Ahead of the juggernaut of a likely hastily re-edited season of Drive To Survive, scrolling through my Netflix recommendations over the weekend. NASCAR’s Full Speed caught my eye.
Three episodes in, I’m hooked. The format offers a genuinely refreshing and insightful perspective on the relentless nature of racing and the ‘all in’ mindset of those touching the sport.
Where other motorsport documentaries can feel increasingly staged or somewhat managed, Full Speed feels raw and emotion-driven. Taking viewers on a journey with the teams, drivers, and, most importantly, for me, the families.
As a father, the moment in episode Two where Denny Hamlin’s daughter is only able to remember Kyle Larson’s name because he’s “Audrey’s dad” really struck a cord. Full Speed’s ability to humanise shows the strength of the Nascar community.
Looking to the teams, Trackhouse Entertainment Group, positioning 2nd place, as first of the losers with a companywide season-long call to action with 235, the number of feet they lost out on the championship by is inescapable, and a driver for future performance.
Full Speed has absolutely reignited the Days of Thunder driven obsession with NASCAR from my childhood. As a fan, I’ll be finding a way to get to a race this year. As a business development consultant, I’ll be looking to bring new partners to the championship and find ways to bring the NASCAR passion to my other championship of choice, Formula E.
So, if you’ve finished watching Formula E Unplugged and are looking for a show to fill the void between now and the São Paulo ePrix, I highly recommend checking out Full Speed!
Also, Thanks to Full Speed, I finally understand the Playoffs format… … I think!
If anyone has insights on how the series is performing on Netflix, I’d be keen to hear how the show compares with DTS and other Sports documentaries out there.