Button reveals Days of Thunder NASCAR inspiration ahead of debut

Former F1 champion Jenson Button has revealed how Tom Cruise's film Days of Thunder ignited his passion for NASCAR.

The former Williams, Honda, Brawn and McLaren driver will make his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series on March 26 at the Circuit of the Americas, driving the number 15 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing.

Button will then participate in two further events - the inaugural Chicago Street race on July 2 and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 13. READ MORE: Jenson Button set for NASCAR Cup Series debut vs Kimi Raikkonen

These appearances are in addition to NASCAR's Garage 56 entry at Le Mans, where Button will team up with seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson as well as Mike Rockenfeller.

Asked if a NASCAR outing had been on his radar across his career, Button replied: "For a very long time I have watched NASCAR, a couple of decades.

"I have to say, growing up in the UK, we had four channels back in the late 1980s and we didn't really get any real sport outside of European sport.

"So it was actually Days of Thunder that first of all brought me to NASCAR because it was the first time I got to see any NASCAR.

"It was a movie so as an eight-year-old, I thought it was insane, amazing, worlds away from European motorsport, but that kind of got me in the door of liking NASCAR and I used to watch it with my old man."

NASCAR 'another skillset'

"It is so different to what I am used to," added Button.

"That is probably what stopped me from asking the question whether I would be able to race in NASCAR, because it is so different to anything I have driven before.

"Back then, there were more ovals, there were no street courses so that didn't excite me so much because it is another skillset altogether.

"But now there are more road courses, it is definitely more enticing and also, I think I would be more competitive.

"I watch the races and I see the new guys coming in and have an experience in road course racing and they don't find it easy, it is very difficult, but that is part of the challenge and why I am so excited about it."

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