Netflix and NASCAR have combined to produce one of the best documentaries ever created about America's most prominent stock-car racing series.
"NASCAR: Full Speed" is out, and it has not disappointed. The five-episode docuseries is must-see TV, and it provides more than your typical documentary.
The show offers a behind-the-scenes look at what some of the best drivers in the sport go through on a day-to-day basis. It also shows how human they all are. NASCAR has some of the best athletes in the world; despite what skeptics say, they are true athletes.
The series focuses on some of the 16 drivers who made up the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, along with the trials and tribulations of the final 10 races of a NASCAR season.
There have been plenty of attempts to make a solid NASCAR documentary, but "Full Speed" takes the top spot quite easily. Jeff Gluck from the Athletic called it "authentic," and that stands true throughout the whole series.
Denny Hamlin was featured as a primary focal point, as he battled it out with the likes of William Byron, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace for the 2023 Cup championship. Though those other drivers had their highlighted moments in the show, Hamlin appeared as the biggest focal point from Episode 1, as he tried to chase the elusive Cup title.
The emotion and feelings of Hamlin were real throughout the show, until his elimination from the playoffs in the penultimate episode. Hamlin went through plenty in the 2023 season, with most fans of the sport putting him at the top of their list. Luckily for him, "Full Speed" was able to get through his on-track identity and bring out a little more humility from the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.
That was where the show got it right. It showed that though Hamlin is dying to win a Cup championship, it would mean much more for his family — especially for his dad, Dennis, as Hamlin calls him the heartbeat that keeps him going.
Much like its counterpart on Netflix, Formula One's "Drive to Survive," this docuseries showcases some of the crew members who give everything for their drivers to succeed. That's where Wallace's crew chief, Bootie Barker, comes in as he gives off Guenther Steiner vibes in the show.
Steiner became a popular name among F1 fans because of "Drive to Survive." Hopefully, Barker's story can reach the same level.
It wasn't just the drivers and teams who were in the spotlight. The wives and girlfriends of drivers also play a prominent role in showing the stress and concern they have while their significant others are out racing 200-plus mph, with their lives on the end of a string every time they get behind the wheel.
A perfect example of that concern is footage of Blaney's now-fiancée, Gianna Tulio, as she nervously watched the Talladega playoff race inside the couple's bus. The emotion was there, and the relief she experienced when Blaney crossed the line for the win could easily be felt.
Blaney isn't featured much in the first couple of episodes, as the eventual 2023 champion was pretty quiet in the first few playoff races before getting that Talladega win. But by the end of the series, Blaney became the focal point, and it felt genuine as he made his rise to the title.
The payoff was the moment that the series showcased Blaney with his dad and former Cup racer in his own right, Dave. A father-son moment like that was perfect.
"Do believe you're the baddest f—- here?" Dave said to his son. And for the cameras to capture that moment showcased how important the championship win was for more than just Ryan himself. That's what NASCAR is — it's family.
There's a line of dialogue in the show and the initial trailer for the series in which ESPN's Marty Smith spoke about the drivers, and it sums up this show in a nutshell.
"If you're a race car driver, you have the opportunity to get hurt or killed — but you do it anyway," Smith said. "Think about what a badass that is."
"Full Speed" is a show about NASCAR, yes, but it's really about connecting the fans with the drivers. They are more than just drivers — they are badasses, and so is this show.
