Tom Cruise Appears at NASCAR's Daytona Drivers' Meeting and Netizens Can't Agree on What They're Seeing — Photos

The 64-year-old actor had a major reason to be at Daytona, but as photos from his NASCAR appearance circulated, attention shifted in a different direction.

Tom Cruise greeted fans and attended the pre-race drivers' meeting. As images from the day circulated, some viewers began questioning what they were seeing while others pushed back.

Cruise arrived at the Florida speedway on Saturday, August 29, 2026, ahead of NASCAR's Coke Zero Sugar 400.

Outside, Cruise wore a fitted white polo shirt with blue jeans, dark shoes, and sunglasses, while his brown hair fell across his forehead.

He exchanged a fist bump near the track, waved to fans gathered behind a fence, and leaned in for a selfie with racegoers as people held up their phones.

Another photo showed Cruise standing on the track with his right hand over his chest and the grandstands behind him. His Daytona appearance came the same day he announced that he would reprise his role in a follow-up to the 1990 film "Days of Thunder."

What Cruise Told the Packed Drivers' Meeting

Cruise later moved inside for the pre-race drivers' meeting ahead of the Cup Series regular-season finale. NASCAR executives, fans, corporate sponsors, and military personnel were among those gathered in the room.

"It's not just about racing," Cruise said during the meeting, as reported by ESPN. He described NASCAR as a community and a culture and said he was proud to have reflected that world in the original "Days of Thunder."

For the sequel, Cruise said the filmmakers want audiences to understand racing as a team and a community while experiencing NASCAR's "speed, the excitement and all that danger and stuff."

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer attended the meeting with Cruise, along with fellow producer Tommy Harper and screenwriter Will Staples. Their presence brought several members of the sequel's creative team directly into the NASCAR setting the new film will revisit.

The Daytona weekend also showed how much had changed since a sequel was first discussed publicly.

The 'Days of Thunder' Sequel Moves Forward

Anne Hathaway will co-star as a team owner and engineer in the new film. Cruise will produce alongside Bruckheimer and Harper, while Jonathan Levine is set to direct a screenplay by Staples.

Cruise confirmed the project on Instagram with a brief message: "Days of Thunder. Summer 2028." The accompanying promotional image showed Cruise and Hathaway leaning against a green-and-yellow stock car at Daytona International Speedway.

Cruise wore jeans and a light button-down shirt, while Hathaway wore jeans, a loose light-colored shirt, and a cowboy hat. The film's title and scheduled release date appeared across the car's door.

The announcement followed earlier signs that Cruise wanted to return to his iconic character. In November 2024, The Hollywood Reporter reported that he was talking with Paramount about a sequel, though the project still depended on the idea, script, and Cruise's schedule at the time.

The original "Days of Thunder" earned $157 million worldwide against a reported $60 million production budget and received mixed-to-negative reviews. The prospect of revisiting it nevertheless came after Cruise's successful return to another earlier property with "Top Gun: Maverick."

Released in 1990, "Days of Thunder" follows young stock-car driver Cole Trickle as he gets a chance to compete at NASCAR's highest level, according to IMDb.

Tony Scott directed the film, with Cruise starring as Trickle alongside Nicole Kidman as neurosurgeon Dr. Claire Lewicki and Robert Duvall as veteran crew chief Harry Hogge. Kidman, who later married Cruise in 1990 before their divorce in 2001, played Trickle's love interest in the film.

The cast also included Michael Rooker as driver Rowdy Burns, Cary Elwes as Trickle's rival Russ Wheeler, Randy Quaid as team owner Tim Daland, and John C. Reilly as Buck Bretherton. IMDb credits Robert Towne and Cruise as writers.

With the sequel now set, Cruise's presence at Daytona had an obvious connection to his next film.

More Close-Up Photos of Cruise Sparked Divided Reactions

Cruise removed the dark sunglasses he had worn outside once he was inside the meeting. The closer photos showed his face unobstructed, with his brown hair swept across his forehead and longer sections falling around the sides.

One image caught Cruise smiling broadly as he spoke with an attendee, while another captured him with a more neutral expression. Taken moments apart at the same event, the photos presented noticeably different views of the actor.

Once the close-ups circulated online, viewers had plenty to say, and they did not agree on what they were seeing.

On Facebook, one netizen wrote, "That's not the real Tom Cruise!!" Another user speculated about cosmetic procedures, writing, "The plastic surgery, filler, and botox is not anti aging at a certain point. 😳 🙄 [sic]." A different commenter was also unconvinced, writing, "That's definitely not Tom."

Someone else took issue with the criticism instead. "So many keyboard warriors on Facebook. They trash celebrities knowing the person they are trashing won't see it, much less respond. 🤦‍♂️"

As footage from the appearance reached other platforms, the disagreement widened.

Tom Cruise's Hair and Youthful Appearance Divided Commenters

On a Facebook Reel, one user questioned whether the footage was artificial, writing, "AI, he looks awfully young?"

Another commenter offered a sharply different assessment: "Tom Cruise is a man of discerning taste and handsome demeanor.❤️❤️❤️" Someone else alleged, "The plastic surgery scars are visible on his neck."

On Instagram, Cruise's hairstyle became a particular point of discussion.

"It's the hair combed over the scars 😂," one user wrote. Another commenter asked, "Who's going to tell him....about his hair style [sic]?" One user instead focused on how young Cruise appeared, writing, "This man, does not age."

Another commenter went further with a comparison: "At this point, my Mum looks more like Tom Cruise than Tom Cruise looks like Tom Cruise."

One Daytona Photo Captured a Tribute to Kyle Busch

One of the more somber photos showed Cruise seated beside an empty chair bearing Kyle Busch's name. According to People, Cruise was seen patting the chair and looking down during the drivers' meeting before the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

The seat honored Busch, who died on May 21 at age 41. Hours before his death, his family had announced that he was hospitalized with a "severe illness" and would not compete that weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Busch's family later said a medical evaluation determined that severe pneumonia had progressed into sepsis, resulting in "rapid and overwhelming associated complications," according to ABC News.

Busch was a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who won 63 races in NASCAR's top division. His Cup career began with Hendrick Motorsports before he moved to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008 and later joined Richard Childress Racing in 2023.

Busch also had a connection to the film Cruise was at Daytona to revisit. NASCAR reported that the driver became known as "Rowdy," a nickname that referenced a character in "Days of Thunder" as well as Busch's aggressive racing style. The name followed him throughout a career in which he attracted both devoted supporters and vocal detractors.

Cruise came to Daytona with a new chapter of "Days of Thunder" taking shape. Yet beyond the film plans, his appearance became a conversation of its own, with viewers reaching very different conclusions from the same day of photos.