A new documentary series about the NASCAR Cup Series could debut later in 2022, according to a report from the Sports Business Journal. The new series will focus on the 2022 season and will air on USA Network.
Adam Stern provided the report on February 2. The sports insider said that the docuseries will begin filming the weekend of February 5-6 as the Cup Series drivers take on the Busch Light Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum. It will cap off a season of NASCAR docuseries that begins with the release of “Race: Bubba Wallace” on February 22.
Motorsports fans have clamored for a serious documentary series about NASCAR for a considerable amount of time, often pointing out the existence of Netflix’s “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” as a reason why the racing series has gained popularity. If this upcoming project about the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season does take place, there is an opportunity for the camera crews to provide a better look at the teams and the amount of effort that goes into competing on a weekly basis.
The Original Docuseries Announcement Took Place in July 2021
NASCAR originally had plans to film the Cup Series playoffs to cap off the 2021 season. This eight-episode docuseries, named “Race for the Championship,” would have aired on the USA Network.
According to the Sports Business Journal’s report from July 2021, “Race for the Championship” would have provided an in-depth look at how the teams and drivers balance their personal lives with their quest to win the title. The in-house NASCAR Productions unit would have produced the series.
Based on the 16-driver playoff field, there would have been no shortage of content for the series. Kevin Harvick’s pursuit of his first win of the season, Denny Hamlin finally winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, late-race incidents between Tyler Reddick and William Byron, and Brad Keselowski’s final playoff run with Team Penske would have made for quality content.
The docuseries never took place despite plans to begin filming at Michigan International Speedway. The Delta variant of COVID-19 led to NASCAR delaying the series and examining future options.
There Are Some Limited Series Available
The documentary series about Bubba Wallace is not yet available while the upcoming Cup Series project has not started filming. However, there are some other limited series currently available that provide a unique look at NASCAR and some of its drivers.
Hulu has a short series available that focuses on Jeffrey Earnhardt. “The Driver” followed the grandson of Dale Earnhardt during the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season as he drove for Circle Sport – The Motorsports Group. The series only featured five episodes, but it provided an entirely different look at one of NASCAR’s drivers as he struggled to contend against bigger teams.
Similarly, NASCAR partnered with the MotorTrend Group in 2020 for a docuseries called “NASCAR 2020: Under Pressure.” This limited series focused on the COVID-19-altered season, the time away from the track, and the return to the action. The MotorTrend-exclusive series also focused on NASCAR banning the Confederate flag and the investigation into a garage door rope pull in Bubba Wallace’s stall at Talladega Superspeedway.
Another offering from the MotorTrend Group focused specifically on three drivers. “All In: Battle for Daytona” followed Corey LaJoie, Austin Dillon, and Tyler Reddick as they prepared for the 2020 Daytona 500. This limited series, also available only on the MotorTrend app, lasted three episodes and debuted during the playoffs.
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NASCAR Revives Cup Series Documentary Plans for 2022: Report