IndyCar Show Joins Sports Docuseries Grid
Drafting off the success of behind-the-scenes sports shows like Formula 1: Drive to Survive and Hard Knocks, the NTT IndyCar Series announced Thursday that 100 Days to Indy, a six-episode docuseries following its drivers, will be released next season.
The episodes, produced by Vice World News, will air on The CW, with re-airs on Vice TV and content spread across Vice’s social channels.
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“Through the compelling creative lens and massive reach of both VICE and The CW,” Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said in a statement, “we will bring the world-class competition and drama of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to a newer and more youthful audience.”
Earlier this year, a survey of IndyCar’s audience found that the average fan is just over 42 years old. TV viewership was up five percent YoY in 2022 as executives pitched Indycar as a less “elitist” complement to F1.
In October, Nexstar Media Group closed its acquisition of a 75% stake in The CW Network, with previous owners Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount retaining 12.5% pieces. Like most broadcast networks, the CW’s average viewer is over 50 years old. However, recent youth-focused shows, accessible on streaming and social in addition to TV, have also drawn younger audiences, according to Deadline.
“100 Days to Indy is a high-octane adventure grounded in emotional sports storytelling,” CW president of entertainment Brad Schwartz said in a statement. “Alongside our partners at VICE Media Group, Penske Entertainment and NTT INDYCAR SERIES, we have come together to deliver a series that will follow these champions of the racetrack and keep viewers on the edge of their seats.”
Drive to Survive has done exactly that. Since debuting on Netflix in 2019,the Box to Box Films production has regularly been credited with helping boost F1’s ratings while introducing new fans to the sport, particularly in the US. A slew of similar programs have followed, from a surfing show released on Apple TV+ this year to upcoming golf and tennis series for Netflix. This fall, NASCAR put out its own competitor, EP’d by Dale Earnhardt Jr., on the USA network.
Editor’s note: The IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway are owned by Penske Entertainment Corporation, a subsidiary of Penske Corporation, of which Roger Penske is the chairman. Sportico is owned by Penske Media Corporation, a separate entity run by chairman and CEO Jay Penske.
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