Let’s talk about a movie that put NASCAR on the map for all the right reasons. Days of Thunder hit theaters in 1990 and turned stock car racing into a cultural juggernaut. Tom Cruise as Cole Trickle, a cocky driver loosely based on Tim Richmond, brought the sport’s raw energy to life with screaming tires and a killer soundtrack. Back then, NASCAR was huge in the Southeast but barely a blip in places like New York or L.A.

The movie changed that, making racing cool for a whole new crowd. With Rick Hendrick and Harry Hyde lending real-world credit behind the scenes, it wasn’t just Hollywood fluff; it felt authentic. Suddenly, NASCAR was pulling in big sponsors and national fans, paving the way for the 1990s boom when drivers like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt became household names. Even now, Cole Trickle throwback schemes and “rubbin’ is racin’” quotes keep the movie’s vibe alive in the garage.

Then there’s Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Will Ferrell’s over-the-top spoof dropped in 2006, packed with absurd humor, NASCAR cameos, and lines like, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” Fans ate it up, and drivers like Dale Jr. and Jeff Gordon leaned into the fun, even quoting it. But not everyone’s laughing.

The movie’s cartoonish take on redneck stereotypes, wacky sponsors, and goofy pit crews rubbed some the wrong way, especially as NASCAR fought to shed its “good ol’ boy” image. Kyle Larson didn’t hold back, saying, “I liked the movie, but I think it did not do anything for our sport. I think it turned our sport into a joke.” And he’s got backup from a teammate who’s just as fed up.

William Byron didn’t hesitate to echo Larson’s take, reposting his quote on X with a blunt, “100%. Should not be the first thing people think of.” Talladega Nights was a riot, no question, Ferrell in a firesuit, absurd one-liners, and a vibe that leaned hard into NASCAR’s larger-than-life image. But for drivers like Byron and Larson, it’s a sore spot. When it hit theaters, NASCAR was riding high. Big sponsors, packed grandstands, and crossover stars like Gordon and Earnhardt Jr. were drawing millions.

Yet the movie painted the sport as a redneck circus, with drivers as bumbling egomaniacs and pit crews straight out of a sitcom. That image stuck, especially for casual fans, who saw it as NASCAR’s defining portrait. For a sport pushing to go mainstream, appealing to younger and more diverse audiences, Talladega Nights was a step backward. It reinforced stereotypes NASCAR had worked hard to shake.

The timing didn’t help. The movie dropped just before NASCAR’s popularity took a hit in the late 2000s, with falling attendance and TV ratings. While you can’t pin all that on a comedy, it didn’t do NASCAR any favors. Legends like Richard Petty griped that it mocked the sport, and Ray Evernham admitted it “set NASCAR’s image back a bit” in terms of professionalism. Byron’s frustration, backing Larson’s view, reflects a deeper truth.

Drivers want the sport to be seen as a serious, high-stakes battleground, not a punchline. When fans think of Ricky Bobby before Cole Trickle, it stings, especially for a new generation like Byron, who’s out to prove NASCAR’s legitimacy on tracks like Iowa and Watkins Glen.

Byron’s not just vocal about NASCAR’s image as he’s backing it up on the track. His win at the Iowa Corn 350 on August 3, 2025, snapped a 21-race winless streak since the Daytona 500.

William Byron’s Iowa win and Hendrick’s dominance

Talking to Shannon Spake on NASCAR’s The Day After, Byron was all confidence. He said, “I think we’re better than we’ve ever been. I mean, honestly, I feel more speed in the race car. I feel more aware of what it takes, and I feel like our team as a group is just more experienced, and we’re just bringing faster cars. The execution piece has not really been in our control lately. We’ve been in some crashes that weren’t our making…”

Despite some bad luck, like wrecks out of his control, Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Chevy has raw speed, and Iowa proved it, with him holding off the field in a race plagued by dirty air.

He added, “But we continue to bring speed. So yeah, to win this late in the summer like this is a really good sign for our team. I just feel like when our backs are up against any sort of wall, like when we kind of lost quite a few points and dropped down to second, we come back the next week and are stronger.”

With Hendrick teammates Byron, Chase Elliott, and Kyle Larson locking down the top three in points, the team is in a prime position for a playoff push. Byron’s hyped, but he knows the challenge might come from within: “I think there’s just a really good mutual respect between all of us. We all work really hard together and honestly, all of us have morphed our styles to race this car and be effective with it. We’re all a little bit different. So, I learn different things from each guy in the debrief sessions.”

As Watkins Glen looms, Byron’s ready for the “battle down the stretch,” and his backing of Larson shows a united front, not only in dismissing Talladega Nights but also in chasing a championship.