There were NASCAR games, but this was the first true simulation 3-D NASCAR video game. The game was released in 1994 on PC and later on the PlayStation 1 in 1996. It was the first NASCAR game to feature basic things like 3-D car models and fully rendered race tracks.
The game showcased 25 licensed NASCAR drivers and nine different race tracks. It may seem vanilla to the modern audience, but this truly was a feat of game design back in 1994. Beforehand, racing video games were much more primitive, and now, NASCAR games actually looked like the NASCAR you would watch on TV.
The game also featured a pretty realistic damage model for its time. Previously, car damage was all-but impossible to replicate on previous hardware. It also was the first NASCAR video game to feature a Championship season mode as well as online play through LAN connection.
It may seem vanilla to some today, but this game was the first of its kind. It was the first true simulation-style NASCAR video game, and that alone deserves recognition.
