What Makes ‘NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona’ the Favorite Video Game of Most Drivers?

Over the decades, several game developers have released NASCAR games and found varying degrees of success. While not every release has satisfied fans and gained a cult status, some have truly resonated with them and remained a much-loved pastime. NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona, released in 2002, was one such entry and is still a favorite among drivers.

Current Cup Series superstars were recently asked which NASCAR game they loved the most. Many, including Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell, mentioned Dirt to Daytona.

Bell said, “Is it bad if I say Dirt to Daytona? That was my favorite one growing up.” Josh Berry, too, mentioned the same title while Ty Dillon said, “That was like the first game to have dirt racing on it.”

The racing simulator game was released for PlayStation 2 and GameCube by Monster Games. It featured the NASCAR Cup Series, the Craftsman Truck Series, the Featherlite Modified Tour, and the Dodge Weekly Series. Not many NASCAR-related games have received favorable reviews from fans. However, this particular entry was a stark exception to that trend.

It received strong competition from the EA Sports line-up of racing games at the time, but with its interesting career mode, it was able to come out on top. The career mode was so extensive that players not only got to upgrade their cars, but also upgrade their pit crews to save precious time during races. The in-depth detail made it one of the GameCube’s best releases of the year.

The gaming world has come a long way since then. After a series of hits and misses, iRacing is currently developing the next big NASCAR-oriented game. Titled NASCAR 25, the game is expected to be released on October 14 for PS5 and Xbox. It will feature multiple racing series, online multiplayer facilities, and a strong career mode. Early impressions for the game have been stellar.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said about the game a few weeks back, “I drove a little race, and the career mode’s pretty cool. You jump into the career mode… The introduction to the career mode reminded me a little bit of the Gong Show that Roush did, where they hired drivers to come prove themselves.”

Notably, the ARCA Menards Series will be a part of the console gaming experience for the first time in history. Hopes are that this release fills the big void that fans and drivers have been reeling in over the years and becomes their new favorite.