“We’re not…Dumb Rednecks” – NASCAR’s Biggest Ambassador Hopes to Erase the Stigma With Netflix’s Help

For years, NASCAR has grappled with one stubborn stereotype: a sport comprised solely of “country Southern boys running around in circles.” Defending champion Ryan Blaney, however, believes Netflix’s new exclusive docuseries, “NASCAR: Full Speed,” will dispel the outdated image of the sport, leaving it firmly in the dust.

Think “F1: Drive to Survive,” but with American grit and the heart-pounding roar of 200-mph engines. and only a hint of a little bit of Southern charm. “Full Speed” is more than just a behind-the-scenes peek at adrenaline-fueled races. It’s a calculated pit stop designed to shatter stereotypes and introduce the world to a side of NASCAR they’ve never seen before.

Netflix Doc to Show “Blood, Sweat, and Tears” of NASCAR Drivers, Says Ryan Blaney

At the center stage of ‘Full Speed’ is none other than the reigning Cup Series champion, Blaney. In an engaging conversation on the latest episode of the Money Lap podcast with Landon Cassill and Parker Kligerman, Ryan Blaney passionately addressed the persistent stereotypes surrounding NASCAR.

The Team Penske #12 said, “NASCAR gets this, or it did for a long time; it gets this whole label on like, ‘oh, you just country Southern boys running around in circles, you know’ and that’s just the stigma that it had for a long time… It’s things like the Netflix deal and all this access like, it’s showing that we’re not all just like dumb rednecks.. there’s personality behind it; there’s a lot that goes into these things, and to make cars go around the racetrack, it’s a lot of blood sweat and tears that go into it.”

The series dives deep into the lives of drivers, offering a unique perspective beyond the racing action. Ryan Blaney believes this is crucial for attracting new fans. “It’s showing that people appreciate it, you know, and they just get a new perspective on things,” he continued.

Watch This Story: All You Need To Know About NASCAR: Full Speed

He also acknowledges the flipside. There is a need for maintaining “some mystery” and driver privacy. Suggesting a rather strategic approach, highlighting key moments like the pressure-filled playoffs or the month prior, to keep viewers engaged.

Finding the sweet spot between access and oversaturation

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Ryan Blaney went on to offer his opinions on the probable runtime of the upcoming seasons of the Netflix series as the conversations advance. When questioned further by Kligerman on if he would “want them [Netlix] to do this all season,” he replied with an interesting point of view, “Yeah, maybe they do, you know. Eight episodes, ten episodes to where… maybe it’s not all season, but maybe like a month before the playoffs start because then you’re going to have guys that need a win to get in the points battles… I think that would be good to highlight that too, because that’s super stressful as well. But I don’t know if you need to do all year…”

The Ohio native reasoned, “That’s a lot, you know, too much content we keep talking about how everyone wants content but if you kind of oversaturate it people might lose interest.”

“So you have to have these things where they’re very stressful situations. Like, you know, they wouldn’t go follow the Lakers around in game 50 of the year, right? it’s just middle of the year kind of thing; it’s like, ‘All right, well, this is; there’s no stakes…’ declared the fierce competitor in Ryan Blaney, receptive to the high stakes involved.

NASCAR, eager to broaden its appeal and attract new fans, waves the green flag for the 2024 season just days away with the Daytona 500. The upcoming Netflix series “Full Speed” arrives at this critical juncture, poised to potentially transform the sport’s image. With a range of new storylines already shimmering on the horizon, fans as well as drivers can only speculate as excitement for season 2 builds with each passing lap.

Read More: NASCAR: Full Speed Is Fulfilling Its Objective of Building Up Its Audience, Like Formula 1: Drive to Survive