“The Drive Within”, premiering Friday, November 12 at 6 PM ET/PT, on MotorTrend TV features the semi-professional Hagerty Motorsports team as they chase a national endurance racing championship.
Joilet, Ill. (29 October 2021) – With winners and losers, personalities and politics, setbacks and breakthroughs, there are few things that naturally deliver entertainment like auto racing. After following the Hagerty Motorsports team Round 3 Racing (R3R) through the 2021 racing season, MotorTrend TV will share that excitement with “The Drive Within”, a new six episode series set to premiere Friday, November 12 at 6 PM ET/PT.
“The Drive Within” will tell the story of a dramatic up and down World Racing League (WRL) season as the Chicago-based team competes through a full season of endurance races on the most iconic tracks in the country, some races lasting as long as 24 hours.
The Hagerty Motorsports team R3R is a father-and-son squad headed by Brad and Buz McCall, who collectively have decades of experience in the sport as both drivers and team owners. The team has distinguished itself from the competition with a high level of both preparation and performance as well as through partnerships with Hagerty and Shift Up Now in an effort to promote diversity in the sport.
R3R fields a four-car effort of Porsche Boxsters and Caymans, with at least three drivers sharing the car in each race. Four female Shift Up Now drivers on the 2021 roster including pro prospects Sarah Montgomery, Loni Unser, Shea Holbrook, and Hannah Grisham.
The mix of on-track action, off-track camaraderie, and new initiatives aimed at bringing more diversity into the world of motorsport attracted MotorTrend TV to capture the story in the form of a new television series.
Former “Monster Garage” producer Benjamin Wood joined the team as showrunner, bringing more than two decades of experience producing shows for a range of platforms including National Geographic, History and Discovery Channel.
“‘The Drive Within’ is another example of MotorTrend Studios’ unmatched ability to develop and produce high quality automotive stories. Combined with the power and reach of MotorTrend TV we’re uniquely positioned to deliver those stories to a passionate audience,” said Mike Suggett, head of programming and development, MotorTrend Group. “The innovative Hagerty team has a keen eye for storytelling, and once again we’ve partnered with them to give car fans more of what they love.”
While WRL is a grassroots-oriented racing series, Buz McCall’s years of operating successful race teams in Trans Am and NASCAR competition is evident in the professional preparation that has delivered an impressive trophy collection in a short time.
“This team, the drivers and the season itself is an amazing story and we are thrilled to see it being told and shared,” said Justin Moreno, VP of Marketing at Hagerty. “Hagerty exists to fuel car culture and ultimately save driving for future generations. In this team we found a group of incredibly talented individuals who share our passion and are willing to give everything to get behind the wheel and compete. The Hagerty spirit runs deep across the team and they are great ambassadors for Hagerty Motorsports.”
Filming for the “The Drive Within” began this May ahead of the Road America race weekend, and will continue through a schedule of events that includes a selection of renowned race tracks including Daytona International Speedway, Road Atlanta, VIRginia International Raceway and Sebring International Raceway.
The cast includes R3R Team Owners Brad and Buz McCall, Shift Up now drivers Sarah Montgomery, Loni Unser, Shea Holbrook, as well as additional Hagerty Motorsports drivers Christian Maloof, James Candelaria, Mo Dadkhah, Mike Gilbert, Carter Pease, Cole Loftsgard, and Jim Ptak. Marc Gamora, the R3R crew chief, will also be a featured cast member. In addition to the full season cast, Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty, Vice President of Marketing Justin Moreno, and Brian Ghidinelli Founder of MotorsportReg will also be featured.
“To have our team as the focus of a production like this with MotorTrend is an honor and truly amazing experience,” said Brad McCall. “Every weekend is something different, and WRL provides close racing that makes for a great show. The Round 3 Racing team is excited to show the world what we do every weekend and hopefully we can spread our love for racing and the Hagerty spirit to those watching.”
”The Drive Within” will premiere Friday, November 12, 2021 at 6 PM ET/PT on MotorTrend TV. Round 3 Racing will be in action this weekend at Sebring International Raceway for the only 24-hour endurance race of the 2021 WRL season.
“The Drive Within” is produced by MotorTrend Studios, a division of MotorTrend Group. For MotorTrend Studios, Levi Rugg is executive producer. For MotorTrend Group, Mike Suggett is head of programming and development, and Alex Wellen is global president and general manager.
