We’ve been taken behind the scenes of the Formula 1 circuit, but now it’s time for America’s NASCAR to show itself to the world.
Following the success of Netflix’s ‘Drive To Survive’ over the past five seasons, the streaming giant has decided to release a five-part docu-series on one of the world’s toughest motorsport competitions called ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’.
The upcoming series shows all the action of the 2023 season, following nine drivers through the highs and lows of a gruelling year on the track.
In what may be an attempt to change the image of the sport from something only people from the southern states of America watched, to something that appeals to the world, the governing body of the competition is excited to showcase the skills of these drivers that are doing ridiculous speeds around each circuit.
NASCAR has always been seen as one of the most dangerous championships in world motorsport, and Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer Tim Clark is ready for Netflix users to get a taste of it.
“This is the most competitive form of motorsport on the planet,” Clark said.
“People are going to see it up close and see the beating and the banging and the aggressiveness of the drivers, but also the skill of the drivers and what they’re able to do with a race car (driving at) 200 miles an hour, and 38 other race cars, hitting the same spot for 400 miles.”
So with that gripping endorsement of the sport, here’s everything you need know about Netflix’s upcoming docu-series ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’.
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When is ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ being released and where can I watch it?
Netflix – January 30, 2024
The release of ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ is right upon us, with its release date confirmed for January 30 across the world.
It will be a five-part docu-series showcased on the world-famous streaming platform Netflix, with all parts expected to be available from the jump.
The series’ release has been timed perfectly to coincide with the upcoming NASCAR season which starts five days after you can stream it, with the competition’s pre-season exhibition race at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.
NASCAR: Full Speed trailer
Here’s the ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ trailer from Netflix. Enjoy!
What is the NASCAR?
The NASCAR – National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing – is the United States most watched motorsport series, and has been going for 75 years since its inception in 1948.
Netflix has shown us the excitement of motorsport before with ‘Drive To Survive’ – the docu-series on the Formula 1 – but now it’s NASCAR’s time to shine.
Some fans of other motorsports find the NASCAR a little underwhelming on the face of it, because it appears to be a bunch of cars turning left in a circle for hours on end, but fans of the competition will be the first to tell you that if you fully embrace it, it’s much more.
The point of the sport is to drive cars that are available to the public, hence the word ‘stock’ in the name. People say that in theory, you could buy the exact car you support in the NASCAR and build it up the the racing standard for yourself — something that really connects with the fans.
The races themselves are very different from Formula 1 or SuperCars here in Australia. They are split into three different stages, with points awarded to the drivers who finish in the top 10 of each stage.
At each interval, cars are allowed to change tyres and fill the gas tanks before restarting for the next stage. The stages of the race are based on a set number of laps, with the final lap described as an all-out slog to the end with more points awarded for finishing first then any other stage.
What will the ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ docu-series show?
Reports are that the docu-series will show a certain number of drivers (reportedly nine) preparing for race day and follow them through the actual race.
The drivers that have been reported are Denny Hamlin (51 career wins), Joey Logano (2 NASCAR Cup championships), Kyle Larson (2021 champion), Ryan Blaney (2023 champion) to name a few.
You can expect it to be as similar to ‘Drive To Survive’ as possible, with behind the scenes access to the drivers’ lives, actual race footage, and plenty of interviews.
We will obviosuly know more once the show is release in late-January.
When does the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series begin?
The start of the 2024 NASCAR season will begin February 4 with the pre-season exhibitions race in Los Angeles. It will be the third year the event will start the season.
However, the first official race of the series is the famous Daytona 500 on February 18 at Daytona International Speedway. The entire year will have 37 races before the end of the year, with the season ending in Phoenix on November 10.
