"'Cars 3' very much pays homage to stock car racing and its rich history," director Brian Fee said in a statement explaining the partnership between the flick and NASCAR. "Our story leans into the drama, emotion and excitement NASCAR fans find at every race."
Current NASCAR stars Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suárez, and Bubba Wallace are among the drivers who will all have roles in the flick, as will retired racing legends Jeff Gordon and Richard Petty. NASCAR reporters, announcers, and others associated with the sport will also lend their voices to the film.
Here's the full NASCAR character breakdown:
- CHASE ELLIOTT: Second-generation Piston Cup racer CHASE RACELOTT. Racelott's blend of skills, track smarts and top-of-the-line technology make this rookie a real contender.
- RYAN BLANEY: Third-generation racer RYAN "INSIDE" LANEY. Known for his racing passion and ability to have fun on the track, Laney races with talent, speed and precision.
- DANIEL SUÁREZ: DANNY SWERVEZ, a next-gen racer who's ascending the Piston-Cup ladder against all odds. A mid-season replacement, Swervez is a quick learner who pushes himself to the limit.
- BUBBA WALLACE: Next-gen stock car racer BUBBA WHEELHOUSE, a fast and tenacious young racer who knows how to win.
- DARRELL WALTRIP: DARRELL CARTRIP. Cartrip, a veteran Piston-Cup announcer also heard in Cars and Cars 2, may think he's seen it all—but this new season might still have a surprise or two in store.
- SHANNON SPAKE: SHANNON SPOKES. Spokes weaves her way into the middle of the action for in-the-moment interviews, and she's not afraid to ask racers the tough questions.
- HOWARD AUGUSTINE "HUMPY" WHEELER JR: Iconic Dinoco team owner TEX DINOCO. Tex, who met Lightning McQueen in Cars, would love nothing more than to see #95 decked out in Dinoco blue.
- JEFF GORDON: JEFF GORVETTE. Gorvette, whose number of top-ten finishes remains unmatched, may have hung up his racing tires—but his heart remains on the track. His ability to succeed at all levels turned hoods wherever he raced.
- RICHARD "THE KING" PETTY: Returns to the role of STRIP "THE KING" WEATHERS. From his humble beginnings on the Piston-Cup circuit to the glitzy sponsorship and media attention, the champion racer now serves as crew chief for his nephew, Cal Weathers.
- KYLE PETTY: CAL WEATHERS. Weathers grew up around the track watching his uncle, Strip "The King" Weathers, tear it up. The veteran racer finds himself taking a step back to make room for the next generation on the track.
- MIKE JOY: On-the-spot radio talk show host MIKE JOYRIDE. Joyride stays one step ahead in the racing news game by keeping a keen eye on where the racing season is headed.
- RAY EVERNHAM: RAY REVERHAM, Jackson Storm's crew chief, and an expert at training in the cutting edge technology and tactics being used by the next-gen racers. Evernham also serves as a story consultant for filmmakers.
"Cars 3" races into theaters on June 16.
[via: ComingSoon]