SANTA MONICA, CA, May 12, 2009 – NASCAR is best known for the thrill of the race, the glory that comes with that moment of victory, and the fans in the stands. Lesser-known, but certainly no less important, is NASCAR HomeTracks, where racing is still the focal point, but “family is everything.” It is this historic and intimate environment that director Jeremy Russell explores in “Explanation.”
Created via agency Jump Company in St. Louis, the spot focuses on NASCAR HomeTracks, something of a minor league for racecar drivers. Not only is HomeTracks the training ground for virtually every professional NASCAR driver, it is where families share their love of racing and participate, whether or not they’re going for the gold. “There’s a feeling of history behind everything, all the big names started here,” says Russell, who is repped for spots by GARTNER. “At the same time, HomeTracks is all about the community, and the sacrifice made for the love of the sport. It’s the sweat and tears without all of the glory that comes with professional racing. This is a more touching, more grounded view of NASCAR than what we’re used to.”
Russell cites the main driver in the spot, a man named Philip Morris, who is 43 with a full-time job, as emblematic of the HomeTracks atmosphere. “He’s not dreaming of going pro,” notes Russell, “but he’s out there doing it because its what he loves – like someone playing on the company softball team.” Like Morris, all the people featured in the spot are non-actors. “There are always variables when you are working with large groups of real people,” Russell explains. “In this case, it all worked in our favor; the people were so comfortable in their own environment, and they took direction well – and sometimes didn’t need direction at all. As a director, my job was to be there in the moment, and capture it.”
Russell chose to do a director’s cut, he says, because “I loved the cuts that went to air in terms of their handle on the history, but I thought there was something deeper on the ‘regular people’ side of the story.” Russell presented his cut to the agency, which encouraged him to show it. “I’m very appreciate of the support I’ve received from Jump and NASCAR,” he says. “I’m also grateful to Craig at Crew Cuts, who saw exactly what I wanted, to Roman Zietlin for his beautiful score; as soon as I heard it, I knew it would make the spot.”
Client: NASCAR
Spots Title(s): Explanation (Director’s Cut)
First Air Date: Original spot aired February 2009
Agency: Jump Company
Creative Director: Mike Conway, Bob Harris
Art Director: Mike Conway
Copywriter: Bob Harris
Agency Producer: Mark Dickman
Production Company: NASCAR in-house
Director: Jeremy Russell (repped by GARTNER)
DP: Al Francesco
EP(s): Don Block, Rich Carter, Elaine Behnken, Annie Hanlon
Producer: Michael Flanagan
Editorial: Crew Cuts
Editor: Craig Holzer
Composer: Roman Zietlin
Sound Designer: Tim Leither
Shoot Location: North Carolina
