IMSA Pro-Am Driver Docuseries Set to Start Production

A new docuseries from executive producers Brad Peyton and Toni Calderon focusing on the high-energy, high-intensity world of pro-am sports car drivers in the IMSA paddock is planning to begin production in December for the 2023 season.

The as-yet untitled project will focus on the world of IMSA pro-am racing, following the lives of everyday men and women who compete with and against the best professional sports car racers in the world, including Filipe Albuquerque and Hardpoint’s Katherine Legge.

The project will have unprecedented, behind-the-scenes access to the pro-am drivers, and to how racing against professionals can risk their relationships, their businesses, and more importantly their lives for the sport they love.

The series is headed by Peyton, whose Hollywood credits include directing 2015’s San Andreas and 2018’s Rampage, both starring Dwayne Johnson, and Calderon, who was also executive producer for The Gentleman Driver in 2019.

While Calderon has a long history in the sports car racing world, Peyton was first exposed to IMSA at the 2021 Long Beach Grand Prix.

“I’m fascinated by the raw nature of pro-am racing and more importantly the stories and stakes of the men and women drivers who compete in it,” Peyton said. “This league and these drivers have captivating stories that mainstream America hasn’t seen yet. I’m excited to dive into the unscripted world with this project and can’t wait to be at Daytona when we kick-off the production!”

Set to begin production at the end of 2022, the focus of the season will be on the 2023 race calendar.

In addition to executive producers Peyton and Calderon, the producing team also includes former Netflix executive Justin Price, who was involved in the creation of the successful Formula One docuseries Drive To Survive; Hardpoint President and CEO Rob Ferriol, who is also a pro-am driver in the WeatherTech Championship; Mike Zhu, the former Head of Strategy and Planning for wiip, the production studio behind HBO’s Mare of Easttown and Apple’s Dickinson; Beaux Jackson, producer of The Gentleman Driver; and Mark Sunderland, an Atlanta-Based film producer and entrepreneur who specializes in development and early stage companies.

“This series aims to shine a light on the unsung heroes of motorsports – the amateur drivers – and bring fans a rare look at their lives,” Calderon said.

“We want to share the incredible stories of drivers who risk their lives and put themselves in impossible situations because of their passion for and love of the sport. These are men and women from all walks of life going out there and risking it all to prove that they are as good as the pros and to earn a coveted seat at Le Mans.”

The ultimate goal of the docuseries is to showcase the traditional life-blood of professional sports car racing, the unsung drivers who invest their time and resources into each season.

“It’s very exciting to finally be able to announce this project, which has been years in the making,” Calderon said.

“Brad is a world-renowned filmmaker and storyteller, and partnering with him has brought this project to a whole new level.

“We’ve also put together an impressive team of producers and I have no doubt that we’ll be able to create an incredible show that everyday people can relate to, and hopefully be inspired by it. The popularity of motorsports has risen quickly in the last few years. But the unsung heroes of the sport, the pro-am drivers, have largely been ignored, and we are ready to change that.”