Get a sneak peek at the driver ratings for NASCAR 26, launching this week

The buzz continues to build for NASCAR 26, with early access set for today (Sept. 15) for those who purchased the Gold Edition. For those who purchased the Standard Edition, the game will be available on Sept. 18. Whatever edition you bought, burnouts, cross-platform play and a Peak Performance mode where Jamie McMurray is your coach are among the highlights that make this the most realistic driver-based game ever offered. But before you get to compare your SMT data to Jamie’s and experience dynamic tracks where the grip level changes throughout the race, iRacing allowed us to have a sneak peek at the driver ratings for NASCAR 26 -- which were developed with NASCAR Racing Insights and that players can adjust to their liking, adding more customization. Being that we’re big NASCAR followers, we saw some interesting things that should get you even more fired up for what figures to be a big week in the gaming world. Back when the cover was revealed in June, you might remember that it was 2025 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, with his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, who graced the front. Larson earned a 90 overall driving rating, with his highest marks coming on intermediates, concrete tracks and road courses. The highest driver rating went to Larson’s rival for the championship, Denny Hamlin, who scored a 99. To arrive at that conclusion, Hamlin earned 99s on intermediates, speedways and concrete tracks. His lowest rating was a 76 on road courses. Speaking of road courses, it should come as no surprise that Shane van Gisbergen earned a 99 rating on those tracks. The other 99 ratings in the game came from Ryan Blaney on superspeedways, short intermediates and concrete tracks. Christopher Bell got a 98 on concrete tracks (remember, he picked up a sword last fall from Bristol) while Joey Logano (who had a blowout win at North Wilkesboro) earned a 98 for short intermediates. Hamlin also got a stellar 97 rating for short intermediates while Tyler Reddick took home a 97 on intermediate tracks that are right in his wheelhouse, like Homestead-Miami Speedway, site of this year’s championship weekend. If you purchased a Gold Edition, not only will you get early access to NASCAR 26, but you will also get paint scheme packs for September, October, November and December, 1,000 career rep points, $10,000 career bonus money and VIP employees. To get in on the fun, go to NASCAR26.com/presale. Check out the Cover Reveal to see the Larson cover referenced earlier. Or catch up on the latest news around NASCAR 26, including the Dev Diaries, where you can hear from the developers who worked on the game about what they are most excited about and most proud for you to see and experience. With more ways to play, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll be lighting up tracks like Naval Base Coronado with the fast times needed to outpace the competition.