Eli Manning’s new Prime Video series “The Undercovers” continues to blur the line between sport and spectacle, this time placing NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney in the shoes of a fictional British enthusiast named Hamish Wimsley. The episode, released this week, sees Blaney adopt a crisp accent and a whimsical wardrobe as he mingles with the inner circle of Team Penske, even orchestrating a light‑hearted prank on IndyCar veteran Scott McLaughlin.
A Playful Turn for the NASCAR Champion
Blaney’s cameo arrives just as the 30‑year‑old driver prepares to revisit Pocono Raceway, the site of his maiden NASCAR victory last season. The timing is deliberate, giving fans a glimpse of the athlete’s off‑track personality while he readies for the upcoming Pennsylvania weekend.
Prime Video’s foray into motorsport broadcasting has already delivered a slate of high‑profile races, including the Coca‑Cola 600, the Nashville Superspeedway event and the Michigan International Speedway showdown. With two dates left on the schedule, the series will culminate in a historic street circuit on the Naval Base Coronado in California, a venue that promises a fresh backdrop for the final showdown.
Behind the camera, the episode is anchored by a production team that includes Range Studios, Ten Till Productions and Prime Sports, with executive oversight from Mark Herwick, Simon Andreae, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Tim Brown, Jamie Horowitz and J.D. Amato. Their collective experience in sports documentary filmmaking lends the series a polished yet improvisational feel.
The move also underscores a broader trend of athletes crossing into scripted entertainment, a path already trodden by Baker Mayfield, Micah Parsons and Justin Jefferson in earlier installments. For Blaney, the experience is less about the camera and more about the camaraderie that transcends racing disciplines.