Season 2 of NASCAR’s Netflix docuseries, NASCAR Full Velocity, has formally dropped — all 5 episodes are actually out there for streaming. As soon as once more, it focuses in on the playoffs and the 16 drivers combating for the championship, introduced in a approach 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 moderately complicated 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. By means of the lives of most of those drivers, this present reveals its power. It desires the viewer to attach with them on an actual, private degree, executing it nicely. Their favourite methodology 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 believe it was used to perfection. It is a related system 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 facet about it. The usually reserved Byron opens up about seeing a sports activities therapist, Julia Piquet provides a number of the greatest soundbites when voicing her frustrations over the dearth of pace in Suarez’s automotive, and Briscoe has to cope with combating for a championship with a group 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 be taught 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 may go on, however these have been all incredible methods to point out weekly watchers a aspect of the game they usually do not see, and to provide new viewers an introduction to a number of the sport’s stars.
Daniel Suarez and Julia Piquet, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Picture by: Getty Photographs
We additionally spent a while with Suarez and Blaney’s pit crews throughout mid-week coaching, and my solely grievance about it’s that I needed extra of it. There have been some nice moments there, particularly with Blaney and his crew. I additionally needed to see them delve additional into the preparation that goes into all this, like once they confirmed Suarez on the simulator or Bell wanting over knowledge earlier than Homestead.
Lots of people do not know what goes into making ready for a NASCAR race weekend and shining a brighter mild 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 essentially construct up the personalities of every driver and current them as their very own distinctive bundle earlier than their very own pivotal playoff moments. On the monitor and on TV, they generally appear a bit too related 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 approach that makes it laborious for anybody watching to not join with them.
Nonetheless, additionally they tread some previous floor from the earlier season, just like the narrative round Bell being ignored, 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 Photographs
Becoming all of it in
However what about how they coated the races themselves? I believe it was good, if not a bit of simple. Whereas the main focus is clearly on the playoffs, it will have benefitted from displaying a number of the different dramatic moments enjoying out concurrently as there’s a lot happening in these races. We had the unimaginable last-lap battle for the win between Chris Buescher and Shane van Gisbergen at The Glen that was unnoticed, 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 a number of the races felt a bit of empty or regarded 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 have been each nice as nicely. I additionally favored the best way they positioned cliffhangers, actually pushing you roll into the following episode even in the event you weren’t planning on binging it multi function sitting. I loved listening to some attention-grabbing conversations on pit highway between drivers and their groups as there have been a number of head-turners there, particularly with the No. 11 group speaking about their JGR teammate within the No. 20. And a aspect notice right here, however Marty Smith is as soon as once more the very best half concerning the trade insiders offering context all through every episode.
Joey Logano, Workforce Penske Ford
Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photographs
Dealing with the Martinsville controversy
They highlighted the significance of teamwork in these vital races, however there was one piece of teamwork that was obviously absent. And maybe that is my largest gripe, however I also can perceive why they did not need to lavatory down the championship story with it. I imply, they very a lot needed to maneuver on from because it was taking place in actual time, however regardless of how uncomfortable, we would have liked 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 huge penalties. As a substitute, they only targeted on Bell and his hotly debated contact with the wall.
So, that was a bit of disappointing, however they at the least coated 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 every one performed out, actually made the scene.
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Picture by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Photographs
Feeling the stakes
Onto the finale itself. I used to be curious how they have 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 extremely spectacular job of constructing it really feel extraordinarily tense from start-to-finish. A number of the races felt a bit of tedious as they went by means of it, however not Phoenix, regardless of this explicit 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 cherished the soundtrack all through the complete docuseries.
Now, it wasn’t an Emmy-winning piece of media ultimately, but it surely was an ideal strategy to introduce new individuals to the game whereas additionally giving some attention-grabbing snippets to these paying consideration each single week. And due to that, it completed its mission. Once more, my solely actual grievance is just wanting extra of what they have 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 following 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 crucial moments both.
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