T-Rex, 'Days of Thunder' Chevys on display at NASCAR Hall of Fame

CHARLOTTE, N.C – Jeff Gordon’s 1997 All-Star Race winning Chevrolet and the iconic City Chevrolet from “Days of Thunder” will be among the box-office favorites on display as part of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s “Lights. Camera. NASCAR.” exhibit.

The exhibit opens to the public on Friday and chronicles how the industry has influenced films, how NASCAR has promoted movies through sponsorship and how film has portrayed the sport’s legends over the years with more than 40 artifacts on display in the Great Hall. Click here  for current information on the Hall, including hours of operation.

“This exhibit has an incredible universal appeal because movies have an extraordinary ability to connect with people of all ages and backgrounds,” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “When you pair that fascination with the allure of NASCAR, it becomes an engaging representation of the sport’s reach that embraces five decades of entertainment. It includes movies that have captured the sport’s intensity, parodied its celebrities and benefitted from the type of national exposure that only NASCAR can provide.”

Among the 40-plus artifacts that encompass items such as driver uniforms, hoods, scripts, stills and original cars, the exhibit also boasts the largest number of cars featured in the Great Hall to date. Hendrick Motorsports has two of the six on display that had starring roles in movies and film promotion:

-Cole Trickle’s City Chevrolet car from “Days of Thunder” (1990): Several real life NASCAR figures were the inspiration for the characters of “Days of Thunder” including Cole Trickle played by Tom Cruise, Harry Hogge played by Robert Duvall and Tim Daland played by Randy Quaid. The real life inspiration for each was driver Tim Richmond, crew chief Harry Hyde and team owner Rick Hendrick. Click here to read more.

-Jeff Gordon’s Jurassic Park Chevrolet “T-Rex” promoting “Jurassic Park: The Ride” (1997): Built by Hendrick engineer Rex Stump and used to promote Universal Studios new “Jurassic Park”-themed ride, the car picked up the nickname “T-Rex.” Gordon dominated the 1997 All-Star Race to make it one of the most legendary cars in NASCAR history. Click here to learn more about T-Rex.

Kicking off the exhibit for families, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will host a kid-friendly “Lights. Camera. NASCAR.” Premiere Party on Saturday, June 1. Kids 12 and under will be admitted free with a paying adult and are welcome to partake in fun-filled programming and activities on the NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza as well as inside the venue including a bounce house, caricature artists, coloring stations and more to celebrate the premiere of the newest and largest exhibit to date.

Tickets to the NASCAR Hall of Fame can be purchased by calling (877) 231-2010 or at nascarhall.com. General admission is $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for seniors and military, $12.95 for children 5-12 and free for children younger than 5. Annual Memberships are available starting at $25 for children and $50 for adults. For updates and details about the NASCAR Hall of Fame, guests can visit nascarhall.com.