From White Lightning to Cold Cases: ‘Moonshiners’ Investigates a Stock Car Racer’s Murder
Hold on to your stills, “Moonshiners” fans. This time, it’s not about outsmarting the revenuers; it’s about cracking a decades-old cold case. In a special episode titled “Murder on Thunder Road,” airing Tuesday, November 5 at 8/7c on Discovery, Mark, Tim, and Josh trade their mash for magnifying glasses as they look into the 1951 murder of “Lightning” Lloyd Seay.
Seay, a notorious bootlegger turned pioneering stock car racer, met a violent end on Georgia’s infamous Thunder Road—a stretch of highway legendary for its high-speed chases and illicit liquor runs. The “Moonshiners” crew retraces Seay’s final journey, exploring the murky circumstances surrounding his death, which reportedly stemmed from a dispute over a few bags of sugar. Was it a simple business deal gone wrong, or something more sinister? Mark, Tim, and Josh aim to uncover the truth hidden beneath layers of time and legend.
This true crime detour marks a fascinating departure for “Moonshiners,” demonstrating Discovery’s willingness to experiment with the show’s format. While the series typically focuses on the present-day challenges of illicit distilling, this special episode taps into a rich historical vein, exploring the intertwined worlds of moonshining and early stock car racing. Will they unearth new evidence or challenge the existing narrative? “Murder on Thunder Road” should be a compelling blend of history, mystery, and the down-home investigative skills of the “Moonshiners” crew.
