Evolution of NASCAR Gaming

NASCAR Racing

Developer: Papyrus Design Group

Publisher: Virgin Games

NASCAR Racing was released in the fall of 1994 for DOS personal computers. It featured more than 25 of the 40 regular drivers in the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup season. Notable absences included Dale Earnhardt (who would go on to win the Winston Cup that year), Bill Elliott, Dale Jarrett, Kyle Petty and Darrell Waltrip, although the latter's brother, Michael, was included.

The game let the player race with up to 38 other cars (32 on shorter tracks like Bristol and Martinsville) and it also offered multiplayer action via direct links (one computer connected to another via a LAN) and also through an online system owned by Papyrus called Hawaii.

The editors of PC Gamer US presented NASCAR Racing with their 1994 "Best Sports Game" award, and nominated it in their "Best Simulation" category. NASCAR Racing also won Computer Gaming World's 1994 "Simulation Game of the Year" award, tying with Aces of the Deep, and was a nominee for the magazine's overall "Game of the Year" prize.

Best Sports Game

PC Gamer US, 1994

Racing's Ultimate Judge™

NASCAR 98

Developer: Stormfront Studios

Publisher: EA Sports

The original version includes 24 NASCAR cars and drivers, including Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, John Andretti, and Terry Labonte; 10 official NASCAR tracks, including Charlotte Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, and the then Sears Point International Speedway, the short track at Suzuka Japan, and six fantasy circuits; and in-depth car setups.

One player can race with all 24 cars or two players can race with 8 cars on the track. There are single-race and Championship Season game modes, and gameplay settings allow the player to race with varying levels of race length, AI difficulty, and realism, among other settings.

NASCAR 99

Developer: Stormfront Studios

Publisher: EA Sports

NASCAR '99 is the second game relating in EA Sports NASCAR series of video games. The game features thirty-one of the drivers from the 1998 Winston Cup Series season and six legendary drivers. The game also includes seventeen different NASCAR race tracks, including Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sears Point, and Michigan International Speedway. Furthermore, the game includes instructions from a crew chief, such as when to make a pit stop or when cars are around the player.

NASCAR '99 received mixed reviews upon its release. The game was praised for its authenticity, although critics felt that the graphics and sound effects were not improved from the previous game, NASCAR '98. Also, critics stated that the player would become "tired" of the game if they were a "racing-game fan.

NASCAR 2000 would largely improve on issues from the previous games. The series largely remained the same until the next generation of consoles.

I am faster than you, and I can prove it