This is an add-on pack for NASCAR Racing 3 (See Review) offering sim racers the opportunity to race in the ultra-close, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Good Smoke Effects

So other than racing a pick-up truck, what's in it that makes it worth the extra cash. Well, first of all the trucks offer all new physics that feel noticeably different in comparison to the standard Cup and Busch cars in NASCAR 3. There are also 6 all-new tracks to race on. These tracks can be used for both car and truck racing allowing you to complete in an unbelievabley long season! There are also night versions of a couple of your old favourites, just for added realism when completing in the truck series. Talking of realism, the official rules of the Craftsman Truck Series are included in the game including the lack of four-tire-changes during yellow flag pitstops! This makes for interesting tactics! The race must also finish with 2 laps of Green, so no longer will you be denied by a wreck bringing out yellows on the last few laps of a race.

Wide open spaces!

The new tracks are good news to road course fans, Portland and Heartland Park being included in the pack. Louisville Speedway is is included, offering drivers something a bit different. This circuit feels like one long left turn. It is good fun to drive on!

Now onto the main addition, Truck physics. Due to the light rear-end of the trucks, the handling characteristics are enormously different to cars, and this has been ported accross into the game. First impressions show that they are much easier to drive. I got to grips with this much quicker than I did with a cup car. The truck is a bit tail happy but it makes a change from an understearing cup car. This makes it easier to control and much more forgiving. With the added trust you gain for your car, you can race harder and closer. The AI of the trucks has also increased with a range of skills shown by the AI cars.

Wild accidents in customised trucks

The rest of this game needs no talking up. Being an expansion pack for NASCAR Racing 3 means that you get all of the quality of N3 with the add-ons mentioned above. If you are reading this review then you have probably got N3, and if you've got N3 I feel that this game is worth the money and will not dissapoint. If you've not got the N3 then go out and buy the NASCAR Acceleration Pack, which features both title, along with retro NASCAR Racing in NASCAR Legends. All in all another brilliant effort from Papyrus.

C.Wiseman WMWD

August 2000