NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup

NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup is the eighth installment in the NASCAR video game series from EA Sports. Since NASCAR 2001, this is the first game in the series to remove the word Thunder from the title. Kevin Harvick, the driver of the No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevy Monte Carlo, replaced Jeremy Mayfield, who was supposed to be on the cover. It is also the first time the original PlayStation has been left out of the NASCAR lineup. This was the first NASCAR edition released exclusively on home consoles from the sixth generation. Unlike previous entries, which typically add a few extra features while leaving most of the game identical to its predecessor, the game marked a significant shift in the series. One example is the inclusion of NASCAR series other than the NASCAR Cup Series, such as the Busch Series (renamed the National Series to avoid an M rating from the ESRB for alcohol advertising, though the series is still referred to as the Busch Series in-game by the player’s agent and Bill Weber), the Craftsman Truck Series, and the Featherlite Modified Series, as well as production cars and Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototypes. Other examples include NASCAR’s new Chase for the Cup points system and Fight to the Top mode, in which the player controls a custom driver throughout his career, beginning in the lower series and working his way up the ladder (similar to NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona). Another difference is the lack of a cockpit view and the lack of makes and models in the Truck series, all of which appear to be Ford F-150s. Pocono Raceway is also not included due to failed licensing negotiations. David Robidoux composed the score.