CMT has ordered a series for “Racing Wives,” a new show that will delve into the lives of several spouses of NASCAR drivers. CMT this afternoon will announce the eight-episode, hour-long unscripted series that will debut early next year after Sports Business Journal first revealed it was in the works in March. The show’s cast will be Samantha Busch, wife of Kyle Busch; Ashley Busch, wife of Kurt Busch; Whitney Ward Dillon, wife of Austin Dillon; Mariel Lane, fiancée of NASCAR crew member Paul Swan; and Amber Balcaen, an aspiring female driver. Jordan Fish, longtime girlfriend of Denny Hamlin, was also known to have been involved in a pilot presentation that CMT ordered earlier this year, but she was not included in the final cast. The show will be produced by L.A.-based T Group Productions and has been shot over recent months at NASCAR races, off-track events and the couples’ houses. NASCAR is not participating in the show, which is why CMT could not call the show “NASCAR Wives.” The sanctioning body did get involved in a show that never made it to air in ’10 that was going to be called “NASCAR Wives,” before it was scrapped due to disagreements between the cast. CMT was said to be interested in “Racing Wives” due to it giving the Viacom-owned channel another avenue to reach younger female fans.
