As a direct ancestor of iRacing, the ‘Grand Prix Legends engine’ had multiple stock car racing false starts, before eventually releasing as NASCAR Racing 4. The original NASCAR 3, cancelled and replaced by one that used NASCAR 2’s engine, is barely remembered.
Video game development is full of names that have made groundbreaking steps you’ve never even heard about. Shawn Nash is a behind-the-scenes pioneer responsible for SODA Off Road Racing’s incredible physics, Papyrus’ graphical advancements and iRacing’s use of laser scan data for the physical track surfaces.
This interview with RSC, published in 2021, details his early life and career, through both his own company, Papyrus, Electronic Arts, to his time at iRacing.
Uses the Sportscar GT physics and graphics engine, as well as menu system under license. Had this released two years earlier it would be a solid simulation for that era, but with NASCAR Racing 4 releasing the previous year it was basically out of date upon release. It has a plentiful supply of game-breaking bugs, and generally offers a poor experience.
The only positive aspect of the simulation is the track list, which includes a number of classic short ovals that in some cases no longer exist.