Dale Earnhardt Jr. to serve as executive producer for 'Race for the Championship' docuseries
NASCAR Hall of Famer and NBC analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. will serve as an executive producer for the USA Network‘s new unscripted series “Race for the Championship,” which will premiere Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
The 10-episode series will tell the story of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season and NASCAR Playoffs, from the competitive introduction of the Next Gen car at the Busch Light Clash at the LA Coliseum through the treacherous postseason road that brings four drivers their chance at championship glory in Phoenix.
“I have such a passion and love for the sport that I feel like this type of content is something that our fans are starving for,” Earnhardt Jr. told Variety. “It‘s always a lot of fun to work on a project that is unique and about something you‘re passionate about. So that makes it easy to want to dive in, give input and get feedback — and be a part of the process.”
I‘m excited to be included as an Executive Producer for #RaceForTheChampionship! Kudos to all the drivers and teams for giving a look into their lives for this docuseries.
Make sure you tune in Sept. 1 on @USA_Network. @NASCAR | @NASCARonNBC pic.twitter.com/zJN9tobsWk
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) August 23, 2022
As “Race for the Championship” documents the lives of NASCAR‘s best on and off the track, viewers will get a rare glimpse of what it takes to balance personal relationships with the pressure to perform in the high-stakes world of NASCAR Cup Series racing.
The series will feature a variety of drivers at different points as the drama of the 2022 season unfolds, including past champions like Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, along with others eager to write their own NASCAR legacies such as Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suárez, Ross Chastain, Corey LaJoie and others.
“We need to give everyone a better opportunity to get to know the individuals that are involved in NASCAR,” Earnhardt Jr. said in the same interview. “I think this is a great opportunity to put a very human element into what we do and into our identity. It‘s something I think that should have a profound impact on perception of the sport and also to give our fans a deeper dive into each individual.”
The premiere episode serves as a perfect primer for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which begin three days later at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 4. That opening race airs at 6 p.m. ET and will also be broadcast on USA.
