Days of Thunder: Kyle Larson's Favorite Racing Movie and Thoughts on 'Talladega Nights
When it comes to selecting the top racing movies of all time, the options are plentiful, ranging from comedies to biopics and documentaries. NASCAR star Kyle Larson shared his favorite racing movie during an interview on the Games with Names podcast with Julian Edelman. Larson quickly named "Days of Thunder" as the best racing movie, praising the documentary "Senna" about Formula One legend Ayrton Senna as another excellent choice.
While Larson acknowledged that the movie "Rush" about James Hunt and Niki Lauda was good, he expressed his opinion on the popular 2006 film "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." Larson admitted that he personally liked the movie but believed it did not portray NASCAR in a positive light, turning the sport into a joke in the eyes of many. He expressed concern that the film's portrayal might influence how the world perceives NASCAR.
Larson's teammate in the Cup Series, William Byron, echoed his sentiments on Twitter, agreeing that "Talladega Nights" should not be the first thing people associate with NASCAR. The impact of comedy movies on sports has been significant over the years, with films like "Happy Gilmore" and "Major League" not causing the same level of controversy among athletes as "Talladega Nights" did among NASCAR drivers.