Netflix has come under fire from the NASCAR community for its delayed release of the second season of ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’, and for their perceived lack of communication about the issue. Despite the gripping narratives of Kyle Larson’s victories at Bristol and Charlotte and Joey Logano’s miraculous comeback after Alex Bowman’s penalty during the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, the streaming giant has seemingly overlooked the importance of timely content.
The first season of ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ achieved remarkable success when it premiered on January 30th, 2024, just days before the Clash at the Coliseum. This recapitulation of the 2023 playoffs was a hit among viewers, converting a whopping 88% of them into NASCAR fans. However, Netflix’s strategy this year has left fans and insiders alike puzzled and frustrated.
Tim Mullen, the executive producer of the show, disclosed in November 2024 that the second season would be aired in April, by which time significant races like Darlington, Bristol, or Talladega would have taken place. Kyle Dalton, host of the ‘Beating and Banging’ show, has been attempting to extract more information about the exact release dates, but to no avail. “Over the last few months, I’ve reached out to Netflix multiple times. Each time, no response,” Dalton revealed.
This lack of communication from Netflix has stirred up anger among the NASCAR community. Dalton voiced his displeasure, “I don’t know what the thicker schedule even means… It’s absolutely ridiculous to think that casual fans will want to tune in to watch what happened in the last ten races of the 2024 season when we are already almost ten races into the 2025 season. All those storylines are old and outdated. I think this is a massive miss…and it’s totally disrespectful to NASCAR, the teams, and the fans.”
While Netflix appears to be dragging its feet with NASCAR, it’s a different story when it comes to Formula One. The streaming service is set to release the seventh season of ‘Drive to Survive’ on March 7, a full week before the beginning of the 2025 season. This is a stark contrast to their approach with NASCAR, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
The 2024 F1 season was one of change and drama, with Max Verstappen fighting against numerous obstacles to secure his fourth championship, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri catapulting McLaren to a constructor’s championship title, and Lewis Hamilton’s quiet exit from Mercedes ahead of his Ferrari induction. Netflix seems to understand the eagerness of F1 fans to relive these moments before the new season begins.
Tom Hutchings, Executive Producer at Box to Box Films, the production company behind ‘Drive to Survive’, heightened the anticipation, “We’re really excited for fans to watch the new season of Drive to Survive. The 2024 season was incredible both on and off the track, with the action well and truly underway before the first race in Bahrain. Expect more drama and fun from the paddock this season and a few surprises too.”
The preferential treatment given to F1 by Netflix has not gone down well with the NASCAR community. By the time ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ is released, attention may have shifted entirely to the ongoing season, leaving fans feeling short-changed. It remains to be seen how Netflix will address this growing discontent among NASCAR enthusiasts.