This is a classic sports drama movie, and fans are pretty curious to know about Days of Thunder filming locations. The project was produced by Paramount Pictures and it was released in the year 1990. Don Simpson, as well as Jerry Bruckheimer, has worked on the production team along with Tony Scott, who directed the whole thing. The film became insanely popular among the fans because of the lead cast members, who made it even more iconic.
We saw Tom Cruise reprising the role of Cole Trickle. He works as a race car driver but is quite young. Later in his life, he wishes to become a NASCAR champion. The entire film was received positively among the fans and critics alike, and everyone loved it. Days of Thunder also became a box office success bringing in 157.9 million US dollars globally. It was made on a budget of 60 million US dollars.
Days of Thunder – Plot Details
The plot of the movie begins with Cole, who lives in California. He has won various local championships in racing but never a big thing. His eyes are set on NASCAR, though. Soon, he is hired by Tim Daland, the character who Robert Duvall reprises. He wants Cole to drive for his team, but there is immense competition among the players who will not let him win this easily. Rowdy Burns is one of the competitors who bring the most heat toward Cole.
Throughout the film, we witness Tom Cruise’s character going through immense challenges to reach the success that he always wished he had. Also, we see Nicole Kidman in the film playing the part of Dr. Claire Lewicki. Cole falls in love with her when she helps him get better after a severe race track accident. It is one of the many action movies that Tom Cruise is famous for being a part of.
Days of Thunder Filming Locations
Overall, most of the filming for Days of Thunder has taken place in North Carolina. We know that there are many NASCAR tracks situated here which makes it the best possible location for this action film. Here is an in-depth list of the major places that were featured in the film.
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Many of the racing scenes that were featured in Days of Thunder were shot at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It is one of the most known racing complexes that is located exactly in Concord, North Carolina. The complex has seen some of the best historical NASCAR races take place at the venue, such as the NASCAR ALL-Star Race. It was the primary filming location for the project.
Daytona International Speedway
The final race scene in Days of Thunder was filmed at Daytona International Speedway. It is located at Daytona Beach in Florida. One of the best races that took place in NASCAR was Daytona 500, which took place here.
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway was used in the film to film some of the race scenes. It was not an imminent race track featured in the movie, though. The race track is situated in South Carolina and happens to be one of the oldest race tracks in history. The best feature that the race track is known for is its unique egg-shaped layout.
Talladega Superspeedway
It was also used in Days of Thunder to film some of the racing scenes. It is a race track located in Alabama. The location is best known for its features, such as high banking and high speeds. It is one of the most popular tracks among fans who love to watch NASCAR races.
Mooresville in North Carolina
This is a beautiful town located in Iredell County of North Caroline. The place is called Race City USA because many of the NASCAR Teams have originated from here, and it even is home to many race shops. Some of the non-race track scenes were filmed here.
Statesville in North Carolina
It is also one of the places which were used for some of the non-racing scenes in the film. The location is best known for the history it holds and even Lake Norman, which makes it an even more beautiful site.
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