NASCAR fans are always looking for ways to bond more and get closer to the sport and to the drivers. One great way to do this is in the form of documentaries that give you a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be a driver, the challenges they face and the opportunities for triumph. Whether you’re the biggest stock car racing fan or you’re just a new fan, these seven NASCAR documentaries are a must-watch.
7. Race for the Championship (2022)
“Race for the Championship” is a 10-part NASCAR docuseries that was broadcast on the USA Network in 2022. It offers an in-depth look into the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, with Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. Behind the scenes, we uncover both the personal and professional battles that these elite athletes go through in the attempt to get the championship title. It profiles how NASCAR drivers balance family life with the grueling NASCAR season, how they have learned to adapt to the new Next Gen car, and the unforgiving on-track competition.
It also explores the physical and mental limits drivers are put to as they chase glory on the racetrack. The show is unscripted and delivers fans a deeply immersive, action-packed experience.
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6. The Mark Martin Apologetics Tour
S1apSh0es has a YouTube series titled the “Mark Martin Apologetics Tour.” It centers on Mark Martin’s legendary career on the NASCAR circuit. This documentary details his biggest successes and near-misses. As a matter of fact, Martin is known as one of the best drivers without a Cup Series championship.
Along the way, the videos highlight his runner-up finishes and close battles for the title. S1apSh0es’ storytelling is deep and sincere, which their fans always love. The series shows how Martin’s humility and consistency gained him respect. The full series can be found on S1apSh0es’ YouTube channel.
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5. Lost Speedways (2020)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. hosts Lost Speedways (2020), a docuseries on Peacock. With co-host Matthew Dillner, Earnhardt has discovered a new journey into the history of abandoned racetracks across the U.S. that are now overrun by nature.
It introduces racing history while they look for remnants of these tracks in emotional storytelling. It includes sites such as the dangerous Jaguar Park Speedway. Richard Petty and other racing legends appear throughout the series. The series has two seasons with eight episodes per season.
4. The Worst Sponsors, Team Owners, and Track Promoters in NASCAR History
This is a YouTube documentary by S1apSh0es that looks at some of the more obscure and hilarious bits of NASCAR history. Indeed, it covers poor business decisions, bad deals, poor management, and the brushes with disaster that almost sunk several teams. The series mixes forgotten sponsorships, team owner fiascos, and promoter blunders and, driven by fans, is an entertaining look at the way these missteps impacted NASCAR.
It’s a fun, insightful view of the business side of NASCAR that few get to see. S1apSh0es’ YouTube documentary series includes three parts: “The Worst Sponsors, Team Owners, and Track Promoters in NASCAR History.” A year later, “More of the Worst Sponsors, Team Owners, & Track Promoters” and another year after that, “Even More of the Worst Sponsors, Team Owners, & Track Promoters.”
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3. Race: Bubba Wallace (2021)
NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace is the star of the six-episode series “Race: Bubba Wallace” (2021) on Netflix. The show is about his journey as the only full-time Black driver in NASCAR’s top level. It begins as we find ourselves in a period of a racial justice movement in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period, Wallace became compelled to to speak out on racial issues.
The documentary traces important moments in Wallace’s career, like when he helped bring about NASCAR’s ban on the Confederate flag. Blending racing action with Wallace’s activism and mental health struggles, the show is a complete biography. Using interviews with Wallace and family, along with NASCAR officials, the filmmakers explore Wallace’s personal battles with depression and public scrutiny.
2. Unrivaled: Earnhardt vs. Gordon (2019)
FOX Sports Films produced its 60-minute documentary “Unrivaled: Earnhardt vs Gordon” (2019) about one of NASCAR’s most intense rivalries. It looks at the on-track race and off-track friendship between Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon. The film shows how these two polar opposites — both in personality and racing style — transformed NASCAR. They were fierce rivals on track but away from it, had an unexpected connection.
The key figures interviewed in the documentary include Dale Earnhardt Jr., Rick Hendrick, and Ray Evernham. And it also plays on the singular and passionate fanbases that exist for both drivers that can still be present at NASCAR events to this day. The documentary aired on FS1 following the Duel at Daytona.
1. Dale (2007)
The “Dale” (2007) documentary is a sweet memorial to NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt. It’s directed by Rory Karpf and Mike Viney, using race footage, interviews and personal stories. Paul Newman gives the audience a first-hand account of Earnhardt’s life and the impact he made. It follows his story from his early racing days up through his last race at the 2001 Daytona 500.
It does a beautiful job of highlighting Earnhardt’s racing moments.