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Racing and Automotive mobile game developer Hutch Games teams up with NASCAR to create an all-new mobile racing experience for NASCAR fans. Hutch is the maker of games such as; Top Drives (Which I play frequently), F1 Clash, Hot Wheels Race Off, Racekings, Rebel Racing, and the MMX Series of games.  Hutch Games Logo By: Tom Luttermoser 9/20/2023 With a slogan such as, "Cars + Mobile = Hutch", you expect to see games developed by passionate car people. As someone who has played more than half of their titles... I can testify that they are just that. Since their inception in 2011, Hutch has entertained over 350 MILLION mobile game players thanks to their 120+ employees. Now, the experts will team up for NASCAR's 75th anniversary to create an all-new stand-alone title for the sport. The pair are working together to create the ultimate mobile racing experience for fans of America's #1 motorsport, calling it a fan's "dream game" on mobile. No ETA for the game's release has been mentioned, but this appears to be the first game release following the Motorsports Games disaster. The failure of Motorsports Games leaving a lot to be desired for NASCAR gamers in the Console, PC and Mobile gaming worlds. Directly from NASCAR's Press ReleasePeter Stott, Game Director at Hutch says: “The NASCAR brand is an ideal fit for Hutch. Our passion for motorsports and drive to create-genre defining experiences for mobile will enable us to deliver for the many global fans of the sport. That same passion forms the foundation of our relationship with NASCAR, which will fuel our ability to make another hit Hutch title. We’re proud to be able to work with another key automotive licensor, continuing our rich history of partnered game development.”
Nick Rend, Managing Director, Gaming and Esports at NASCAR says: “At NASCAR, our number one priority is engaging our fans and bringing them the best experiences possible whether they’re at the track or in digital spaces where they like to spend time. We want to deliver our fans around the world a unique, immersive mobile gaming experience. Hutch, with its expertise in the automotive genre and track record of creating fun and popular games, is the perfect partner to make this happen.”
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By: Tom Luttermoser Images Credit to left: SHR Right: Unknown
I think we can all agree that rain delays, rain breaks and rain shortened races drive us all just about nuts. I know I've attended as a fan and covered at least 3 of these such events, but the cool thing is that NASCAR agrees. Back in the day the sanctioning body has tested rain tires at short tracks and road courses only to adopt them to turn both left and right within the last few years in the Cup Series. It appears however, not for much longer. In 2021 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the opening few laps of the race, the leader Kyle Busch & Martin Truex Jr were taken out of the race due to a wet surface causing the duo as well as another car or two to make contact with the outside safer barrier. Since then, the conversation has been continued. In the middle of December however, it has become near public knowledge that NASCAR intends to (at least attempt) to keep rain tires on hand for a small handful of Non-road course tracks for the first time in the history of the sport. They are referring to it as a "wet weather option" consisting of Rain tires, rear rain lights, the wiper, rain guards behind the rear wheels and more for up to 15 different events in 2023. Bozi Tatarevic with Road & Track (I recommend giving him a follow on Twitter) posted the Cup Series packages including the engine, break, aero package and tire for each track (Posted below). It showed that some of the tracks we can possibly expect to see this wet weather package are New Hampshire, Martinsville, Phoenix, LA, Richmond and North Wilkesboro.
Now, this will not be a package for heavier rains like we've seen run in at Road Courses, but more for simply a damp or wet race track with little to no active rain. Standing water will still bring a caution/ red flag or postpone a race due to the danger of hitting it at speed.
These changes could not only help NASCAR keep the races in the allotted broadcast time slots, but also the fans watching or in attendance from having to make changes to schedules or watch at work on Mondays (I've never done that...) or miss the race all together.  I ordered 3 of them! (I ordered more than that, but 3 off the list)
By: Tom Luttermoser  By: Tom Luttermoser Image Via: JRM Wednesday marked yet another major sponsor announcement for Josh Berry! LubeZone will cover the #8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for 2 races in 2023, Michigan and Las Vegas2. "LubeZone, Inc., the fastest growing network of preventative maintenance centers for heavy and medium duty trucks in the United States, will be the primary partner for Josh Berry" per the JRM announcement. Berry has some history with LubeZone, dating back to Josh's late model days and the company also supports Kelly Earhardt-Miller's son in the grassroots level. They will support Wyatt Miller in the Outlaw Kart and Micro Sprint levels, for the third consecutive year. "It's great to be able to work with Mark (Clark) again and to welcome LubeZone to this No. 8 team," said Berry. "Mark and I had much success together in Late Models, and it's really cool to see our paths cross again and that we get to continue this journey into the NASCAR Xfinity Series together. It will make our first race in Michigan that much more special."   By: Tom Luttermoser. Image Credit not found: Michigan International Speeway
It's no secret NASCAR has been growing annually for a few years now, but there are tons of once sold out races who's seats we just cannot seem to fill. Especially over the last year or two, the broadcast touts a sold out or record crowd and fans on social media just absolutely cannot seem to skip a beat with the trusty old "But look at all those empty seats!" Naturally forgetting that just a few years go, even pre-covid lockdowns, those same seats were not even close to being as filled. Fans (especially negative ones on social media) point out a lot of reasons for not attending races, poor on track product, ticket prices, "these aren't real stock cars" and my personal favorite... NASCAR died with Dale. Obviously everyone has their own reasoning, but it is none the less a problem. Here are some of the OFF track changes I would love to see NASCAR make that I think, could bring fans back.
$3 16 oz. Beer, Hamburger/Cheeseburger, BBQ Sandwich, Fried Bologna Sandwich, Talla-Mento Dogwich, Sausage, Nachos, Pretzels, Peanuts, Candy $4 Bill France Burger, Bill France BBQ Sandwich, Bill France Hot Dog, Philly Cheesesteak, Chicken Tenders & Fries, Loaded Philly Kettle Chips, Sugarlands Shine and Other Mixed Drinks You Can't tell me they're not selling the shit out of this stuff!
Now these are just a few of the big ones I can think of. Obviously there are a few more out there, what do you guys think? What would help bring you or someone you know back to the track?
By: Tom Luttermoser
This NASCAR season has been insane no matter the Series. Broken records, dominations, first winners, first in a long timers. This NASCAR season has also been rejuvenation for others, 3 names stick out to me for drivers who have rebuilt themselves or their careers. Ty Majeski in the Truck Series, Josh Berry in the Xfinity Series and Ross Chastain in the Cup Series. All 3 drivers have had spectacular seasons in 2022 all transforming their lives around the race track. I went to the open house for the defending Camping World Truck Series Champion Ben Rhodes last season at the ThorSport shop in Sandusky, OH. Sitting in the machine shop was Ty Majeski, I recognized him but even the friend I went with did not. Very few of the attendees seemed to know who he was back in December of 2021 and he became arguably the Championship favorite. Although it didn't pan out as he came 4th in the standings, it was still a career season for Majeski with 2 wins and 15 Top-10s. It was total redemption. Before racing brought in enough income, JRM's short track star Josh Berry was a bank teller. Berry Made 5 Xfinity Series starts for the boss Dale Jr from 2014-2016 and a small handful of of starts for other teams in the mean time scoring 2 Top-10s with a best finish of 7th. Berry got his shot though in 2021 racing the #8 and #1 Camaros for Jr scoring his massively popular first win at Martinsville and a second at the late Las Vegas race he wasn't even scheduled to run. Then 2022 marked his first full time season in an Xfinity car where he once again impressed with a Final 4 appearance, 3 wins, 11 top-5s and 20 Top-10s showing that he Is here to stay. Prior to 2022 Ross Chastain has run in the NASCAR Cup Series 114 times only finishing 20th or better 7 times. Ross is a racer, he loves the sport and has proven he can push his equipment to get that checkered flag. But it took years before he could finally bust that first watermelon, and he did it in 2019 at Kansas in the Truck Series. Fast forward a few years to 2021, Ross got his first real shot with a Cup team signing on with Chip Ganassi Racing to drive the 42 car and halfway through an 8 Top-10 season and CGR announced a deal to sell to Rookie team TrackHouse Racing. We never expected to see that team explode onto the scene like they did. Ross managed to bring himself and the Sophomore team to their first ever Cup win at Circuit of the Americas in Texas, then again at the spring race at Talladega. Ross's season was a season of consistency, irritating his fellow drivers and what very well could have been a championship had the chips fallen his way at Phoenix. Let's not forget the "Hail Melon" move at Martinsville in a move that (although it didn't need to happen) locked him into the Final 4 for the first time over season rival Denny Hamlin. With 2 wins, and series leading 15 Top-5s and 21 Top-10s Ross Chastain has reignited his career at just the right time!  Tom Luttermoser
Hendrick Motorsports has a long and storied history in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In the at the time Busch Series they ran cars from 1984-1990 and then again from 2000-2007. They scored a championship in 2003 with Brian Vickers and 26 total wins. HMS then merged with JR Motorsports and the team's name changed completely over to Jr Motorsports. In 2009, Hendrick ran a single hendrickcars.com Chevrolet at the season opener at Daytona with Racing legend Tony Stewart behind the wheel, he even scored the win. Hendrick had not run a car in the Series no matter the sponsor, Busch, Nationwide or Xfinity since. On June 2, 2022 HMS announced that they would field an in house Xfinity car for the first time in over a decade for several races for their Cup Series drivers Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and William Byron. Larson ran 2 races finishing P2 at Road America and P5 at Darlington, Byron finished 25th at Watkins Glenn and Alex Bowman finished 2nd at the Indy Road Course. Chase Elliott failed to qualify for his race. But since then, HMS has made the announcement on running a Part-time attempt into the 2023 season for Xfinity. With only full-time Cup Series drivers behind the wheel in each of the races they ran in 2022, I believe that is just 1 reason for the success the team had. The other reason was quite simple... It's the powerhouse team of HMS. that kind of performance is a huge reason to run the Series no matter the length of the schedule. Now, Hendrick has 4 pretty solid drivers in their Cup program all of whom I really don't see leaving any time soon. Bowman is a maybe when it comes to leaving any time soon. Ally Financial is likely the only reason he is safe. So there is really no need for HMS to field an Xfinity team as a development stream. That's what JR Motorsports is for, BUT, Dale Jr himself wants to run Cup and he wants to do it sooner rather than later. This could one day leave Hendrick and eventually Gordon without a steady stream of replacement Chevrolet drivers. Re-starting a program for '23 could give the team a guarantee of those drivers, it could also give them opportunities for possibly a second car to help boost confidence in their Cup drivers as well. With all of that being said, if I was privy to those meetings at HMS with any say so, I would lean to the yes. Yes I would get that program up and running even part time, but only if it were for development drivers if JRM was to lean toward growing themselves and not Hendrick. If JRM were to stick to Xfinity with maybe just 1 part-time or even full-time team in Cup, then I wouldn't feel the need to have that team. Now to the fan side. Over the last 6-8 years, fans seem to have begun hating the idea of full time Cup guys running the lower series (We all know why or who that may be). But with a majority of fans leaning into the Hendrick camp these days, I saw no real complaints from the fandom. But I look at it this way, I can get why they fielded the 17 this season. I believe they know there is the possibility that JRM could no longer have their back for a driver pipeline. They may just know something we don't.  By: Tom Luttermoser June 2000 was the last time that the ARCA Series ran the high banked, quarter-mile race track less than 3 miles away from my last address. Just a few hours ago it was announced that the ARCA Menards Series East will return to Flat Rock Speedway in SE Michigan. The re-branded K&N Series East has only raced at the track once in the past. The May 20, 2023 event will be a 150 mile race with no competition caution breaks. Teams are able to use the infield figure-8 cross crossroad as pit road to make adjustments.  Also running that day will be Flat Rock Speedway’s weekly “Motor City Mad Men” Figure-8 division & ARCA-sanctioned DTS Drivetrain Specialists Street Stock.
Big names such as Bob Keselowski (Michigan Native) & Jeremy Mayfield have won at the small Michigan track. Above image from the ARCA Archives: 1999 ARCA At Flat Rock  By: Tom Luttermoser
With NASCAR 21 Ignition such an abysmal failure, it got me thinking. What would I do differently? Well, in this case, a lot! But no.... I've put so much thought into this over the years as an avid NASCAR gamer. I'm so tired of these incomplete, buggy, laggy, unplayable games. I mean, what happened to the days of NASCAR 05-07? I still to this day, even after paying $100 for Ignition, play games on my PS2 & Xbox One instead. I still actively play NASCAR Dirt to Daytona, NASCAR 04, 05, 07 on that PS2 as well as Heat 5 on the Xbox One. All of these games are years old (Dirt to Daytona just turned 20) and EVERY SINGLE ONE has more features and more importantly, are more playable than 21 Ignition. With all that being said, I love racing games and always have. Here are the features I would ensure were in my ultimate NASCAR Game. I'm not going to include the obvious such as a complete game at launch, playable, good physics etc. I live for Career mode, an in depth... feature filled career mode would have me sold on a game in a heartbeat. I would have my career based on a driver first, with ability to own your own team. Starting out in your choice of dirt or paved Late Models. You can own your team after a first season. But your journey could be plagued by parts failures in underfunded teams and even those at the top based on wear or driving style. It would be a contract and offer based advancement system with options to run part time seasons in the higher up series. So you could choose certain contracts based on length, pay, prestige, performance, types of tracks etc. You would also, say for example you've scored a few top-10s and top-5s in Late Models, you could get an offer to run a Truck for... idk.. KBM or ThorSport for a one off race or two. Maybe buy a ride. Do good enough and you could earn a spot as a Development driver for one of the OEMs giving you a clear shot at moving up, but underperform and get cut with movement of the such for all 3 NASCAR National Series. In race I would have some of the obvious that we have been missing for a long time, such as.... You know.. Pit strategy. If I come in 10th and change 2 tires after 30-40 laps in a tier 1 car, I should not still come out 10th.. and surely not worse. Maybe I go for 4 and a full tank but some AI gamble with staying out or taking 2. I mean... Come on.. NASCAR 14 had that and did it VERY well. Solid AI with a changing or aggressive racing line would be a must. AI that pushes harder and makes mistakes in important races with younger, less experienced drivers messing up more frequently. the vets able to trick your driving or pushing you into making a mistake. Especially drivers on or under the Cut line or fighting for a title. This can also come into play with a potential rain shortened race. We would of course need a realistic damage model. Give me ripples, scuffs, bends. If I pound the wall, there should be a DNF. If the AI does it, same thing. We also need tire failures with potential damage to the body, bouncing off the wall won't hurt the Xfinity and Cup cars like it would SLMs and Trucks. Smack the front end a few times and damage aero. Parts failures such as blown engines, breaks at Martinsville or suspension at the Roval. Off the track, we could use a solid paint booth and upgrading your race cars under ownership. Make the money worth something in this game, sign contracts for sponsors or lower series or fantasy drivers building or losing partnerships. Silly Season too. Be able to eventually buy out contracts or earn your way up to a manufacture supported team. I also need an deep statistics tracker. (this would be super important in my contract style system). Personally I'm not a huge fan of online racing so I am not going to really voice an opinion on something I now nothing about. Maybe you guys could chime in on that one in the comments. Of course, many of my suggestions come from someone who has not problem busting his ass to advance in a racing game. There would also be a setting for a few simpler advancement processes. But in both ways, I love the idea of being able to put "feelers" out either pre season or mid-season for a one off or even the max-5 races in the lower series with the availability to request (and sometimes not be offered) specific races. Other game modes in my game would take second stage such as a Playoff or Season mode, practice or challenges. |
