WATCH: Tom Cruise Surprises NASCAR Legend Jeff Gordon Before His Farewell Speech
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via Getty
HOLLYWOOD, FL – NOVEMBER 19: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, poses for a photo with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Trophy during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship 4 Media Day at Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, Florida. (Photo by Chris Trotman/NASCAR via Getty Images)
Hollywood has explored the realm of NASCAR racing on a number of occasions. However, one of the most well-known NASCAR-oriented movies, is the Tom Cruise-starrer, Days of Thunder. Speaking of Tom Cruise, the action star made an appearance at the 2015 NASCAR Awards ceremony. He was there to help the sport bid farewell to Jeff Gordon in his final NASCAR ceremony.
Cruise took to the stage, and Gordon was absolutely thrilled, and even cried. It is worth noting that the Hollywood actor is good friends with Hendrick Motorsports owner, Rick Hendrick.
One of the biggest stars in Hollywood, introducing one of the biggest stars in racing.
In 2015, @TomCruise surprised @JeffGordonWeb at the four-time champion's final #NASCARAwards ceremony. pic.twitter.com/IFImyctpMT
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 17, 2020
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The actor paid tribute to the 4-time Cup Series champion who boasts of 797 consecutive races and 93 wins. Even reigning champion Kyle Busch had to admit that the night was Gordon’s, as he walks away from the sport for good. Suffice to say, when Gordon took the stage, he got very emotional.
via Imago
6 Feb 1999: A portrait of Jeff Gordon #24 taken as he poses before the pole qualifying heat during the Daytona 500 Speedweek at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport
Jeff Gordon on his friendship with Tom Cruise
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According to the #24 driver, Cruise assured him that he would never miss the ceremony. In a similar vein, Gordon jokingly confessed to Cruise that he wished that he was an actor, as he was struggling with this speech.
“I’m like, ‘Really, Tom Cruise?'” Gordon said. “It was one thing to have [racers] Lewis Hamilton and Mario Andretti, and I thought it couldn’t get any better than that at [the season finale at] Homestead, but to have Tom Cruise here … I know how tough his schedule is. That messed me up. That got me good.”
When the newly-retired driver spoke to the gathered crowd, he opened up on transitioning from sprint cars to stock cars. Jeff Gordon also admitted that the feeling still had not sunk in yet. According to him, 25 years flew by so quickly, but he has achieved a lot in that time.
The driver also insisted that he wasn’t planning on racing in the future, any time soon. Jeff Gordon insisted that he was content with the way his career has panned out. Of course, Gordon is still partially involved in NASCAR, with the JG Motorsports team.
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