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.
If you ever played Papyrus’ seminal Grand Prix Legends then you’ve read his name. Rich began working as a tester on NASCAR Racing (1994) and was with Papyrus at the end. In this interview, published in 2022, we discuss his time at the legendary studio and the design of Grand Prix Legends, including initial feelings of hurt at not being asked to join 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it would be a solid simulation for that era, but with NASCAR Racing 4 releasing the previous year it was basically out of date upon release.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.