The upcoming NASCAR drama series has officially been green lit at AMC.
Racing fans will soon be able to take in the fictional story of Duane Whitlock and the Whitlock family, and Dennis Quad will be in the starring role. He’ll play a driver known by the nickname “The Wrecking Ball,” who is apparently a legend that’s famous for stock car racing and running moonshine in hill country.
That would lead one to believe that the series will be set in the mountains of North Carolina, or somewhere in that region (think South Carolina, Georgia, or eastern Tennessee).
Quaid’s Duane Whitlock character was described as this by Deadline:
“A NASCAR legend and a towering figure who built a racing empire from a legacy of moonshine runs and dirt tracks… and refuses to let it die. This is a story about a blue collar dynasty at the edge of extinction — and the old king fighting to hold onto his crown.”
Notice that he’s referred to as a “NASCAR legend” in that description.
That’s because Thunder Road is being produced in association with NASCAR. And it’s actually the first time that the sport has ever been portrayed in a long-form drama series like this one will be. Besides the multiple films that exist spotlight NASCAR, including Tom Cruise’s classic Days of Thunder and the racing comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, there hasn’t been a TV series.
And this one from AMC sounds like it’ll be quite the interesting saga. When news first broke about the Thunder Road series, it was described as this:
“A multi-generational saga of the Whitlock family, whose legacy in stock car racing is as deep as the family’s ties to the southern hill country roots that shaped them.”
Say less… I’m there.
At the end of the day, it’ll be incredibly intriguing to see a story in the NASCAR world about famous family, which racing has had a few of (The Earnhardts, The Pettys). And all of the components surrounding the fictional Whitlock family make it seem as thought he action will truly be nonstop.
Dan McDermott, the Chief Content Officer of AMC Global Media and President of AMC Studios, excitedly described the upcoming series as a thrill ride:
“We are thrilled to team up with NASCAR, a world-class partner that continues to engage and entertain their deeply loyal fans for nearly 80 years. And in the ultimate dream casting, we’re fortunate to have the legendary Dennis Quaid lead this captivating series. This show will be a nonstop thrill ride for viewers.”
And I’m personally excited that AMC is the one that will be handling this series.
There for a while, they were producing some of the best shows on television. Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead… the network couldn’t miss there for a while. Thunder Road is shaping up to be the next big hit for AMC, and though there’s no premiere date as of yet, it’s believed to start production this summer:
