As a NASCAR gaming NERD…. I cannot express how happy this makes me.

iRacing is without question the largest, most accurate racing simulator the world has ever seen. They have the most realistic motorsports experience covering nearly every motorsport you can imagine. Motorsports Games, developer of the Ignition 21 console game on the other hand created one of the biggest disappointments in NASCAR gaming… probably ever. I personally wasted $100 on the full game and add-ons for a game I (no exageration) have played for a massive 78 minutes of my life.

Dale Earnhardt Jr, who has invested heavily into iRacing has teased numerous times on X, about iRacing making a NASCAR console game. Well, he succeded. Thursday it was announced that iRacing has taken over the NASCAR Video Gaming Licensing from Motorsports Games… THANK GOD.

The pair announced that the brand-new simulation-style console game will arrive in 2025 with, as NASCAR’s Social Media announcement put it “Everything you’ve asked for. Every Driver… Every Track… Every Feeling… Everything”

Stephen Hood, CEO of Motorsports Games put out a statement Thursday morning. “This sale to iRacing is expected to be beneficial to all parties. We believe it will allow us to rebalance our immediate cash needs, reduce our contractual and financial obligations and double-down on near term revenue generating releases already in advanced development…”

Motorsports Games’ contract with NASCAR was to release a new console game every calendar year since acquiring a majority stake in 704 Games (developers of Heat 5, etc.). Yet the company has failed to produce a multi-console game since they released Ignition in 2021 with Rivals only being available on the Nintendo Switch. This lack of games does lead to the potential loss of younger fans the sport so desperately needs through gamers promoting the sport on platforms such as Twitch.

Yes fellow NASCAR gamers, 2025 is a long way away. If you need your NASCAR fix I do recommend iRacing of course, or go way on back to Heat 5.