Tom Cruise on pit road before the start of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (Photo Credit: Andrew Giangola)Why the heck has he been at so many races this year? It’s common knowledge that Tom Cruise starred in the 1990 film Days of Thunder which was set in the world of stock car racing. Tom and various members of his family have been seen at NASCAR races a lot this year. He was in Daytona for the 500, and I spied his son, Connor, tagging along with Rick Hendrick at the Auto Club 500. Since then Tom, his wife Katie Holmes & their daughter Suri were at Infineon, and now this past weekend at Richmond Tom, Connor and Tom’s mom, Mary, were on hand.

Maybe it’s just because he narrated the Hendrick Motorsports documentary Together: The Hendrick Motorsports Story, which airs on October 11 on ABC before the start of the Pepsi 500. Maybe this is some sort of subliminal promotion for the documentary since a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the DVD will benefit the Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina.

I don’t know anything for sure, but something’s up. It could be as simple as him just enjoying racing a lot and wanting to watch them in person. But I’d rather think he’s planning on doing some sort of sequel to Days of Thunder because I think it’d be awesomeness. We really need more NASCAR-related films that are dramas. Talladega Nights was fun, but it’d be great to see an updated dramatic look at racing.

Do you remember when there was a NASCAR-based movie idea being kicked around and Britney Spears was supposedly attached to it? Can you imagine that? Very scary. For the record I don’t want Britney anywhere near a NASCAR movie.

🙂


Tom Cruise chats with team owner Rick Hendrick on pit road prior to the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (Photo Credit: Andrew Giangola)

Tom Cruise chats with team owner Rick Hendrick on pit road prior to the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (Photo Credit: Andrew Giangola)

Tom Cruise, who is becoming a regular at NASCAR races, chats with Jeff Gordon on pit road prior to the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Tom Cruise, who is becoming a regular at NASCAR races, chats with Jeff Gordon on pit road prior to the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)