By ANDREW CHERNOFF
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
Batman and Robin. Tom and Jerry. Woody and Buzz. Ricky Bobby and Cal Naughton, Jr.
These are just some of the most iconic duos we’ve watched and seen in our lifetime.
Unlike the duos listed above, Ricky and Cal found their success on a racetrack.
Sure, they may be fictional characters from the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballard of Ricky Bobby, but their impact in the real world is massive.
For instance, I typically see at least someone wearing some sort of Talladega Nights-themed apparel when I’m at racetracks across the country.
This weekend, though, there will be a pair of NASCAR Cup Series drivers sporting the “Talladega Nights” look.
The Stewart-Haas Racing duo of Chase Briscoe and Ryan Preece will be driving race cars inspired by the movie during Sunday’s YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala.
Preece will drive the No. 41 Wonder Bread Ford Mustang while Briscoe, an Indiana native, will be behind the wheel of the No. 14 Old Spice Ford Mustang.
“This is an entertaining promotion that allows us to work with two innovative brands in Wonder Bread and Old Spice where we can stand out together amid a very busy fall sports schedule,” Brian McKinley, Chief Revenue Officer of Stewart-Haas Racing, said in a news release.
“Talladega Nights is a cult classic and Wonder Bread and Old Spice were savvy enough to be on board with the movie from the very beginning. For our sport, it’s the gift that keeps on giving, and it’s given Stewart-Haas Racing a great platform to have some fun and engage with our fans.”
The drivers each said they could not wait to get on the 2.66-mile oval in their new liveries.
“Talladega Nights is one movie that most people have seen and laughed with, and these really cool paint schemes will bring back those memories,” Preece said in the news release. “Getting to have my teammate, Chase Briscoe, in the Old Spice car makes it all come together. The movie remains relevant after all these years, and there’s no better track than Talladega to work with your teammates. We’re going to have a lot of fun this weekend and I hope we get the No. 41 Wonder Bread Ford Mustang in victory lane.”
Briscoe is one of those people who Preece referenced above who has seen the film.
“Talladega Nights is one of my all-time favorite movies, and I’m really glad that Old Spice was on board to come back to Stewart-Haas Racing,” Briscoe said in the news release. “We couldn’t do this Talladega Nights deal without them, and as a Tony Stewart fan who has gone on to drive his car, it’s really special to be the one to bring it back for all the fans.”
In the 2006 comedy film, it was Ricky Bobby, played by Will Ferrell, who drove the Wonder Bread car. Meanwhile, Cal Naughton, Jr., played by John C. Reilly, drove the Old Spice car.
When the duo got together on the track, it made sure to “Shake and Bake!” its way to the front of the field.
Preece and Briscoe will hope to accomplish the same thing this weekend.
And, of course, they will both surely “wanna go fast!”