MIXED MEDIA
Game lets you strap in, catch the thunder of NASCAR

By Marc Saltzman
Gannett News Service

This pro stock-car simulation puts you behind the wheel as one of 70 renowned NASCAR drivers. Alternatively, you can create your own custom car and driver. The game includes all 23 NASCAR Winston Cup tracks, and about half offer day and night driving options.

EA Sports took last year's game and added a host of new features, including faster frame rates for a greater sensation of speed, better visuals (with very realistic collisions), smarter artificial intelligence, seven new tracks and most importantly, a couple of welcome game play variations.

The "Lightning Challenge" mode is the most fun. In it, you must complete nearly three dozen challenges by recreating moments from real races.

Driving as Dale Earnhardt Jr. — the cover boy and consultant for the game — is one of those challenges. You must recreate Earnhardt's dramatic victory during the 2001 EA Sports 500 race at Alabama's Talladega Super Speedway. With just one lap to the finish, you must scream past Bobby Labonte, Tony Stewart and Jeff Burton to clinch the win.

This is not an easy task.

As an added bonus, the NASCAR driver headlining each of the Lightning Challenges introduces it to players through video interviews. For added drama, these challenges also include the MRN (Motor Racing Network) radio recordings.

You might want to play the comprehensive "Thunder License" tutorial, with instruction provided by Richard Petty and other drivers. You will collect points for accomplishing various tasks such as staying on a blue line, applying the brakes at the right time and learning all the nuances of each of the major tracks in the country.

Even though it lacks online support — a huge omission — "NASCAR Thunder 2003" is a must-have game.