Chris InglisWhen I sat down with NASCAR 25 last year, it proved to be a surprisingly strong debut for an Aussie who doesn’t actively follow the sport. The real on-track video clips, real driver names and images, and core racing mechanics delivered an authentic stock car racing experience backed by what I felt was a fantastic soundtrack. Developed and published by iRacing Studios and officially released on September 15, 2026, NASCAR 26 sees the development team refusing to take their foot off the gas. They have refined the driving physics, sharpened the AI, cross-play is available, and the game delivered an experience that leans heavily into the sport’s demands on focus, strategy, and precision.
While NASCAR 25 laid down an impressive foundation, its handling occasionally had a floaty feel and overly forgiving drafting mechanics. In NASCAR 26, the core gameplay receives a substantial overhaul that brings it closer to true simulation while keeping controller play approachable. By replacing generic track models with iRacing’s full catalog of laser-scanned track geometry, the developers have translated subtle road seams and banking changes directly to your controller. In fact, wrestling these heavy stock cars through tight packs is a rare moment in modern racing games where I genuinely missed the tactile precision of having a dedicated racing wheel setup like I did back in the early Forza Motorsport days.
Out on superspeedways like Daytona, momentum management is everything. Rather than constantly modulating the throttle through the banked turns, I found myself keeping the pedal pinned to the floor virtually the entire race. Speed loss doesn’t come from backing off the gas, but from tiny steering corrections in turns. Subtle taps on the left thumbstick held my line through a turn and there was some occasional drag created if the left wheels dip down onto the apron. Superspeedway racing is less about braking points and more about managing airflow, and the game’s intro race reinforces this, encouraging you to draft the car ahead.
The computer-controlled opponents in NASCAR 26 have shed their robotic single-file tendencies, which brings a formidable learning curve in early career races. The AI’s aggressive three-lane grids felt almost impenetrable at first. In early races, paranoia about clipping a quarter panel or wrecking the field kept me glued to the middle of the pack. Whenever I attempted to breach the high line, I’d inevitably get clipped from behind or lose critical milliseconds on corner exit, watching the lead pack pull away despite my desperate attempts to catch their draft. Mastering the patience required to slice through these tight multi-groove packs takes time, but once you learn to read the airflow and hold your line, surviving those three-wide squeezes becomes one of the game’s most satisfying moments.
While the single-player campaign and AI racing provide a deep, structured challenge, the multiplayer suites feel distinctly less involved by comparison. Online options are relatively straightforward lobby setups rather than full-fledged scheduled series, and the experience is further compromised for local players by the realities of Australian latency. I have gigabit FTTP internet and I had very rare rubber banding in dense packs, where even minor netcode hiccups can translate into a pileup. This is exacerbated by lobbies frequently plagued by overly aggressive or outright toxic drivers intent on treating open races like wreckfests. I tend to play these games singleplayer most of the time anyway but it’s worth noting for players looking for that multiplayer perspective.
While the engine sounds and spotter audio carry the action on track, the presentation outside the cockpit deserves a nod. The menu layout and career management screens are accompanied by an excellent licensed soundtrack. Spanning a curated mix of alternative rock and modern indie tracks, the acoustic collection serves as a great sonic come-down after countless laps of intense, high-concentration pack racing. Post-race you will be upgrading parts in the car, reviewing team manager and sponsor requests, and getting social media buzz for you and your current team. I appreciated most of these aspects, though my focus was really on upgrading my car and getting back out on the track.
Overall, NASCAR 26 refines each core system of its predecessor into a far more rewarding sim-lite racer with enough to balance racing with off-track upgrades. By pairing demanding, momentum-focused physics with smart AI and laser-scanned track accuracy, it delivers a high-octane experience every lap. Multiplayer is a simpler affair that can be marred by our Aussie lag and toxic driver behaviour, but the single player experience is a tight and satisfying one.
This review utilised an Xbox key provided by Sandbox Strategies and NASCAR 26 is out now on Steam, Xbox and PlayStation.
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