The Only Indigenous Dirt Track Racing Docu-Soap Premieres Season 3 on September 8th
TORONTO, Aug. 25, 2023 /CNW/ – Big Soul Productions announces the SEPT. 8 premiere of Friday Night Thunder, a fast-paced docu-soap series following racing families at Ohsweken Speedway—the only track on Indigenous land in Canada. Equal parts poignant and light-hearted, Friday Night Thunder challenges viewers’ perceptions of the world of dirt racing.
Produced by Big Soul Productions, a 100% Indigenous-owned production company, and airing on APTN Fridays at 8:30PM, Friday Night Thunder captures the emotions, community, and connection at the core of the dangerous sport. Friday Night Thunder digs deeper into what makes dirt racing at the Ohsweken Speedway a tradition among many families in the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in southern Ontario.
“Season 3 of the show takes us back to Ohsweken Speedway after a two-year pandemic closure” says Laura Milliken, producer and director. “And all the drivers are re-learning how to drive on this big racy track – with varying degrees of success. So it’s definitely a season of highs and lows for these drivers.”
The series follows eleven Indigenous sprint car drivers as they navigate the highly dangerous open-wheel sport that can lead to crushing defeats, anxiety issues, debt, thrilling victories and exhaustion. Season 3 sees all of these drivers struggle with the now unfamiliar track at Ohsweken after competing at smaller tracks during the pandemic closure. Alex Hill, the only female driver, struggled with mental health issues, keeping her out of the sport for most of the season. She finally gets into the car with an anxiety episode that almost ends her day early.
“I felt ready to get back into the car. And I felt my mental health journey should be a topic of conversation.” says Alex Hill, 23. “My anxiety surfaced when I was heading onto the track for the first time in 13 months, but I needed that race to determine if I could overcome this. It was the only way to find out.”
Find out whether Alex was able to finish a race in Season 3, while learning how other drivers managed their own struggles, conflicts on the track, anxiety, wrecks and varying levels of car knowledge throughout the 13-episode third season.
Friday Night Thunder focuses on the lives of these drivers first, and the high-octane world of dirt racing second. Echoing the community on the track, Friday Night Thunder invites viewers into this tight-knit and adrenaline-packed club.
Big Soul Productions Inc. is a Toronto-based production company owned by Anishinaabe producer/entrepreneur Laura Milliken. Big Soul Productions is dedicated to creating, developing, and producing films and television representing the Indigenous voice while generating much needed capacity for Indigenous creatives in the industry.
For more information on Friday Night Thunder check out our EPK and Trailer.
Friday Night Thunder was produced with the participation of APTN and CMF.
SOURCE Big Soul Productions Inc.
Featured image: Megapixl © Kurhan