Over the years, a lot of films have been made about NASCAR. Films like Cars, Days of Thunder, and Talladega Nights come to mind. However, there was a period when there were some films that came from a man who was directly involved in the sport.

It was Hal Needham. And he was one talented individual. Along with being a stuntman, Needham was also a writer, a director, and an actor as well as a NASCAR team owner with Mach 1 Racing, a team that won nine races.

Most of his films featured the Hollywood icon Burt Reynolds, perhaps the most famous of their collaboration being Smokey and The Bandit. But there is one expert and a monumental figure of the sport, Ken Squier, who didn’t think very highly of that story.

The legendary broadcaster recently took part in an interview for the Dale Jr. Download podcast show. But instead of the usual host Dale Earnhardt Jr, Squier was interviewed by Andrew Kurland. And it was during this conversation that Squier revealed what he told Needham when he first came to him with the story of Smokey and The Bandit.

Smokey and the Bandit was deemed “the dumbest thing” by Ken Squier

Speaking about his movie’s story, Squier revealed how Needham approached him with the story, to take his opinion on it. “We go out there in the Salt Flats, and he always had another chapter to add to this, what he thought would make a great movie,” he said.

“He told me how this was gonna work, I said, ‘Hal, this is the dumbest thing you have ever thought of. Why do you want it? He said, ‘Well I know I can do it,'” Squier continued. “They came right out there and did it, made every effort and that was so much of the character that was represented in his buddy, Burt (Reynolds). Those were great days.”

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A NASCAR-inspired movie is one of the highest-grossing racing films of all time

On the list of all-time highest-grossing films that involve car racing, there is a film inspired by stock car racing that ranks in the second spot on the list. In fact, four of the top ten movies are NASCAR-inspired.

The top spot is taken by Furious 7 ($353,007020), but in second spot, there’s Pixar’s Cars ($244,082,982), and on 6th, 8th, and 9th, there are Cars 2, Cars 4, and Talladega Nights respectively.

But from all the films inspired by America’s premier stock car racing league, which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

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