'NASCAR: Full Speed' hits top-five most-watched list on Netflix in U.S. and Canada
It appears that the Netflix docuseries NASCAR: Full Speed has found success, and it isn’t just in the United States, either. Globally, the NASCAR show has found viewership to boost it into the top-five and top-ten in various countries.
If you haven’t watched Full Speed you should. This show gives a behind-the-scenes look at drivers, crew members, their families, and more during the 2023 NASCAR Playoffs. Now, you will need to suspend your dislike for certain drivers if you have any harsh feelings towards them.
Denny Hamlin is the star of the show. He allowed Netflix to get more in-depth with him and his life than any other driver. His massive home, helipad, expensive cars, shoes, and his lifestyle tell the story of an elite, successful Cup Series driver.
Despite all of the wins and money and things he has, Hamlin still doesn’t have that championship. The struggle of the veteran driver as he deals with balancing family and racing is wonderful.
Then you have the storylines of young drivers like Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, and more. They are hungry, and eager, and aren’t in the same place in their careers as Hamlin.
All of that, plus the playoff drama, emotions from wives, kids, moms and dads – viewers have taken to the show. It cracked the top-five most-watched shows list for the United States (#5) and Canada (#3) by Thursday morning. That is just 48 hours after release.
The show also made the top-ten according to Flix Patrol in Ireland (#6), Latvia (#6), Switzerland (#6), Portugal (#7), Croatia (#7), Belgium (#8), Estonia (#8), United Kingdom (#9), and South Africa (#10).
NASCAR: Full Speed has gone global and that could be major for the growth of the sport.
‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ is exactly what NASCAR needed
This Netflix series is already paying off in the short term. There is a ton of press behind it. Bubba Wallace and Ryan Blaney went to New York City to be on TODAY and talk about the show and the upcoming season.
The show also came out at the perfect time. Now, new fans, and maybe fans who haven’t watched in a while, will be more interested in The Clash. Not to mention the Daytona 500. Momentum is important in racing and in marketing. This gives NASCAR all of the momentum.
The drivers that were featured this year in the show are all potential superstars. They just have to want to be a star. Hamlin wants to be a star, he wants people to talk about him. He sees benefits from it.
NASCAR drivers used to be big stars. They were larger than life. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart – all had personalities. They had an edge. When it came to it, they didn’t hold back. At the very least, they didn’t sound as though they were reading from a script written by a PR department.
With the early success of NASCAR: Full Speed, it will be very interesting if another season is greenlit. It will also be interesting to see the long-term effects of the show on the sport.