes about his goal of what to do with the movie and how he wants to paint us out to be.”

Briscoe described Cruise as “super nice.”

Charlotte-based Hendrick Motorsports had an instrumental role in the first movie, helping build, prepare and repair the stock cars used during the production. Trickle’s primary car included a sponsorship from City Chevrolet, a real-life car dealership owned by Rick Hendrick.

It’s unclear at this point if Hendrick Motorsports will be involved again, but Larson is hoping it works out.

There is a good chance it will.

Four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, now vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports, openly lobbied for Cruise to make a “Days of Thunder” sequel. Over the years, Gordon and Cruise have developed a friendship, with Cruise showing up at a 2015 NASCAR banquet to honor the retiring Gordon.

Larson said meeting Cruise was cool, and he can’t wait to learn about the moviemaking process.

“He’s a celebrity like I’ve never met before in my life,” Larson said. “You could tell he was different from the rest of us, in a cool way, like really, really cool. He kind of already knows a little bit about us, so I thought that was neat.”

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AP Sports Writer Mark Long in Jacksonville, Florida, contributed to this report.

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