A Dirt Track Movie Starring John Travolta and Shania Twain
The world of dirt track racing is coming to the big screen. "Trading Paint" stars John Travolta and Shania Twain, a story about a veteran race car driver and his son.
News of new racing movies being developed by Hollywood always makes me nervous. It's always a crap shoot if they will be any good, or that they won't showcase the sport I love to be apart of some back-water hillbilly network of idiots. If you know nothing about dirt track racing, I can tell you have to understand a lot about physics to make your car fast.
I loved the movie 'Six Pack'. It's probably my favorite racing movie. Yes, it was a little cheesy at the end, but it did a good job of depicting the dirt track lifestyle. The same can be said about 'Stroker Ace'. Even the classic 'Fever Heat', which was shot in central Iowa, has merit.
Don't even get me started on how bad 'Days of Thunder' was for racing. Although it had some great lines, it was nothing more than a 'Top Gun' rip off with demolition derby cars painted to look like NASCAR cars. I'll say the same for 'Talladega Nights'.
Enter 'Trading Paint' in to the fold of racing movies. John Travolta stars as a veteran dirt track driver, and Shania Twain, in her first character role in the movies, plays his girlfriend. The premise seems believable enough...
A veteran race car driver and his son, a fellow driver, overcome family and professional conflicts, balancing competition, ego, resentment and a racing nemesis to come out stronger on the other side." as per the storyline on IMDB.
To be honest, that sounds like most nights at a dirt track, so let's hope Hollywood doesn't muck it up.
A large part of the racing for the movie was shoot in central Alabama. Most nights were shot at the famed Talladega Short Track. I read that Hueytown was also on the set list. I haven't seen if they visited any other tracks, or how much racing there will actually be in the movie.
I've heard & read different release dates. IMDB says June 1, 2018. A few other sources have stated July 2017. Either way it's during the heart of the dirt track racing season. If they knew anything about dirt track race fans, they'd release it as winter fades away, and we're dying to get back to the dirt tracks.I hope that's not a sign of things to come for this movie project.
At any rate, I'm just hoping for the best.
Travolta & Twain on set away from the race track
Here is a shot of the car Travolta's character drives.
A post shared by Mohamedhadid (@mohamedhadid) on
I believe this is the garage Travolta's character owns in the movie.