Variety.com - Thesps race to NASCAR pic

Variety.com - Thesps race to NASCAR pic

Ferrell, Reilly, Duncan in gear for Sony laffer

Sacha Baron Cohen, John C. Reilly, Michael Clarke Duncan and Gary Cole are joining Will Ferrell in Sony's untitled NASCAR comedy, directed by Adam McKay.
Production begins next month.

Pic is the story of Ricky Bobby (Ferrell), a go-for-broke race car driver, who in races either finishes first or doesn't finish at all. Unhappy with these results, Bobby's team owner brings over Jean Girard (Baron Cohen), a French Formula One driver, who quickly becomes Bobby's biggest rival.

Reilly will play Cal Naughton Jr., Bobby's boyhood friend who teams up with him to form Thunder and Lightning, the most feared racing duo in NASCAR.

Duncan will play Lucius Washington, Bobby's crew chief.

Cole will play Reese Bobby, Ricky's estranged father who comes back into his life.

Jimmy Miller and Judd Apatow are producing. Ferrell and McKay exec produce.

Cohen, most familiar as the dimwitted Rastafarian talkshow host on HBO's "Da Ali G Show," recently lent his voice to DreamWorks AnimationDreamWorks Animation's "Madagascar."

Reilly currently stars in Disney's horror pic "Dark Water" with Jennifer Connelly. He's also in Robert Altman's bigscreen adaptation of Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion."

Duncan, who starred in Dimension's "Sin City" with Bruce Willis, will next be seen in "D.E.B.S.," directed and written by Angela Robinson.

Cole, whose credits include DreamWorks' "The Ring Two" and Fox's "Dodgeball," recently wrapped "Crazy in Love" with Josh Harnett for Millennium Films.