Dale Earnhardt Jr., a NASCAR Hall of Famer and longtime ambassador of the sport, has urged the filmmakers of *Days of Thunder 2* to retain the iconic barn that anchored the 1990 original.
A Barn Worth Preserving
The weathered barn, located just west of Mooresville, North Carolina near Highway 150, still stands despite decades of commercial development that have transformed the surrounding landscape.
Earnhardt, who watched the 1990 production from across the road as a teenager, recalls the barn as a formative backdrop that helped shape his early fascination with racing.
The original *Days of Thunder* was filmed between December 1989 and May 1990, and its barn set became a memorable visual element that linked the on‑screen drama to the real‑world racing community.
With Tom Cruise set to reprise his role as Cole Trickle, the sequel, scheduled for a June 2, 2028 release, aims to continue the narrative that intertwines NASCAR’s heritage with cinematic storytelling.
Earnhardt argues that featuring the barn in the sequel is essential to maintain a tangible connection between the original film and the sport’s history, ensuring that future audiences can see the physical legacy that helped define the era.