‘Austin Dillon’s Life in the Fast Lane’ Recap: ‘Start Your Engines’

Written by Shae Rufe

AUSTIN DILLON'S LIFE IN THE FAST LANE -- Pictured: Austin Dillon -- (Photo by: Alexander Tamargo/USA Network)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Austin Dillon’s Life in the Fast Lane’.
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USA premiered a fantastic new show last night featuring NASCAR Driver Austin Dillon and his amazing journey. Dillon has invited us into his life, introduced us to his family, and gave us all an intimate behind the scenes of what it’s really like to be a NASCAR driver. Dillion drives for his family’s company, RCR, which was founded by his grandfather, driving legend, Richard Childress. Dillon does everything in his power to prove that his is worthy of driving for RCR and doesn’t take anything for granted. While he may be a legacy driver, he puts in the work to prove that he deserves everything, and earns it by skill, rather than familial ties. Along for the ride is his wife Whitney, who shares his passion for racing and supports him in his efforts to win. Their son Ace as adorable as can be, and while he’s a little too young to race, he’s not too young to cheer on his dad.

Paul Swan is Dillon’s Pit Crew Chief and best friend. His job is to ensure that Dillon stays on track to win and keeps his car in tip top shape. Turns out, Pit Crews have to be insanely fast when they fuel the race cars and change the tires. Swan’s all about keeping that time as low as possible. As he says, time in the pit is time off the track, and every second lost can cost a driver the win. Swan is also a giant goofball, full of fun, energy and practical jokes. While he takes his job seriously, he isn’t about to shut down his fun side. His wife, Mariel, is his support and is expecting their first child.

The first episode did a wonderful job of introducing everyone. Whitney and Mariel were best friends when they met Austin and Paul. Whitney and Austin were the first to get married, while Paul and Mariel eventually caught up. The two couples live next door to each other, and as any family does, they often eat dinner together, travel together, and are inseparable. There’s something to be said about a friendship like that. These four have definitely found the perfect balance of work and home life. While they communicate well at home, they’re even better at work. Swan and Dillon have a great communication style and don’t hold back. They want each other to succeed, and that bleeds through in all aspects of their lives. Having a support system like that is something to be truly cherished while Whitney and Mariel are the same in that respect.

With introductions out of the way, it’s off to Daytona! They’ll all be there for 2 weeks as races commence. The first race is thankfully a test race, as not everything goes according to plan. Dillon and Swan’s team are not on their best game, with the pit stop taking longer than it should have and the car not getting completely gassed up. There was a bit of a mix-up with Dillon’s brother, who is also a racer, just for a different team, and that threw everyone off. Thankfully, this is just a practice race, everyone is still getting their bearings and they’re learning the ins and outs of getting into the right flow.
 
Hopefully, this is what gets them set for a good driving season, and a big win at the end. With that, only time will tell as the rest of the season unfolds. This is such a fun show! A glimpse into a world not often seen from behind the scenes, and a family opening their doors to give us a sneak peek behind the racetrack. This season is shaping up to be a wonderful ride.

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