NASCAR 26

NASCAR 26
Cover art featuring Kyle Larson
DeveloperiRacing Studios
PublisheriRacing Studios
EngineUnreal Engine 5
Platforms
Release
  • PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows
  • September 15, 2026 (Gold Edition)
  • September 18, 2026 (Standard Edition)
GenreSim racing
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer

NASCAR 26 is a sim racing game published and developed by iRacing Studios that was released on September 15, 2026 (Gold Edition) and September 18, 2026 (Standard Edition) for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows.

Background

On June 8, 2026, iRacing’s Kevin Bobbitt confirmed the game, as well as their upcoming IndyCar game, were "well into development" on iRacing's Downshift Podcast.

The title will be iRacing Studio's second release in the NASCAR franchise of video games.

Development

iRacing would continue to use Unreal Engine 5 for the development of NASCAR 26.

The developers would continue releasing videos entitled Dev Diaries, showcasing aspects of the game as they developed it, as they did with NASCAR 25 starting in August 2024 and have done with iRacing since June 2015.

In August that year, they would once again hold a Q&A through NASCAR's official Discord server, where numerous changes were revealed; including advanced force feedback, cross platform multiplayer, among other improvements.

Soundtrack

Curation of the soundtrack was once again overseen by NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Song Artist
"All the Same" Sick Puppies
"Cars in the Desert" Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
"Dale Earnhardt" The Hot Skillet Lickers
"Digital (Did You Tell)" Stone Sour
"FADEOUT" Kami Kehoe
"Fall In Fall Out" Tigercub
"Let 'Em Know" T.I.
"Mama Tried" Tim Dugger
"Rabbit Hole (Cowards, Pt. 1)" Chevelle
"Reasons" Alien Ant Farm
"Road Runner" Lainey Wilson
"Son's Gonna Rise" Citizen Cope feat. Carlos Santana
"Super Bon Bon" Soul Coughing
"Sweet Home Alabama" Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Tunnels" Angels & Airwaves
"Wake Up Calling" Papa Roach
"What Is It to Burn" Finch
"Where the Hood At [AXIOMATIC REMIX]" DMX
"Year to Be Young 1994" Stephen Wilson Jr.

Reception

The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions of NASCAR 26 both received generally favorable reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game was recommended by 44% of critics.

Notes

  1. ↑ Based on 25 reviews

References

  1. ↑ "NASCAR 26 | iRacing Studios". NASCAR 26. July 29, 2026. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  2. ↑ "NASCAR 26 Release Date Confirmed, Features Dynamic Track Surfaces, AI DNFs". IGN. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  3. ↑ "NASCAR 26 game existence confirmed, "well into development"". Traxion GG. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  4. ↑ "NASCAR 26 from iRacing is "well into development" while the IndyCar game is "progressing very nicely"". Windows Central. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  5. ↑ "iRacing Exec Confirms NASCAR 26 Console Game is "Well in the Works"". The Daily Downforce. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  6. ↑ "NASCAR, iRacing Studios debut gameplay trailer, open pre-orders for NASCAR 26". NASCAR. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  7. ↑ "NASCAR 26 Announces Release Info And Cover Athlete". Forbes. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Five missing features the NASCAR 26 developers would like to add in future releases". Traxion GG. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  9. ↑ "NASCAR 26 Dev Diary: Ep 01". NASCAR 26. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  10. ↑ "NASCAR 25 Dev Diary Ep. 01". NASCAR 25. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Season 3 Build Released". iRacing. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Chase Mode, AI DNFs, Left-Side Only Tyre Changes: NASCAR 26 Gameplay Trailer Reveals New Features". Overtake.gg. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  13. ↑ "NASCAR 26 game will have cross-platform multiplayer". Traxion GG. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Developers Promise "Substantial" Changes for Force Feedback in NASCAR 26". The Daily Downforce. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  15. ↑ "What Songs Are on the NASCAR 26 Soundtrack?". The Daily Downforce. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  16. ↑ "NASCAR 26 Soundtrack: DMX, Papa Roach, Lynyrd Skynyrd & More". RacingGames.gg. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  17. ↑ "NASCAR 26 game music soundtrack unveiled". Traxion GG. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  18. 1 2 "NASCAR 26 PlayStation 5 Critic Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 14, 2026.
  19. 1 2 "NASCAR 26 Xbox Series X Critic Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 14, 2026.
  20. 1 2 "NASCAR 26". OpenCritic. Retrieved October 14, 2026.