Days of Thunder

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Daytona 500,

the Super Bowl of motor racing events.

Walking onto the grid is the two-time

Daytona 500 and defending champion Rowdy Burns.

And perennial contender from Reading, Pennsylvania, Aldo Bennedetti.

Gentlemen, start your engines.

Big turn back for number 43, Richard Petty.

Petty spins to the inside of the track.

A tough break for Richard Petty.

Richard Petty is out of the Daytona 500.

Speaking of people who are out of the race,

perhaps it's time to remember the legendary crew chief, Harry Hogge,

whose great driver, Buddy Bretherton, died here last year in a fiery crash,

hitting the wall at over 195 miles an hour.

- So you're enjoying the good life, Harry? Yeah.

I never minded spreading a little fertilizer around now and then.

There's worse things.

- How's the truck running? - Runs good.

I want you to build me a car.

Now, Tim, everybody knows some downtown car dealer

can't afford a race team.

No driver worth a damn is gonna sign with you.

'Cause they wreck one car, you can't afford to build them another

and they're out of the deal, you know.

And no car's gonna win without a driver.

Not even mine.

If you built the car, I'd get a damn driver.

What kind of driver are you going to find after the season's started?

Some old boy who's washed up and wasn't worth a shit to begin with.

You can work with him.

You can build a driver like you build a car, Harry.

Tim, take a look at that hound.

That's the best coon dog I've ever seen or heard about.

- And I didn't teach him a damn thing. - Well, I got somebody.

- Who? - Take a look at him.

Anybody I gotta take a look at, ain't somebody.

Then take a look at nobody.

Look, Tim, I gave up racing. You gotta know that. All right?

You didn't give up racing, Harry.

You quit to avoid an investigation into Buddy's crash at Daytona.

Hey, I didn't avoid any goddamn investigation.

Anyway, I talked to NASCAR

and if you come back in there won't be any investigation.

How the hell did you sell them on that deal?

I'm a hell of a salesman.

Now, that's a racecar driver.

When's your driver due?

Harry tells me your guy runs those Indy type deals.

Yeah. Sprints, mainly.

Two World of Outlaw championships, three all-star wins,

seven straight feature wins and he's been driving ASA.

Hey.

Got yourself a real statistician there. Does he know anything about drivers?

We'll see.

Harry, where'd you say your driver's from?

Eagle Rock.

It's up around Wilkesboro, isn't it?

No. Glendale, California.

He's a Yankee?

Not exactly. If you're from California, you're not a Yankee.

You're not really anything.

You said it.

The shocks are right, we're dialed in, buddy.

Don't change a thing.

Hey, you ain't buried in horse manure after all.

- Looking pretty good. - You're the one who's looking good.

It hadn't been easy, Harry, I'll guran-damn-tee you,

but this bitch is ready to run.

I can't tell you how much we all appreciate

you letting us use the car, Rowdy.

I told you about this, Rowdy.

Harry's got some new driver

and he needs a car just to turn a couple of laps.

I told you it was Harry Hogge who'd asked us personally, as a favor.

Who is this driver?

Tim tells me you've been running open-wheels.

That's right.

And now you just want to up and drive NASCAR?

That's right.

What do you know about stock car racing?

Well, I've watched it on television, of course.

You've seen it on television?

ESPN, the coverage is excellent.

You'd be surprised at how much you can pick up.

I'm sure I would.

Look, this may not be the best time for you to run this car.

Was there some problem?

No, sir. You all go right ahead.

But you bend this bitch the least little bit,

I'm gonna tear your balls off.

Okay. Would you mind very much holding on to this?

Didn't he hear what that man said?

Hold on a minute. Don't you think we ought to talk?

What? About how I'm gonna run? Sure.

About how you've managed to live as long as you have.

- Look, I ain't gonna let you race this car. - Mmm-mmm.

- What's going on? - He's had second thoughts.

- You said you'd look at him. - I've looked at him.

I paid $2,500 to use this track today, Harry.

Forget it. He needs a brand name like Exxon or Richard Petty.

Well, I know a damn race driver when I see one.

What's going on, Harry? Is this happening or what?

Do us all a favor, Harry.

Let me drive. I won't make a fool out of you.

That tunnel turn's real tricky.

Now, whether it's hot or cold, it gets as slick as a butt.

Then you'll slip and slide and slam yourself into the wall before you know it.

So just take it easy.

- I'm dropping the hammer. - No, you're not.

It's under Rowdy's time.

Well, it might have been better if he cracked up the car.

- That was fast. - Yeah?

Thirty-one flat.

That's good enough to take the pole in the last race here.

Hell, I thought this was gonna be a joke.

- You never drove a stock car before? - No, sprints mainly.

- What's your name? - Buck Bretherton. What's yours?

Cole Trickle. It's damn nice to meet you, Buck.

Damn nice to meet you, too, Cole.

You were one lucky son of a bitch in that tunnel turn.

That car was way out of shape.

Well, if you think it was luck, let's do it again.

- You run good. - Thank you.

Now, go get your own car and we'll see how you do in a crowd.

So, how come you don't stick to open wheels?

I lost my ride.

After two championships and seven straight wins, you were fired?

I lost my ride.

Doesn't matter. I'd have quit regardless.

- Why's that? - I wasn't going anywhere.

- Where do you want to go? - Indianapolis.

But you can't win in Indy without a great car.

And my name's not Andretti or Unser.

On the other hand, stock cars are stock cars. Pretty much the same.

Hey, there's nothing stock about a stock car.

Look, I'm not trying to insult you.

All I'm saying is, stock cars are built to run equal.

- Isn't that right? - So the rule books say.

So I don't have to worry about getting beat by another car.

In other words, all you have to worry about

- is getting beat by other drivers. - Yeah.

You build me a car, and I'll win Daytona next year.

I'm gonna give you an engine low to the ground.

Extra-big oil pan that'll cut the wind from underneath you.

That'll give you 30 to 40 more horsepower.

I'm gonna give you a fuel line that'll hold an extra gallon of gas.

I'm gonna shave half an inch off you and shape you like a bullet.

And when we get you primed, painted and weighed,

you're going to be ready to go out on that racetrack. You hear me?

You're gonna be perfect.

Okay. I'm going to pull this rookie's chain.

Cole, you're wandering all over the track.

Yeah. Well, that son of a bitch just slammed into me.

No, he didn't slam into you, he didn't bump you, he didn't nudge you.

He rubbed you, and rubbing, son, is racing.

There goes the fender.

There goes the quarter panel.

All right. Get back!

All right, while we're still under a caution,

I want you to go back out on that track and hit the pace car.

- Hit the pace car? - Hit the pace car!

What for?

Because you hit every other goddamn thing out there.

I want you to be perfect. Now, go on. Go! Go! Go!

You're going too high. Stay in the group.

How about that? This side we don't have to fix.

I don't want you spoiled, Buck.

This is gonna hurt.

Move! Move! Move!

Did you see that guy?

I've got to pit.

I don't think so. We're busy now.

- You're what? - We're eating ice cream.

Ice cream?

Now, you're welcome to come on and get one,

but I don't believe NASCAR

would think much of you trying to eat an ice cream cone out there.

You have enough trouble riding around the track as it is.

Take it easy.

Come on now, Cole!

Cole! Cole!

We messed up big-time on Sunday.

I had sponsors in the stands

and I'm hugging and holding hands

and kissing them in the air and praying for a good showing.

And what do we do?

We end up looking like a monkey fucking a football out there.

Everybody out, please.

Except you two.

I've got a question.

What is the one thing you absolutely need to do to win a race?

- It's pretty damn obvious... - You keep quiet!

You need to finish the race.

Tim, I realize Harry's been around a long time.

I'm not saying that his ways are antiquated

but it'd help to have a car that handled properly and didn't blow engines.

Well, if he wouldn't get excited and over rev the son of a bitch,

the engine wouldn't blow.

Now, Cole, when you shift the gear,

and that little needle on the tach goes into the red