NASCAR is a bit of an enigma in the popular sport consciousness of America. It isn't typically spoken in the same breath as the NFL, NBA, MLB, or even the PGA. At the same time, when can you last recollect seeing a race on TV and not seeing the stands packed to absolute capacity with fans that rival the frenzied best of any sport. They—and by they I mean the millions that follow and care for the sport—could rival the most ardent fans of the big three (football, baseball, basketball) when it comes to a thirst for the sport and all things authentic to represent it.
NASCAR® 2005: Chase for the Cup™ is Electronic Arts' (EA) answer to these fans. EA has realized that the wants and needs of NASCAR fans vary a bit from the typical sports fan. Whereas a die-hard Madden fan may want a bigger scope in the playbook, a wider variety of animations, or more control of their favorite team in franchise mode, much of what drives a NASCAR fan is the culture of the sport itself. Yes, the accuracy and authenticity are equally important, but there is an attitude that is specific to NASCAR. It’s this addition of NASCAR culture to an incredibly deep and feature-rich career mode that helps put NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup into a league all its own. Need further proof? Here are a few examples.
Ryan Newman offers a challenge.
A Lucky Encounter When you first select the Fight to the Top career mode, you’ll be greeted with an opening cinematic. You’ll see yourself driving a sleek-looking Viper down the roadway, jamming to a little music and glancing over at a racing magazine. When you pull up to a stop light, another Viper appears next to you. You glance over and what do you see but race car driver Ryan Newman challenging you to a street race. If you win, Ryan recognizes your natural gifts as a wheel man and offers to get you started in the industry.
The Long Journey But, don't think that, just because you got lucky against a pro, you’ll be catapulted to the big leagues in a hurry. No way.Chase for the Cup takes its career mode seriously. Rookies have to pay their dues, and they’ll due so by participating in what many think of as the minor leagues of racing. You’ll be competing in the NASCAR Featherlite Modifieds, Craftsmen Trucks (yes, you’ll be racing trucks, too), and the Busch Series. Of course, if you do well in these leagues, you’ll eventually be able to try your hand in the NEXTEL Cup Series.
The Craftsmen Trucks series.
Villain or Hero This little feature bears a lot of resemblance to recent wrestling games. Wrestlers are generally thought of as a "heel" (bad guy) or "face" (good guy). Similarly, racers can be thought of the same way. Do you race dirty, bumping and nudging people (using the intimidation button) when it’s uncalled for and generally ignoring race etiquette? If you do, chances are your fellow drivers and racing fans will treat you like the evil driver you are. It might win you a few races, but it might also create several rivalries.
Your rivals tend to take things very personally, and they’ll be gunning for you out on the track. They won't necessarily try to run you off the road, but they will make your racing life difficult. It's always a trade-off ,though. If you ride real nice-like, you may get taken advantage of by some of the more mean-spirited, win-at-all-costs drivers on the circuit.
Production cars get involved.
As Involved as You Want to Be You’ll also have an opportunity to get as involved as you'd ever want to be in the behind-the-scenes aspect of the racing world. You can sign contracts to race for other owners or even buy a whole racing team with your winnings. With a whole team under your wing, you can dabble in Research and Development, twiddle with your pit crews, and even hire computer-controlled drivers to drive for you. You’ll be able to enjoy all the perks and frustrations of owning and managing a team.
NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup is about letting you taste the fullness of the NASCAR experience. It’s about the actual races, the alliances and rivalries that are so natural to the sport, the gradual ascent to the top-tier of racing, and managing a team as you see fit. It’s about offering you the NASCAR world and giving you the opportunity to do what you want with it. Touch the broad strokes or dive into the minutiae—it’s up to you!
