NASCAR 98
Encyclopedia
NASCAR 98 is a racing simulator video game published and developed by EA Sports
and released on October 31, 1997 for the Sega Saturn
, and on November 17, 1997 for the PlayStation. This was the first of the EA Sports NASCAR series
.
, Dale Earnhardt
, Mark Martin
, Dale Jarrett
, Rusty Wallace
, John Andretti
, and Terry Labonte
; 10 official NASCAR tracks, including Charlotte Motor Speedway
, Daytona International Speedway
, Bristol Motor Speedway
, and the then Sears Point International Speedway
, the short track at Suzuka Japan
, and six fantasy circuits; and in-depth car setups. One player could race with all 24 cars or two players could race with 8 cars on the track. There were single-race and Championship Season game modes, and gameplay settings allowed you to race with varying levels of race length, AI difficulty, and the realisticity of the simulation, among other settings.
Non-contact random damage consisted of an engine failure, in which white smoke would pour out from behind the AI car, which would slow down and pull to the inside of the track, heading for the pit lane
. User cars could not blow an engine.
Cars could flip, but only after contact with another car and then only rear over front. A car would be taken out of the race shortly after a flip in the same way it would after a lost tire.
A caution flag would appear after an AI car was taken out of the race. A blue tow truck would appear in front of the broken car, and the field would gather into a line just long enough for all the cars to line up. Pitting under caution was not an option, and most cautions did not last a whole lap except at Bristol
.
's 3rd generation (1971–1974) Dodge Charger
s racing modern 1998 cars of the day. Additions to the game included 'king of Nascar' Richard Petty in his trademark #43 car and Darlington Raceway
, the original super speedway. The game came with a NASCAR 50th anniversary key chain as well.
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
and released on October 31, 1997 for the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, and on November 17, 1997 for the PlayStation. This was the first of the EA Sports NASCAR series
EA Sports NASCAR series
The EA Sports NASCAR series was a series of NASCAR video games published by EA Sports. The series began with NASCAR 98 and NASCAR 99 in 1997 and 1998. EA Sports released NASCAR Thunder 2002 in 2001, and ever since then, Jeff Gordon , Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ,and Tony Stewart were on the cover...
.
Game play
The original (non collector's edition) version included 24 NASCAR cars and drivers, including Jeff GordonJeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
, Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
, Mark Martin
Mark Martin
Mark Martin may refer to:* Mark Martin , American racecar driver* Mark Martin , American cartoonist* Mark Martin , American judge* Mark Martin , British murderer...
, Dale Jarrett
Dale Jarrett
Dale Arnold Jarrett is a former American race car driver and current sports commentator known for winning the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship...
, Rusty Wallace
Rusty Wallace
Russell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
, John Andretti
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
, and Terry Labonte
Terry Labonte
Terrance Lee Labonte is a semi-retired NASCAR driver who occasionally drives in the Sprint Cup Series when called upon and is a two-time Winston Cup and IROC champion. He currently drives the #32 U.S. Chrome Ford for FAS Lane Racing. Labonte was introduced to the sport through his father, who had...
; 10 official NASCAR tracks, including Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
, Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
, Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
, and the then Sears Point International Speedway
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
, the short track at Suzuka Japan
Suzuka Circuit
, Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:...
, and six fantasy circuits; and in-depth car setups. One player could race with all 24 cars or two players could race with 8 cars on the track. There were single-race and Championship Season game modes, and gameplay settings allowed you to race with varying levels of race length, AI difficulty, and the realisticity of the simulation, among other settings.
Instant Replay
NASCAR '98 included an instant replay feature, allowing the user to view the racing of his/her car back until about 30 seconds before the racing action was paused. It could be watched from any of several 'camera angles', such as front, back, left, right, top, and rotating. Non-user cars could not be focused on in instant replays.Damage, Wrecks, and Cautions
NASCAR '98 had a limited damage system. Portions of the car would appear to "dent" inward after contact, but otherwise nothing changed graphically. A hard enough impact might result in a mechanical failure, or a tire in the region hit hardest might come loose from the car. AI cars would stop immediately after contact, while user cars would stop accelerating until they slowed to a near stop or made contact with a wall or other car.Non-contact random damage consisted of an engine failure, in which white smoke would pour out from behind the AI car, which would slow down and pull to the inside of the track, heading for the pit lane
Pit stop
In motorsports, a pit stop is where a racing vehicle stops in the pits during a race for refuelling, new tires, repairs, mechanical adjustments, a driver change, or any combination of the above...
. User cars could not blow an engine.
Cars could flip, but only after contact with another car and then only rear over front. A car would be taken out of the race shortly after a flip in the same way it would after a lost tire.
A caution flag would appear after an AI car was taken out of the race. A blue tow truck would appear in front of the broken car, and the field would gather into a line just long enough for all the cars to line up. Pitting under caution was not an option, and most cautions did not last a whole lap except at Bristol
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
.
Driver profiles
In the main menu, there was an option to view the a small profile about each driver, featuring a small picture of the driver, a small rotating version of their car, a short biography, and that user's stats for racing with that driver.Collectors Edition
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of NASCAR, a collector's edition for PlayStation with a new cover featuring a black and white picture of one of Richard PettyRichard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
's 3rd generation (1971–1974) Dodge Charger
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is an American automobile manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler. There have been several different Dodge vehicles, built on three different platforms and sizes, all bearing the Charger nameplate...
s racing modern 1998 cars of the day. Additions to the game included 'king of Nascar' Richard Petty in his trademark #43 car and Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
, the original super speedway. The game came with a NASCAR 50th anniversary key chain as well.