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NASCAR games on the PC are all measured to Sierra's stellar NASCAR Racing 3. This title set a new standard in realism and physics. Electronic Arts' last NASCAR title, NASCAR Revolution, was a disappointing effort. It did not come close to the racing model used in NASCAR Racing 3. In all fairness, NASCAR Revolution sported nice graphics and some cool features, but it left many NASCAR enthusiasts with an empty feeling. It is within this context that I began playing NASCAR 2000. Stormfront Studios has developed a very playable game in NASCAR 2000, and is a welcome addition to the increasingly popular genre of PC NASCAR games.

NASCAR 2000 makes good use of its NASCAR license. While several drivers are absent from NASCAR 2000, over 30 NASCAR drivers are included in the game. Additionally, seven NASCAR legends, including Richard Petty, are available. There are 18 NASCAR tracks and six additional fantasy road courses. The fantasy road courses are actually designed well and fun to race on. From the overall interface and presentation to the detailed cars, this game feels like "NASCAR."

Stormfront Studios has definitely created a visually pleasing game. The cars are vibrantly colored, with authentic colors and advertisements from last year's NASCAR season. Although the cars do not look as good as the cars in several other PC racing games, they get the job done nicely. The tracks and grandstands look good as well. The tracks are accurately modeled from their real-world counterparts. While racing, NASCAR 2000 gives the user a decent sense of speed, as well as a great sense of the lay of the track. The cars bob realistically in reacting to the suspension system and the track. Crashes occur quite frequently in NASCAR 2000. The crashes do not look as realistic as one might desire, but they look better than in past NASCAR titles. The hoods of the cars are subject to coming off, cars may be hurled through the air, and smoke is emitted from the cars when crashes occur.

Along with above-average graphics, NASCAR 2000 contains solid sound effects. Particularly impressive is the variation in engine sounds. Rather than offer several engine tones, the developer included a great variety of sounds being emitted from the engines. Little nuances such as this add positively to the overall racing experience. Benny Parsons and Bob Jenkins handle the commentary. I have nothing against the abilities of these two men, but I find their commentary to grow boring in a short amount of time. Fortunately, the commentary can be turned off. The crew chief is the other source of voicing in NASCAR 2000. The crew chief does a nice job of keeping the user up to date on what is going on around the track, but sometimes gives advice when it is too late. This issue can make a huge difference when the user is in a tight race. Finally, NASCAR 2000 contains licensed music from Blues Traveler. The inclusion of this music is a nice touch.

On the track, NASCAR 2000 is a mixed bag. While this game plays better then NASCAR Revolution, it still has a way to go before it reaches the status of an excellent simulation. The physics are somewhat questionable. For instance, when a car touches a wall, the car almost feels like it sticks to the wall. Although this issue was addressed in a patch, the effect still does not seem quite right. Also, the cars seem to "drift" toward the wall a bit much when entering a corner. Even when the user lets up on the gas, if the car gets off in the least bit going into the corner, there is little way to avoid contact. One positive thing about the physics of NASCAR 2000 is the implementation of drafting effect. The drafting is realistic and makes a large difference in the outcome of the races. Gamers will be hard-pressed to win races without taking advantage of drafting. The AI is also a mixed bag. The drivers generally run a smart race, but in certain instances they fall apart. The most annoying issue with the CPU-controlled cars is that they are literally drawn to crashes. It is almost comical to watch a crash occur, then see car after car run directly into the heap of wreckage. Don't the drivers realize that avoiding wreckage is a good thing in NASCAR events? I like to play with car damage set to "on" so as to provide the most realistic race as possible. In longer races, turning damage to "on" literally guarantees that a huge number of cars will not complete the race. On the positive side, the drivers have individualized tendencies. True to NASCAR racing, certain drivers race more aggressively, while others are more cautious. I am impressed with this feature. In the end, the gameplay of NASCAR 2000 is somewhat better than its predecessor, but there are still some fairly large issues that need to be addressed.

Despite the several gameplay and AI issues of NASCAR 2000, there is no denying that it contains an impressive list of features. Of particular note, there is a NASCAR Race Weekend. It is set up just like the weekend at an actual NASCAR event. There are two qualifying sessions, practice sessions, Happy Hour, and the race. Other cool features in NASCAR 2000 include racing against NASCAR legends, great motion captured pit stops, a plethora of car settings, nice stat tracking, and multiplayer options. It is tough to think of any gaming modes or options that were left out of NASCAR 2000.

NASCAR 2000 is a nice racing package. If you are a NASCAR fan, then you should definitely take a serious look at NASCAR 2000. The only reason NASCAR fans may want to hold off from buying this game is that NASCAR 4 (Sierra) is due out later this year. It may present gamers with a better simulation experience. But for a fully-licensed NASCAR game, with lots of options and a nice presentation, it will be hard to beat NASCAR 2000.