Sports talk with … Will Ferrell

Huge sports fan, hugely funny man

TSN: You're filming a comedy in which you play a NASCAR driver named Ricky Bobby. Why a NASCAR movie?

FERRELL: It was kind of a byproduct of (director) Adam McKay and I just seeing how insanely popular the sport was, and we thought, "Why not?" Nobody's done a NASCAR comedy, really. We had a lot of difficulty at first getting Anchorman green-lighted by studios. They were like, "Newspeople in the '70s?" It was not an idea they could wrap their heads around.

TSN: What would be your sports highlight growing up in Orange County?

FERRELL: A couple things stick out in my mind. I was there the first time the Angels clinched the American League West in 1979. Frank Tanana pitching against the Royals, who at that time were perennial winners.

Last year, I got to be on the field for the Orange Bowl. And I got to ride over on the USC team bus.

TSN: That's when your alma mater beat Oklahoma?

FERRELL: Handily, l might add.

TSN: Have you done the Richard Petty Driving Experience and driven around the track?

FERRELL: We all came here and did the orientation and were so scared after we did the ride-along with the professional driver. The driving was better than being a passenger. I did eight laps. My top speed was 135.

TSN: That's pretty good.

FERRELL: The goal was to beat Britney Spears. We heard Britney Spears had done 123. I was like, "I can't lose to Britney." That was the mantra.

TSN: How many times have you watched Days of Thunder?

FERRELL: Not obsessively so. I think just once.

TSN: Ricky Bobby would kick Cole Trickle's butt, wouldn't he?

FERRELL: Of course. Without a doubt. Maybe that will be the sequel.

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