TV series ‘100 Days to Indy’ goes behind the scenes with IndyCar superstars

Posted by Talbot Payne on May 25, 2023

Detroit — As the Detroit Grand Prix approaches, the NTT IndyCar Series has been turbocharged by a new, weekly TV show in the mold of Formula One’s successful “Drive to Survive.” Broadcast on the CW Network, the six-part series goes behind the scenes to give viewers an up-close look at the personalities behind the wheel.

“Drive to Survive” hooked millions of sports-starved American fans on the international open-wheel sport during the COVID pandemic. But while 10 “Drive” episodes document the previous F1 year, 100 Days episodes document the current racing season right up until the sport’s biggest event, the Indianapolis 500, on Memorial Day — a week before the Detroit Grand Prix.

The format’s inspiration came from the NFL’s Emmy-winning hit series, “Hard Knocks,” a five-part series that goes behind the scenes of teams like the Detroit Lions.

Detroit GP President Michael Montri says that "100 Days to Indy" does such a "good job capturing the essence of (IndyCar), and the competitiveness of the drivers."Detroit GP President Michael Montri says that "100 Days to Indy" does such a "good job capturing the essence of (IndyCar), and the competitiveness of the drivers."

“Obviously, similarities to ‘Drive to Survive,’ but I find it more like ‘Hard Knocks’ because we are taking advantage of the story lines as they happen in real time,” said executive producer Bryan Terry, a Lake Orion native now working in New York with VICE Media. “The value of being in the moment is so real. We are magnifying — and participating in — those story lines.”

“100 Days” debuted on April 27 with an episode about the season’s first race in St. Petersburg, Florida, the series will run through June 1. The weekly episodes — which run every Thursday at 9 PM and are then available for streaming from CW and VICE apps — weave story lines about the sport’s superstars with race coverage.

One of those superstars is Rahal Letterman Lanigan team co-owner David Letterman. “This is no exaggeration,” said the former late-night host in opening the series. “If you win the Indianapolis 500, you’re going to be immortal.”

The series tracks some of the compelling mortals vying to win 500 — and season championship — in the fastest, American-based racing series.

"100 Days to Indy" gives fans some beefcake like fit "Captain America" driver Josef Newgarden working out at home."100 Days to Indy" gives fans some beefcake like fit "Captain America" driver Josef Newgarden working out at home.

“You see Josef Newgarden, who looks like Captain America, and you get to meet his wife — and find out she was a Disney princess at Disney World and that’s where they met. You think, this is too good to be true,” Terry said in an interview. “Or Pato O’Ward, who take his Cobra out on the air strip in Mexico. What a cool life.”

Terry said the series’ first priority was gaining drivers’ trust as “100 Days” embedded cameramen and cameras with teams and in homes. “A bad day at the office is a bad day — so on those days we are just a little more sensitive,” he said. “The last thing. . . you want is a camera in your face. We understand (if we) back off there will payoff down the road because we know these guys will have respect for us.”

That trust has allowed cameras to cover tense moments like six-time champion Scott Dixon’s confrontation with O’Ward after they crashed at Long Beach — to touching moments like Team Penske driver Will Power’s home treatment of his wife’s serious medical condition.

That drama complements high-speed, on-track drama such as last Sunday’s 230-mph Indianapolis qualifying shoot-out that left veteran Graham Rahal sobbing in the pits after he failed to make the 33-car field — only to have his chances resurrected the next day when Stefan Wilson suffered a spinal injury in practice, and his team came calling on Rahal as a substitute. Made-for-TV stuff.

“’100 Days’ does such a good job capturing the essence of (IndyCar), and the competitiveness of the drivers,” Detroit Grand Prix President Michael Montri said. “What we found is there is a good portion of people watching it who have never seen a race before.”

"100 Days to Indy" gives fans a look at rising star's like Andrretti Team driver Kyle Kirkwood (who likes to catch lobster in his spare time)."100 Days to Indy" gives fans a look at rising star's like Andrretti Team driver Kyle Kirkwood (who likes to catch lobster in his spare time).

The series has averaged just under 200,000 viewers for its first four episodes. Montri said it’s performed particularly well with younger demographics with 15% of its audience in the 18-34 demographic — the ninth highest on the CW this year (out of 295 programs). Among women ages 18-34 audience the show is in the top 25th percentile.

“The drivers are calling us up and saying: You should go lobster fishing with me, or we’re going to go play tennis,” Terry said. “The willingness of the drivers goes a long way.”

The lobster fisherman is IndyCar sophomore racer Kyle Kirkwood, a fishing enthusiast who was featured in the series third episode diving for shellfish in Pompano Beach, Florida. Oh, yes, and he also win the Long Beach Grand Prix — his first IndyCar victory.

“We’re getting a good following,” Kirkwood said in an interview from Indianapolis where IndyCar spends the month of May ahead of the 500. “Viewers get to see what drivers do in their everyday lives. They get to see their family, and … who we are as athletes which I think people can relate to.”

"100 Days to Indy" has captured tense moments like the exchange between Pato O'Ward (left) and Scott Dixon after the young O'Ward crashed Dixon out of the race in Long Beach."100 Days to Indy" has captured tense moments like the exchange between Pato O'Ward (left) and Scott Dixon after the young O'Ward crashed Dixon out of the race in Long Beach.

Kirkwood said that the IndyCar reality show is also a natural extension of the outreach that drivers now do in promoting the sport — whether to sponsors or to their social media accounts.

“In most sports nowadays, being able to talk in front of a camera or on social media accounts and create content for people to follow is a part of racing,” he said. “At the end of the day going fast in a race car is what keeps you your job. But you having good skills in front of a camera is a huge asset to any race team.”

Producer Terry said drivers’ media and social skills have helped “100 Days” introduce IndyCar to a new audience as well as show existing fans a side of the sport they’ve never seen before.

“It used to be (drivers) would leave the field and then go home and shut the door,” he said. “But now that isn’t the way people behave, so I think there is a willingness to open the doors. These shows are nothing without the athletes and that access.”

"100 Days to Indy" culminates its six-part series on June 1 after the Memorial Day Indy 500."100 Days to Indy" culminates its six-part series on June 1 after the Memorial Day Indy 500.

The TV series’ final episode debuts Thursday, June 1 just four days after the Indy 500 and one day ahead of the June 2-4 Detroit Grand Prix downtown. “Drive to Survive” just completed its fifth season, and Hard Knocks just completed its 18th featring the Lions and Arizona Cadianals.

“Our initial order was to promote the 500, and take advance of something that’s already a huge part of US sports traditon,” said “100 Days” producer Terry. “There’s a good chance that more will happen. We would love to do more.”

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.

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