NASCAR: FULL SPEED Followers Racers and Their Families: ‘Really Great’
By Movieguide® Contributor
NASCAR: FULL SPEED, a new docuseries, follows nine different race car drivers and their families as they compete in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
The series premiered on Jan. 30 and contains five episodes in total.
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford, shared his thoughts on the show with TODAY.
“That’s really what the goal is, to really reach out to people who haven’t been exposed to NASCAR racing yet, show them what it’s like and show them some personalities that go along with that,” Logano said, adding he hopes people find a driver “they like, to give them a reason to tune in.”
In addition to Logano, the series also features Denny Hamlin, Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain and Ryan Blaney.
Hamlin has won the Daytona 500 three times but has yet to win the Cup Series. TODAY shared, “In the show, viewers see him trying to make it to the 2023 championship as a driver, while at the same time supporting the team that he owns without being biased.”
Wallace is another key driver in the show. NASCAR reported, “Bubba Wallace entered the national spotlight after becoming the first Black driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race since 1963 with a memorable victory in October 2021 at Talladega Superspeedway.”
“We’re all human beings, we all have feelings. We all have bills to pay and the color of our blood is the same,” he said of his struggles featured on the show. “We go through real stuff, no matter what kind of spotlight you’re in.”
29-year-old Bell has been married to his wife, Morgan, for four years. Last year, he came in fourth place at the Cup Series.
Byron has a history of success and carries on a special legacy. “William Byron, 26, placed third in the 2023 Cup Series Championship — and has already started the 2024 NASCAR season strong,” TODAY wrote. “He won the 2024 Daytona 500 on Feb. 19, making him one to watch.”
NASCAR shared, “the famed No. 24 Chevrolet previously piloted by four-time champ and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.”
Family is important to Reddick, something he shares on the show. His 4-year-old son Beau got his name because of Reddick’s success.
TODAY said, “when they were pregnant with Beau, they made a bet that if Reddick won the Xfinity Series championship in 2019, he would be able to name his son. He won, which is how Beau got his name.”
Chastain has an interesting history and a unique way to celebrate victory.
NASCAR shared, “Ross Chastain has quickly proven he belongs among the best. An eighth-generation watermelon farmer, Chastain’s hard-nosed, on-track aggression has won him numerous races and led to a few thrown fists along the way.” When he wins, he celebrates by “smashing watermelons.”
Blanley said of the show, “It obviously worked out great for me. I was saying, ‘Netflix should’ve done this five years ago, maybe I would’ve won more championships.’ It’s gonna be really great to look back on.” Blanley’s fiancé, Gianna Tulio, is also seen on the show.
NASCAR: FULL SPEED is currently available to watch exclusively on Netflix.
Movieguide® previously reported on NASCAR:
NASCAR has partnered with Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery to reach a wider range of fans with its racing content.
“We are super excited about what 2025 is going to bring us because of the distribution that we now have across air, which is a combination of, obviously, broadcast, cable and streaming,” NASCAR president Steve Phelps said. “We want to meet race fans where they are…We think this group does exactly that for us.”
Through this deal, NASCAR will keep distribution rights through current partners Fox Sports and NBC while adding Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery. Races will come to the new partners after the current deal expires at the end of 2024.
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