AMC is expanding into the world of professional stock car racing with a longform fictional television series focused on NASCAR.
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Deadline first reported the news. The outlet noted that screenwriter John Fusco is developing a high-profile drama series, "Thunder Road," that AMC is fast-tracking. They are creating this project in association with NASCAR, which has branched out the last few years with projects on USA, Netflix, and YouTube.
Fusco has written several dramas of television and film. This includes the Kevin Costner-led "The Highwaymen," Netflix's "Marco Polo," the Viggo Mortensen-led "Hidalgo," and the "Young Guns" film series.
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"'Thunder Road' is about the Whitlock racing dynasty, a family bound by legacy, love, and the weight of their name." said Fusco, per Deadline. "Set against the high-stakes world of NASCAR and the mythic outlaw roots of a sport born on the whiskey-running backroads of the south, you might call it 'Succession' with stock cars.
"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to bring this dramatic, action-packed, uniquely American story to life with AMC and NASCAR."
Tim Clark and John Dahl will serve as executive producers on this project for NASCAR with Gladys Cheng as producer. Fusco will also serve as executive producer alongside Cliff Roberts ("Untamed") and Mark L. Smith ("American Primevil").
NASCAR has focused mostly on documentaries in recent seasons while highlighting the everyday drivers across the three national series. Netflix has served as the home of the Bubba Wallace-focused "Race" and two seasons of "NASCAR: Full Speed." USA Network and Peacock aired one season of "Race for the Championship," a series featuring such drivers as Harrison Burton, Joey Logano, and Daniel Suarez.
NASCAR will next focus on Jesse Love, Carson Hocevar, and Rajah Caruth with "Rising," a docuseries that will air on the racing series' YouTube channel on Nov. 17-21.
This "Thunder Road" series on AMC will mark the second scripted NASCAR series in recent seasons. Netflix and NASCAR previously partnered for the short-lived comedy series, "The Crew," starring Kevin James.
