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“Let me drive, I won’t make a fool
outta you.” – Cole Trickle
You can’t stop The Thunder. America’s fastest growing sport is NASCAR,
and while many of you have probably never seen a race, you have most
likely seen some of the fantastic movies involving stock car racing over the
years - “Bobby Deerfield,” “Stroker Ace,” or “Driven.” Okay, well, maybe not.
You should see “Stroker Ace,” possibly the most underrated Burt Reynolds
movie ever. But no doubt, you almost certainly have seen what I consider
the definitive NASCAR film - “Days of Thunder.” While director Tony Scott
did a fantastic job of making NASCAR look so spectacular, there are several
inconsistencies that make the film slightly unrealistic, and being a 24 year
fan of the sport, I consider myself an expert…well, maybe an educated
source on this particular subject...okay, but I’m definitely no rookie to the
sport.
“Well, I know a damn race driver when
I see one.” – Harry Hogge
For starters, Cole Trickle is a great character, but he’s not nearly tough
enough (insert Fabulous Thunderbirds song) to be a NASCAR driver. I
know what you’re saying: “They’re just driving around in circles, why do you
have to be so tough to do that?” Consider this - at most tracks the slowest
driver on the track is usually running at least between 160-175 mph. What if
he loses control of his car and hits the wall? That’s dropping instantly from
160 mph to 50 mph, if the car keeps moving (I’ve seen some impact the wall
head on). They say it’s much like being punched in the face and chest by a
heavyweight boxer. Cole Trickle looks like he’d drive across the entire
infield just to avoid a fender-bender. Now Rowdy Burns, he’s a NASCAR
driver. He is a caricature of all the roughneck NASCAR greats of the old
era: Richard Petty, “Fireball” Roberts, Buddy Baker, Darrell Waltrip, Red
Farmer, and of course, “The Intimidator,” Dale Earnhardt. Trust me, Cole
wouldn’t stand a chance in a throwdown with Rowdy. Even Russ Wheeler,
played by metro-looking actor Cary Elwes, looks like he could kick Cole’s ass.
“Oh, he can drive…he can drive beyond
the limits of the tires, the engine, the car,
anything else…” – Harry Hogge
Secondly, the cars in “Days of Thunder” are evidently built like Sherman
Tanks. Come on guys, a car can only take so much punishment before it
ceases to function. This is where Hollywood seems to have gotten just a
little carried away. I have seen cars do some pretty bizarre things and
continue in the race - just a few weeks ago during a Craftsman Truck Series
race, I saw a truck do a 360° barrel roll, lift up off the ground, do one
complete revolution using the left front tire as a pivot point, and land back
upright on all four tires and keep right on going (I think he might have
actually finished in the top 15). As far as being pinned to the wall at 180
mph for a few hundred feet like Cole was on several occasions – well, I’m not
so sure about that one. The tires alone would probably only make it one
more lap. And what’s with all the dirt? How on God’s green earth does Cole
get so filthy? If he was racing on a dirt track, I’d understand, because those
cars don’t have windshields. The only explanation I can come up with is that
the rubber wearing off the tires is some how getting all over Cole’s pretty
little face.
“You build me a car and I’ll win Daytona
next year.” – Cole Trickle
One more thing: how did Cole manage to win the Daytona 500 in one year of
stock car racing? Come on, it took Dale Earnhardt 19 tries before finally
winning his first 500 in 1998. To be fair, Ernie Irvin won only his second-
ever NASCAR race at the Daytona 500 in 1991, but Irvin was a five-year
veteran at the time. History shows that a second year driver, no matter how
good, rarely has what it takes to win the biggest race of the NASCAR season.
“We’ll bring out the moonshine, start tellin’
lies, and callin’ up the women; but no talk
about racin’…come on, come on, Buck…
race your ass.” -- Harry Hogge
While it may seem that I am not a fan of the film, I assure you I love every
second of “Days of Thunder.” I know nearly every line by heart. It’s one of
my all-time favorites, and it’s the only film that has come near capturing the
NASCAR experience. These small discrepancies are only things that the
diehard NASCAR fan sees, and I understand that it had to be “Hollywood-
ed” up to be entertaining. It doesn’t mean the movie is bad. In fact, if you
enjoyed the film you should try watching NASCAR on television. If you’re
looking for a weekend of fun then I definitely recommend taking in the
NASCAR experience live. It’s a lot like a “Redneck” Mardi Gras. You go in
the infield and about all you hear is country music and “Show us your tits!”
…It really is a family atmosphere. Even though NASCAR is great, the real
excitement is on the dirt track. There’s nothing like the roar of the engine
echoing through the night while the sweet smell of methanol gas creeps up
your nostrils. Most communities have a dirt track nearby, but if yours
doesn’t, you have 36 weekends of TV coverage every year to enjoy the
thrills of America’s fastest growing sport – NASCAR!
“Now, go get your own car and we’ll see
how you do in a crowd.” -- Rowdy Burns
Rusty Johnson
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