Thus far, the list of improvements over NASCAR 25 has been fairly minor, with dynamic track rubbering arguably the biggest gameplay-affecting addition.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Paint booth updates<\/p>\n
Developer Diary 3 was more of the same, with Producer Matt Lewis revealing players will now be able to mirror paint designs in the new game.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I think we can categorise that under \u2018things that should\u2019ve been patched into NASCAR 25\u2019\u2026<\/p>\n
However, players are no longer limited to just seven shapes per paint job section, with the cap raised to 50, which should encourage a little more creativity with custom liveries (although it still feels rather stingy).<\/p>\n
![\"NASCAR](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4-1-1024x576.jpg\")
Side-drafting and particle improvements<\/p>\n
Side-drafting was also confirmed, which should make super-speedway racing more realistic, with a new particle system making tyre smoke generation visibly more voluminous. So, the game\u2019s post-race Victory Lane burnouts should look much better. Nice.<\/p>\n
Dynamic lighting was also showcased, making this year\u2019s game look sharper than \u201825, although some Unreal Engine 5 foibles still remain, most notably wall shadow pop-in (especially at Lime Rock Park). However, car interiors have been overhauled and now look much more detailed and authentic.<\/p>\n
![\"NASCAR](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12-1024x576.jpg\")
Pit stops<\/p>\n
Although pit stop timings are said to have been improved greatly over \u201825, the video evidence seems to suggest there is a delay between stopping in your pit box and your crew changing tyres, with the whole operation still seemingly a glorified cutscene.<\/p>\n
![\"NASCAR](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2-3-1024x576.jpg\")
Career mode and Jamie McMurray\u00a0<\/p>\n
The game\u2019s career mode appears to focus much more on long-term strategic decisions this time around, so allocating resources to team infrastructure will offer future benefits at the expense of short-term performance gains.<\/p>\n
The Chase will be playable as a separate game mode, with players able to choose the drivers they want to see competing in the final 10-race shootout for the Cup Series championship. As revealed before, it will also be possible to alter driver ratings in-game,<\/a> although it hasn\u2019t yet been confirmed if this will apply to career mode.<\/p>\n Players can also rely on 2010 Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 winner Jamie McMurray to improve their pace by viewing his telemetry and racing line data, with a new trophy room feature also added. A \u2018best line\u2019 feature is also now available.<\/p>\n![\"NASCAR](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/10-1024x576.jpg\")
Multiplayer and track cuts<\/p>\n