Through the years, we’ve seen larger-than-life NASCAR legends like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson win numerous checkered flags and take residence too many championships to rely. However what occurs when these people retire and go off to seem within the Vehicles films or attempt to be part of Tom Cruise’s rumored Days of Thunder sequel? Who do the followers root for now that their favourite driver is gone?
I just lately spoke with three-time NASCAR Cup Champion Joey Logano for the discharge of the 2025 TV launch Full Velocity Season 2 (which might at present be streamed with a Netflix subscription). Throughout our chat, we talked about all the pieces from his philosophy on profitable to the challenges he faces on and off the observe. Throughout our dialog, the #22 driver for Workforce Penske Racing acquired sincere about an issue impacting motorsports that you just don’t actually see in different main sports activities:
I believe one of many challenges that NASCAR has, and motorsports have generally, is that the fan follows the motive force, not the crew. So when a driver retires, that fan is saying, ‘Effectively, now what do I do? Who do I root for now?’ Proper? … In the event you’re a Patriots fan, proper, you are a Patriots fan. And normally, if just a few members of that crew retire, you are not questioning, ‘Effectively, who do I root for now?’ Effectively, no, you are rooting for a similar crew, proper? It is only a new participant there, and also you be taught who that’s.
Whereas NASCAR has had its fair proportion of iconic, legendary, and infamous drivers through the years, a few of whom have made unbelievable cameos and created unforgettable David Letterman High 10 lists, after they retire, they usually depart a void behind, particularly relating to their followers.
Like Logano talked about, in sports activities like soccer, baseball, and basketball, followers usually persist with their crew, even when their favourite participant retires, is traded, or indicators elsewhere in free company. There are certainly some diehard Penske guys or decades-long followers of Joe Gibbs Racing or Hendrick Motorsports, however for essentially the most half, followers persist with their favourite driver or drivers.
That’s how reveals like Full Velocity may be so useful for the game, particularly relating to assembly new drivers or attending to know somebody they solely know by their on-track successes (or failures). As my dialog with Logano went on, the 2024 NASCAR Cup Champion had this to say concerning the well-liked Netflix sports activities collection:
I believe it is nice that [Full Speed’s] a method for followers to get to know the motive force extra on a extra private stage, proper? Like, who is that this particular person, proper? You introduced up that I am a really aggressive particular person. Sure. Once I’m not after I’m away from the racetrack, I am regular Joe, proper? Like, I simply wish to have enjoyable. I simply wish to go drive issues and have enjoyable, and no one is aware of that if there wasn’t a present like this, proper? If there wasn’t some strategy to specific that, as a result of you do not get to see that on the racetrack.
Logano has a well-earned status as being one of the crucial aggressive and aggressive drivers in trendy NASCAR historical past (simply search for “Joey Logano Fights” on YouTube and also you’ll discover a number of examples), however Full Velocity goes past that and reveals him at residence along with his spouse and youngsters being a happy-go-lucky man who’s enthusiastic about life. The identical goes for the opposite drivers – Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suárez, Denny Hamlin – whose lives on and off the observe are explored in nice element within the 2025 Netflix authentic collection.
All 5 episodes of Full Velocity Season 2, together with the primary season detailing the 2023 NASCAR Championship, are at present obtainable on Netflix, making it one of many finest streaming companies for sports activities followers.