Season 2 of NASCAR’s Netflix docuseries, NASCAR Full Pace, has formally dropped — all 5 episodes at the moment are obtainable for streaming. As soon as once more, it focuses in on the playoffs and the 16 drivers combating for the championship, introduced in a manner that does not overwhelm the informal viewer or somebody who would not watch the game in any respect. It did its job in simplifying the somewhat advanced system that decides the champion yearly.
It options the next drivers most closely: Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, Daniel Suarez, Chase Briscoe, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick and Harrison Burton. Via the lives of most of those drivers, this present reveals its energy. It needs the viewer to attach with them on an actual, private stage, executing it nicely. Their favourite technique is to make use of the wives/girlfriends (in addition to another members of the family) to color a deeper image of every driver, and I feel it was used to perfection. It is a comparable method to what the present’s producers did within the first season.
Actual individuals with actual lives
The off-track content material was maybe probably the most compelling side about it. The usually reserved Byron opens up about seeing a sports activities therapist, Julia Piquet gives among the greatest soundbites when voicing her frustrations over the dearth of pace in Suarez’s automobile, and Briscoe has to take care of combating for a championship with a crew that is about to close down…whereas his spouse Marissa is anticipating twins at any second — with all of those storylines enjoying out through the playoffs.
We spend time with Suarez’s father and study extra about his function in setting NASCAR’s lone Mexican driver on a path to the Cup Sequence, whereas Jeff Burton reveals some robust love for his son Harrison after he misplaced his experience at Wooden Brothers Racing.
I might go on, however these had been all unbelievable methods to indicate weekly watchers a facet of the game they usually do not see, and to offer new viewers an introduction to among the sport’s stars.
Daniel Suarez and Julia Piquet, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Picture by: Getty Photos
We additionally spent a while with Suarez and Blaney’s pit crews throughout mid-week coaching, and my solely criticism about it’s that I wished extra of it. There have been some nice moments there, particularly with Blaney and his crew. I additionally wished to see them delve additional into the preparation that goes into all this, like once they confirmed Suarez on the simulator or Bell trying over information earlier than Homestead.
Lots of people don’t know what goes into getting ready for a NASCAR race weekend and shining a brighter gentle on that may solely be a superb factor. The present did it, so kudos for that, however it will have been nice to tug again that curtain much more.
I really like how they took time to actually construct up the personalities of every driver and current them as their very own distinctive package deal earlier than their very own pivotal playoff moments. On the observe and on TV, they generally appear a bit too comparable with the identical PR-trained traces and sponsor shoutouts. However right here we get to see them be ‘actual,’ sharing tales from their private lives and interacting with their family members in a manner that makes it laborious for anybody watching to not join with them.
Nevertheless, in addition they tread some outdated floor from the earlier season, just like the narrative round Bell being neglected, and Byron getting his begin on iRacing. It wasn’t egregious, however those self same beats did present up right here and there.
Tyler Reddick and Michael Jordan, 23XI Racing Toyota
Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos
Becoming all of it in
However what about how they lined the races themselves? I feel it was good, if not somewhat simple. Whereas the main target is clearly on the playoffs, it will have benefitted from exhibiting among the different dramatic moments enjoying out concurrently as there’s a lot happening in these races. We had the unbelievable last-lap battle for the win between Chris Buescher and Shane van Gisbergen at The Glen that was omitted, as was Kyle Busch’s heart-wrenching error whereas making an attempt to maintain his win streak alive at Kansas. Simply peppering these in all through the dominant playoff storyline would have been good as among the races felt somewhat empty or appeared like there was nothing happening past the title contenders, when that clearly wasn’t the case.
The Alex Bowman DQ was dealt with nicely, making it actually really feel like a stunning twist. Logano’s response to being again within the playoffs, in addition to highlighting his distinctive mindset on luck had been each nice as nicely. I additionally appreciated the way in which they positioned cliffhangers, actually pushing you roll into the subsequent episode even for those who weren’t planning on binging it multi functional sitting. I loved listening to some fascinating conversations on pit highway between drivers and their groups as there have been a couple of head-turners there, particularly with the No. 11 crew speaking about their JGR teammate within the No. 20. And a facet word right here, however Marty Smith is as soon as once more the perfect half concerning the trade insiders offering context all through every episode.
Joey Logano, Workforce Penske Ford
Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos
Dealing with the Martinsville controversy
They highlighted the significance of teamwork in these necessary races, however there was one piece of teamwork that was manifestly absent. And maybe that is my largest gripe, however I may also perceive why they did not wish to bathroom down the championship story with it. I imply, they very a lot wished to maneuver on from because it was occurring in actual time, however irrespective of how uncomfortable, we wanted to inform the entire story of the Martinsville cut-off race.
Play the radio communication, present the Chevrolet blockade behind Byron, and no matter was happening Wallace, in addition to the fallout together with the large penalties. As an alternative, they simply targeted on Bell and his hotly debated contact with the wall.
So, that was somewhat disappointing, however they not less than lined the second with Bell and Byron nicely as each dramatically sat on pit highway whereas race management determined their destiny. Morgan Bell, and her rollercoaster of feelings as that each one performed out, actually made the scene.
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Picture by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Photos
Feeling the stakes
Onto the finale itself. I used to be curious how they had been going to deal with this as a result of, truthfully, it was not probably the most thrilling race. So props to the present as a result of they did a very spectacular job of creating it really feel extraordinarily tense from start-to-finish. A number of the races felt somewhat tedious as they went via it, however not Phoenix, regardless of this specific race taking over extra runtime than another race within the present. They made certain you felt the stakes and what was on the road.
The ultimate montage wrapping up the season for every of the featured drivers was fairly cool as nicely, and I beloved the soundtrack all through the complete docuseries.
Now, it wasn’t an Emmy-winning piece of media in the long run, but it surely was an ideal approach to introduce new individuals to the game whereas additionally giving some fascinating snippets to these paying consideration each single week. And due to that, it completed its mission. Once more, my solely actual criticism is solely wanting extra of what they had been already giving me.
My notes for Season 3: Simply give me extra behind the scenes, a deeper look into what goes into being ready for the subsequent race, assembly some crew members and studying about them, and highlighting the opposite dramatic moments that make up these dynamic race weekends.
Oh, and do not gloss over these uncomfortable, however vital moments both.
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