Finding true love isn’t that easy, but surely shows like The Bachelor make it seem glamorous at its best. However, who knew that even the world of NASCAR had its response to this popular dating show that America loves? A show that stands out for its sheer absurdity is I Want to Date a Race Car Driver.  

This short-lived reality TV show aired on the Speed Channel in 2004 and was NASCAR’s. While its central theme might sound like a fun twist on the conventional dating format, it’s safe to say that I Want to Date a Race Car Driver ended up being more of a pit-stop disaster.

NASCAR meets Reality TV

The show was envisioned on the unusual idea that fans would get the unusual chance to go on a date with a professional race car driver. While the popularity of NASCAR drivers was always on the high, this show seemed to capitalize on the same popularity. The show featured 4 episodes, each focused on a different driver. The participants had to navigate through a series of wacky challenges that would prove their worth for the date. 

The series opened with John Wood, then NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver, who later admitted to having a girlfriend at the time. The challenges included activities like applying lipstick while riding in a race car, filling gas cans, and writing comedy sketches. While these activities had little to do with either romance or racing, they offered contestants a bizarre set of hoops to jump through to impress their bachelor. Sounds bizarre right? It seemed to cross all the thresholds when the show did not limit itself to male drivers only. 

The second episode premiered with Leilani Münter who was known to be a popular late model driver.  Male contestants vied for her attention by spray-painting her likeness on the ground and playing an odd combination of paintball and capturing the flag. The one thing that did not add up the most was the complex challenges that made it an adventure show rather than a quest for a romantic date. Blindfolded golf cart driving, assembling scooters, and even guiding hamsters through a miniature racetrack were just a few of the tasks competitors faced. While it is true that the task could add a comedy element to the show, it did not foster a sense of connection between the participants and the drivers. 

Given the format of the show and the mockery it made, it was a given that viewership would be an issue. Dating show fans who were used to emotional backstories and heartwarming moments were certainly not likely to tune into the Speed Channel. On the flip side, NASCAR fans seeking high-speed action probably were equally not interested in watching contestants play love songs or race scooters. A common sentiment that the fans harped on was, “When I turn on Speed Channel, I expect to see cars, not contestants racing to fill gas cans”. The overemphasis on gimmicky challenges left little room for the kind of heartfelt moments that anchor successful dating shows. Combined with its inability to resonate with either racing fans or traditional dating show audiences, the series was doomed from the start. Since then, there has not been any attempt to recreate dating shows for NASCAR drivers, probably for the good!

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Racing Wives – a Predecessor to Full Speed 

Long before Full Speed had released and made it to the popular grounds, there was a show that was envisioned to give an insight into the life of NASCAR drivers. While this might not be known to many, the show aired under the name of “Racing Wives” and it included five women from the NASCAR royalty. The show aired on CMT in 2019 and it included Samantha and Ashley Busch, Whitney Dillon, Amber Balcean, and Mariel Swan. Samantha Busch, wife of two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch. Ashley Busch was married to Kyle’s brother Kurt and Whitney Dillon is known for her marriage to Austin Dillon, a prominent driver in the Cup Series.

Mariel Swan brings a unique connection to the sport. She is married to Paul Swan, a former tire carrier for Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 team, adding another layer of NASCAR ties to her story. Unlike the others, Amber stood out as the only member of the group without a marital link to a NASCAR driver. Instead, she was an ambitious driver herself. The show exhibited every drama that the girls had to go through and how the NASCAR drivers were at home. 

Certainly, not all of them were okay with the idea of having cameras at home. The show also showcased how often the wives were on the verge of getting into catfights, considering each of them was under the impression that their husband was a better racer. However, the show did not have a second episode, considering it did not get the visibility of its Hollywood counterpart – Hollywood Wives. While a second season is not completely off the carpet, fans will have to wait for a formal declaration on the same.