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May 15, 2022; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain (1) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (19) lead the pack after a restart during the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
May 15, 2022; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain (1) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (19) lead the pack after a restart during the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
May 15, 2022; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain (1) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (19) lead the pack after a restart during the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
May 15, 2022; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain (1) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (19) lead the pack after a restart during the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports
Ever since its debut, a few years ago, Formula One: Drive to Survive has taken everyone by storm. Earlier this year, MotoGP jumped on the bandwagon with MotoGP Unlimited. Now, according to journalist Adam Stern, IndyCar will soon follow in their footsteps. Now, all that is left is for NASCAR to make a move and get its own docu-series.
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How original.
— Hello, My Name Is Josh (@CBJSprague24) May 14, 2022
Drive to Survive: Indycar
I'm calling it— Speed – スピード (@Typ_Speed) May 14, 2022
1st-I will not stream anything I have enough bills-2-IndyCar needs to lead & stop following-3rd-I really don't care about IndyCar drivers lives,what I care about is IndyCar promoting all our races (The way they do the 500) & get the new car out before 2024-Bring back more ovals
— Paul Palmieri (@INDCarSerious) May 15, 2022
In the words of CEO Mark Miles, the open-wheel series is “on the 10-yard line” of striking a deal with a media company. If all goes well, then they will shoot a new unscripted docu-series centered around the sport.
However, the fan reaction to the rumor was lukewarm and largely negative. The common complaint was that many feared that it would be a carbon copy of Drive to Survive. One of the biggest flaws of Drive to Survive is the focus on drama to play up certain storylines.
Can’t wait for the premier of Drive To Replicate
— Fifty Race Helmet 🏎 (@50missioncap) May 14, 2022
It will be lame. It’s like @MarioAndretti said. It will be viewed as a copycat. @IndyCar is always behind. Need to learn to be innovators and not followers.
— OWROnline (@OWROnline) May 14, 2022
Copycat? Maybe. But I had no interest F1 and the Netflix show didn't appeal to me either. But apparently it's paid dividends, so THAT reality show fan base will have another option. So, new open wheel fans all around 🤷🏼♂️
— JDell1776 (@dell1776) May 15, 2022
People are worried that the studios could try and tweak things to generate more drama and make things ‘fake’. On the other end of the scale, MotoGP Unlimited followed a different and more traditional pattern.
Its advantage is that there was already plenty of on-track drama, so there was nothing to really engineer. That series also had its flaws, like it being unavailable in India and South-East Asia, arguably two of its largest markets. However, that is a story for another time.
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Apr 10, 2022; Long Beach, California, USA; Andretti Autosport with Curb-Agajanian driver Colton Herta (26) of United States during morning warm up for the Grand Prix of Long Beach at Long Beach Street Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
People wondered when NASCAR would join the party
With an IndyCar docu-series on the way, the inevitable question is, ‘What about NASCAR’? In the past year or so, there has been one NASCAR-themed reality show, a docu-series focusing on driver Bubba Wallace, and an upcoming reality show.
To be precise, we are talking about, ‘The Crew’, ‘Race: Bubba Wallace’ and ‘Life In The Fast Lane’, respectively. The last one is reportedly the brainchild of Richard Childress Racing driver, Austin Dillon.
nascar has to get the ball rolling or they’re going to be the third most popular motorsport in the us by default. https://t.co/AWxfil4CNW
— Garrett Wease (@garrettwease) May 14, 2022
NASCAR really needs one of these. 90 percent of their content is on tv and the stuff that isn’t is usually a terrible comedy show with irrelevant actors or a reality show.
— Ben (@ben07871) May 14, 2022
Admittedly, the reception to Dillon’s upcoming show was not too good. Fans were unhappy that they are not being taken seriously.
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They would prefer to get a series where they can truly get to know their favorite drivers and teams on a more personal level. Reality shows and shows with actors are simply not going to cut it for them.