NASCAR 26 | The latest NASCAR 26 developer diary details improvements to the paint booth and side-drafting

• NASCAR 26 will feature a revamped paint booth that offers a greater selection of shapes as well as a mirroring function.
• Side-drafting has been implemented and enhanced with improved tire smoke particle effects.
• Pit stops are said to have been optimized. In addition, penalties for cutting corners have been relaxed.

The latest episode of the NASCAR 26 developer diary provides insight into further changes that fans can expect from iRacing Studios' second attempt to create an authentic stock-car racing experience.

So far, the list of improvements over NASCAR 25 has been comparatively limited. The dynamic simulation of tire wear is likely the most significant new feature with an immediate impact on gameplay.

New features in the paint booth

This topic was also revisited in the third developer diary. Producer Matt Lewis explained that players will now be able to mirror their paint designs in the new game.

Many players likely expected this feature to be available in the predecessor already.

In addition, players are no longer limited to seven shapes per paint section. The limit has been raised to 50 shapes, creating additional options for designing custom paint schemes.

Improvements to side-drafting and particle effects

Side-drafting has also been confirmed. This should make races on superspeedways more realistic. A new particle system also ensures that the tire smoke kicked up appears visibly more voluminous. Burnouts in Victory Lane should therefore look significantly more impressive after the race.

Dynamic lighting was also unveiled. As a result, this year's game looks sharper than the 2025 edition. However, some weaknesses of Unreal Engine 5 remain, particularly the sudden appearance of wall shadows, which can be observed at Lime Rock Park, among other locations. The vehicle interiors, on the other hand, have been revamped and should now look significantly more detailed and authentic.

Pit stops

Although pit stop times have allegedly been significantly improved compared with 2025, the video footage suggests a delay between stopping in the pit box and the crew changing the tires. The entire process still feels more like an elaborately staged cutscene.

Career mode and Jamie McMurray

Career mode seems to focus more heavily this time on long-term strategic decisions. Allocating resources to the team's infrastructure comes at the expense of short-term performance gains, but is intended to provide long-term benefits.

“The Chase” will be available as a standalone game mode. In it, players can select the drivers who will compete in the final ten-race showdown for the Cup Series championship. As previously announced, driver ratings can also be adjusted in the game. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether this option will also be available in career mode.

In addition, players can use Jamie McMurray, the winner of the 2010 Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400, to improve their speed. To this end, his telemetry data and racing lines can be viewed. A new trophy room feature has also been added. A “Best-Line” function is available as well.

Multiplayer and cutting corners on tracks

Improvements are also planned for multiplayer mode. In the cross-platform online mode of “26,” it will be possible to remove players from a session. This should help maintain order, particularly on public servers.

The previously extremely strict penalty system for cutting corners on road courses is also said to have been relaxed in the new game. In addition, the 750-bhp road-course vehicle package is making its series debut.

NASCAR 26 will be released on September 18 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Gold Edition buyers will gain access to the game on September 15. The title will include all vehicles and tracks from the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series.