Chase Stokes has bid farewell once and for all to John B and Outer Banks, but before long we’ll see him back in action in Thunder Road, a new TV series whose production required a physical transformation from the actor. Chosen to portray a chaotic NASCAR driver, Chase Stokes shared in a recent interview how he transitioned from the public favorite Netflix surfer to a seasoned, troublemaking racer.
Thunder Road, Chase Stokes’ new TV role is very different from Outer Banks: here’s what’s changing
Thunder Road is slated to hit screens sometime in 2027, and to curb the wait, Chase Stokes opened up about his character and how he managed to shed the weight of John B from Outer Banks by embracing a markedly different persona. In Thunder Road he portrays a rebellious NASCAR driver who has been relegated after causing trouble. The cast also includes Dennis Quaid, who plays Duane Whitlock.
To shed the eternal teenager look, Chase Stokes decided to take on a different role: “I’ve played teenage parts through my late twenties and into my early thirties. In a sense I’m already trapped in the John B. character, so I figured, ‘I have to do something. I need to show the world I’m not just a boy with tousled blond hair. Now I’ve got salt-and-pepper hair, I’ve got a beard.’” With that, he threw himself into a meticulous study of how to honor the NASCAR world “and the people out there on the track.”
In Thunder Road he portrays Ronnie Whitlock: “This character is a tire technician who handles the rear wheels, and those guys are former Division I athletes, many of whom have competed at professional levels in other sports as well. So, if I bore the bulk of John B.’s physique, it would be incredibly disrespectful to the many people who love this sport, and to those who work hard, like a true professional athlete, to ensure the car—once back in the pits—is lifted with the jack, serviced, and put back on the track in the blink of an eye to win races.”
Even though professional drivers often steal the spotlight, Stokes notes that the work in the pits is absolutely crucial: “People don’t realize how heavy a tire is for a car at that level. Or what the role of the jack man involves, who has only one shot to lift the car off the ground with perfect timing. Not to mention the physical effort required to hop over the wall at just the right moment, reach the tire, position the jack, remove the old tire, and mount the new one. These are fundamental movements, where every tenth of a second counts. That’s why you have to be an athlete. You have to be ready at every single instant when the car enters that pit lane.”
In an interview with Men’s Health, he admitted that because of John B he received a lot of unwanted attention about his body: “I’ve always had some issues with body dysmorphia. The internet falls for the blond guy with sculpted abs and then wonders why I’m not always like that. Over the years I’ve faced strong pressure and many condescending comments about my body, and at times this really affected my mental health. It was refreshing to break free from that constant comparison now that that character is behind me.” Now he’s ready to “start afresh” with Thunder Road: “You don’t have to worry about aesthetics here. You can focus solely on the work and the craft, making sure you look good while doing it,” he concluded.
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