Created and Produced by Anishinaabe Producer Laura Milliken (Moccasin Flats), the 13x30min series amplifies the challenging world of grassroots dirt track racing for 10 Indigenous drivers who demonstrate varying degrees of passion, seriousness and skill on and off the track. From budget shortfalls to motor issues and car wrecks to rookie mistakes, all of the drivers wrestle with the challenges of this costly and sometimes deadly sport.
"It's been a wild and crazy ride filming Friday Night Thunder at Ohsweken Speedway. I have seen young drivers become family men, watched kids growing up, witnessed some of the best racing you'll see anywhere and had the most fun I may ever have working on a television series," said Laura Milliken. "I'll truly miss this show. But I'm a forever racing fan so I'm sure I'll be back with some more Indigenous racing content soon."
Friday Night Thunder, the first-ever documentary series about the exhilarating and dangerous world of sprint car racing, ends its run in its fourth season for a total of 52 half hour episodes. Seasons 1-3 can be watched on APTN's streaming platform APTN LUMI. The Season 4 television premiere will be across all APTN channels on Friday, September 6 at 8:30PM.
"Audiences keep coming back to Friday Night Thunder because the drivers' passion for what they do is infectious," said Adam Garnet Jones, director of TV content and special events at APTN. "With fast cars, big characters and high stakes at Ohsweken Speedway, the show is all grit, grease and heart. We are sad to see it go but it will have a long life on our streaming platform."
Friday Night Thunder was made possible by the generous support of Canadian Motorsport Hall of Famer and Ohsweken Speedway founder Glenn Styres and Tina Styres, GForceTV and Clinton Geoffrey.
ABOUT BIG SOUL PRODUCTIONS
Big Soul Productions Inc. is a pioneering Toronto-based production company founded in 1999 by Anishinaabe producer/entrepreneur Laura J. Milliken. With their Gemini nominated series "Moccasin Flats," Big Soul became the first Aboriginal-owned production company to earn a Best Dramatic Series nomination. Other notable credits include the primetime animated comedy "By the Rapids," and the critically acclaimed festival films "Fire Song" and "Run Woman Run," a sleeper box office hit. Big Soul is dedicated to creating, developing, and producing films and television series representing the Indigenous voice and perspective while generating much needed capacity for Indigenous talent in the film and television industries.
ABOUT APTN
APTN launched in 1999 as the first national Indigenous broadcaster in the world. Since then, the network has become a global leader in programming that celebrates the rich diversity of Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island and beyond. A respected charitable broadcaster, APTN shares authentic stories to Canadian households through basic channel packages via two distinct HD channels: APTN (English and French language programming) and APTN Languages (Indigenous language programming). APTN proudly features over 80% Canadian content and inspires audiences via multiple platforms, including its Indigenous-focused streaming service, APTN lumi.
Friday Night Thunder Season 4 Trailer
Meet the Drivers
SCREENER & STORY CLIPS
password: screener
SOURCE Big Soul Productions Inc.
To request an interview, please contact: Laura Milliken, [email protected], 416-949-7685
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