Despite Major Concerns, How Denny Hamlin Convinced NASCAR Drivers to Be Part of Netflix Experiment

NASCAR’s Netflix docuseries Full Speed was plagued with concerns over privacy and editing rights in the initial days of its announcement. Controversial outcomes in the Formula 1 show “Drive to Survive” had served as a negative example, which led to Cup Series drivers voicing their worries publicly. But now that the show is on the air, 23XI Racing star Tyler Reddick revealed it was Denny Hamlin who assured the drivers to keep the shoot going.

In a recent conversation with Bob Pockrass, Reddick talked about how Denny Hamlin had addressed his worries over a camera crew following him all the time. He said, “He came from the point of view that, ‘They are doing these theories, right? They are going to do it with or without your involvement. Why not be part of the story?’

Hamlin’s take was that the more open drivers were with the Netflix crew, the lower the chances of their words and situations being twisted around. Taking the crew along wherever they were would mean that it would have enough footage to tell their parts of the story. Reddick continued about how Hamlin took this approach more than anybody else.

“I think our team did that quite a bit as well. I was on board with what he was trying to do there and you know, certainly, it was cool to see how the show turned out. The more opportunities you give them to shoot, the better job they can do of telling that story,” he said.

Denny Hamlin praises Netflix for its accuracy in portraying him on Full Speed

One thing that worries athletes in documentaries like Full Speed is that they don’t have the editing rights for the footage that is shot. This was also a key concern for Joey Logano. The two-time champion said, “Watch what you say and watch what you do because they can use it. And they can edit it in a way that can make you look completely different than the actual situation that was happening.”

However, Hamlin’s words in the aftermath of the show’s airing reflect a positive outcome. He said to Pockrass, “I loved it. This is Netflix’s project. They got to do whatever they wanted to do with it. I thought that my, what I am on the racetrack, what I am off the racetrack, was portrayed correctly.”

Happy about the openness that drivers displayed to the camera, Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed, “If the drivers don’t give that access, this does not work. Kudos to the ones that were involved. It helped accomplish and create the program I think Netflix wanted to create.” Junior was an executive producer on the show.