Jeff Gordon vs Clint Bowyer in Rental Cars (Video)

Gordon and Bowyer reenacted Days of Thunder in rental cars at the Daytona Road Course

There’s a scene in the movie Days of Thunder were Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) and Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker) take rental cars to a meeting with the head of NASCAR.

Watch the Jeff Gordon vs Clint Bowyer video below.

In the movie, they were suppose to drive together. The NASCAR CEO was attempting to force them to get along.

However, the drivers decided that they agreed to disagree on who would be the driver. Instead, they went to a rental car shop. They raced to dinner, in separate machines.

And they beat the hell out of each other’s cars on their way there. They ran across the Daytona Beach, door slamming, all the way.

In one scene, the stunt drivers in the film were slamming into each other so hard, that his head slammed into the drivers side window and broke out the glass, with his head. That scene remained in the film.

Based on true events

Geoff Bodine and Dale Earnhardt, couldn’t stay off each other on the race track. They constantly wrecked each other and it caught the attention of the iron fist.

The stories from Rick Hendrick about Earnhardt and Bodine serve as the base for multiple parts of the film. At one point, they wanted Earnhardt to play the part of Rowdy Burns, himself. But, that never came to be.

That rental car scene according to Rick Hendrick, “is a little bit of Hollywood.” However, the base of the story is still mostly true.

Bill France invited Geoff Bodine and Dale Earnhardt to dinner. And just like the movie, Earnhardt said, “I’ve got plans.” France responded, “There’s a phone. Cancel your plans.”

That’s word for word from the movie. Additionally, the two drivers drove to dinner together (in the same car). They followed France to the dinner.

At a stop light, Earnhardt was trying to get Bodine to bump into France’s car. Wisely, he didn’t do it.

Related: The rental car scene from Days of Thunder was inspired by real life NASCAR stories

Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer crash rental cars at Daytona Road Course - NASCAR
Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer crash rental cars at Daytona Road Course – NASCAR

Daytona Road Course: Rental Cars

On Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series rolled back into Daytona International Speedway. During the intro to the show, TV analysts Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer re-enacted their own version of that scene from Days of Thunder.

The fine print on the video opens with, “(Retired) Professional Drivers on a (Mostly) Closed Road Course. Do Not Attempt at Home… Or Anywhere For That Matter.”

They took an old Ford Fusion and an old Chevy Impala and they beat the hell out of them on their way to the booth.

It took three turns for Clint Bowyer to decide that he was going to spin Jeff Gordon. Gordon then returned by spinning him back.

They knocked the mirrors and headlights out of them. And Gordon pulled a move from Mario Kart, dropping the headlight out of the window.

In the end, they met in a garage and went to the elevator together. “Too close to call.”

The video has been well received, by everyone…

Jeff Gordon vs Clint Bowyer
Rental Car Video
Links

Jeff Gordon | Clint Bowyer | Daytona International Speedway | NASCAR

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