Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder revolved around a talented, hot-shot auto racing rookie, (#46 and 51) Cole Trickle (Cruise), who, after trying his hand in the American open wheel ranks, seeks to win on the NASCAR circuit. His mechanic mentor, Harry Hogge (Duvall), acts as his crew chief. He also develops a romantic relationship with Dr. Claire Lewicki (Nicole Kidman), a young brain surgeon who tries to tame him. Lo and behold, just when he thought it was safe and easy to get back into a race car and drive, an arrogant and dangerous newcomer by the name of Russ Wheeler (Cary Elwes) doesn't make it easy on him, picking on him because he knows he can get away with it. Wheeler not only substitute-drove Trickle's pink Superflo car while Cole was in the hospital, but now he is teammates with Cole under the selfish, bullheaded leadership of car owner Tim Daland (Randy Quaid). Cole slowly tolerates Russ's arrogance until, after a race in which Russ cheats to win the race, Cole has his tires changed, and violently rams Wheeler from the side after the race, a response to their growing rivalry.
Meanwhile, Cole's relationship with "Rowdy" Burns (Michael Rooker) goes on a completely different course. In their first encounter, Cole, using Rowdy's car, impresses everyone by doing a test lap alone that was clocked as being "under Rowdy's time." This does not sit well with Rowdy, who "hazes" Cole during the rookie driver's first few races. However, once Cole gets his confidence, and, under Harry's mentorship, wins some races, he begins to haze Rowdy back, much to the anger of the veteran driver. During one particular race, both drivers are injured, which begins the bonding process the duo go through. When forced to attend dinner with other higher ups of NASCAR and with one another, Cole and Rowdy instead race one another in separate cars to the restaurant, venting their frustrations. From there, Cole and Rowdy begin to bond as close friends, with Cole and Claire going with Rowdy and his wife to their home and seeing their future property. Later, when Rowdy begins to show signs of a medical problem, it is Cole he finally opens up to. Cole, in turn, is the one who convinces him to see a doctor, and when Rowdy is diagnosed as unable to race, it is Cole he asks to race in his place.
The plot was very loosely based on some real-life NASCAR personalities: Robert Duvall's character was based on crew chief Harry Hyde, Cruise's on Tim Richmond, and Randy Quaid's on a composite of several owners, one of whom was Rick Hendrick. Some critics speculate, if not the producers themselves, that Rowdy Burns' part is reflective of Dale Earnhardt (Not yet proven, but the black car, cockyness, and the aggressiveness says it all) and Russ Wheeler (Cary Elwes) of Rusty Wallace. Hendrick also provided the movie cars, driven by then-NASCAR drivers Greg Sacks, Tommy Ellis, Bobby Hamilton, and Hut Stricklin, with Hamilton making his Cup debut at Phoenix in 1989 in a movie car.[citation needed] Although this was not acknowledged by the film publicly this was obvious to fans from many coincidences between the film and well known events.[citation needed]
The film was released in the USA on 27 June 1990, and in Europe on 11 August 1990.
