Birmingham will thunder to the sound of American NASCAR muscle power this Easter weekend. But no, it’s not the much vaunted return of racing to the city’s streets.

Instead America’s biggest sport will be shown in the IMAX Cinema at Millennium Point, Birmingham, where the US smash hit film, NASCAR 3D will make its European premier between 24th March and 24th April.

The film is a behind the scenes look at one of America’s biggest sports, NASCAR Nextel Cup and is narrated by Hollywood superstar Kiefer Sutherland. The action is shown on a 3D screen over five storeys high (4,500 times larger than a television screen) surrounded by 12000 watts of digital sound surround. The organisers promise that you'll never look at a trip to the cinema in the same way again!

The movie has been brought to the IMAX Cinema by the Rockingham racing motor racing facility in Northamptonshire. It’s the only venue in UK where the similar style of American Stock Car racing takes place; at the Rockingham ‘Thunder Sunday’ events on the first Sunday of each month from May to October.

"NASCAR is the biggest form of motorsport in the world and the events they stage are truly mind blowing" said Joe Dickinson. CEO of Rockingham. "We are using this film to promote the fact this form of motor sport takes place in the UK at Rockingham, with our SCSA stock car series, top music acts and all round family entertainment package. The message for visitors to the IMAX Cinema at Millennium Point is you don’t have to travel 4,000 miles to see this style of racing for real, Rockingham is only an hour down the M6 from Birmingham."

Produced by Warner Bros Pictures, the film set new records in the US when it was launched in March 2004, taking over $20 million at the box office, playing in over 100 theatres across America, Japan and Australia. This is the only opportunity in the UK see the documentary film that has taken America by storm. The first public showing of the film will take place at IMAX Cinema at Millennium Point, Birmingham on Saturday 26th March and will run until the 24th April, with up to five showings per day. Tickets cost £8 for adults and £6 for children.

Call 0121 2022222 or log onto www.imax.ac and click on ‘tickets’.