Tom Cruise has never been one to take shortcuts when preparing for a movie role. Before the original Days of Thunder hit theaters in 1990, he tested a NASCAR Busch Series car at Daytona for Hendrick Motorsports, reportedly reaching 178 mph. Nearly four decades later, the Hollywood star is gearing up for a return to the world of stock car racing as the sequel takes shape. But this time, Cruise’s commitment to getting behind the wheel of a real race car in a real racing event could take things beyond the film set, raising an intriguing possibility for NASCAR fans.

“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.”

Tom Cruise has built a reputation for going the extra mile to make his movie roles feel real. From flying aircraft to scaling the Burj Khalifa, the Hollywood star often prefers hands-on preparation over simply pretending on camera. Now, as he prepares to reprise his role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle in Days of Thunder 2, Cruise appears keen to take that approach onto the racetrack.

According to O’Donnell, Cruise has expressed interest in competing in an actual ARCA Menards Series race as part of his preparation for the highly anticipated sequel. 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.

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. 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 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.