NASCAR Thunder 2004

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NASCAR Thunder 2004
Image:NASCAR Thunder 2004 Coverart.png
Developer(s) EA Tiburon
Budcat Creations (PSX)[1]
Publisher(s) EA Sports
Platform(s) PC, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox
Release date September 16, 2003
Genre(s) Arcade racing
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer, multiplayer online
Rating(s) ESRB: Everyone

NASCAR Thunder 2004 is a racing simulator by EA Sports, released in 2003. It can be played on PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC. It features the 2002 champion Tony Stewart on the cover with a scowling look to represent the new Grudges and Alliances feature. It was the first and only game as of 2002 to feature the previous Winston Cup (Nextel) Cup Champion on the cover.

Contents

[edit] Drivers

[edit] Winston Cup (Now Called Sprint Cup) Drivers

[edit] Unlockable Busch Drivers(Now the Nationwide Series)

[edit] Unlockable Legends

[edit] Fantasy Drivers

  • #56 EA Sports Car
  • #101 Clay Dixon
  • #103 Pete Nelson
  • #105 Kyle McCoy
  • #107 Greg Hicks
  • #109 Andy Armstrong
  • #111 Brad Carter
  • #115 Travis Wilsen
  • #117 Eli Gold (MRN)
  • #119 Barry Baker
  • #121 Barney Hall (MRN)
  • #122 Bubba Clayton
  • #123 Charlie Davis
  • #127 Joe Moore (MRN)
  • #130 Robert "Buster" Auton (NASCAR Official; was Safety Car driver at time)
  • #131 Lonnie McKinney
  • #132 Ben Baldwin
  • #133 Randy Norton
  • #135 Winston Kelley (MRN)
  • #137 Chad Coleman
  • #139 Bo Banks
  • #141 Ray Parker
  • #142 Russell Richardson
  • #143 Rocky Perry
  • #144 Jason Kennedy
  • #145 Scott Smith
  • #147 Doug Ferguson
  • #149 Bobby Boone
  • #151 Ronnie Reynolds
  • #161 Don Evans
  • #165 Kitt Paint
  • #169 Jimmy Lane
  • #171 Steve Thomas
  • #172 Dave Dunn
  • #174 Seth Taylor
  • #175 Tim Wagner
  • #176 J.R. Jones
  • #177 Joe Lawton
  • #178 Dusty Gibson
  • #184 Earl Hall
  • #198 Tony Walker
  • #199 Mike Murphy

[edit] Tracks and Races

[edit] Intermediate Tracks

[edit] Atlanta Motor Speedway

  • Length: 1.54 miles
  • Races: Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, Atlanta 500, Georgia 500
  • Past Winners: Dale Earnhardt (9), Cale Yarborough (7), Richard Petty (6), Bobby Labonte (5), Bobby Allison (5), Bill Elliott (5), Jeff Gordon (3), Rusty Wallace (2), Mark Martin (2), Ricky Rudd (2), Ken Schrader (1), Jerry Nadeau (1), Kevin Harvick (1), Tony Stewart (1), Kurt Busch (1)
  • Banking: 24 degrees in corners, 5 degrees on straightaways

[edit] Chicagoland Speedway

  • Length: 1.5 miles
  • Races: Tropicana 400, Chicagoland 400
  • Past Winners: Kevin Harvick (2), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1), Jeff Gordon (1), Tony Stewart (2)
  • Banking: 18 degrees in corners, 11 degrees on front straightaway, 5 degrees on back straightaway

[edit] Kansas Speedway

  • Length: 1.5 miles
  • Races: Banquet 400, Kansas 400
  • Past Winners: Jeff Gordon (2), Joe Nemechek (1), Ryan Newman (1), Greg Biffle (1), Tony Stewart (1).
  • Banking: 15 degrees in corners, 10 degrees on front straightaway, 5 degrees on back straightaway

[edit] Las Vegas Motor Speedway

  • Length: 1.5 miles
  • Races: UAW Diamler Crysler 400 now known as UAW DODGE 400, Las Vegas 400
  • Past Winners: Jimmie Johnson (3), Matt Kenseth (2), Jeff Burton (2), Jeff Gordon (1), Mark Martin (1), Sterling Marlin (1)
  • Banking: 12 degrees in corners, 9 degrees on front straightaway, 3 degrees on back straightaway

[edit] Lowe's Motor Speedway

  • Length: 1.5 miles
  • Races: UAW-GM Quality 500 now known as the Bank of America 500, Coca-Cola 600, The All-Star (The Winston)
  • Past Winners: David Pearson (4), Junior Johnson (2), Richard Petty (4), Darrell Waltrip (6), Dale Earnhardt (5), Jeff Gordon (5), Mark Martin (4), Dale Jarrett (3), Benny Parsons (2), Bobby Allison (6), Rusty Wallace (2), Jamie McMurray (1)
  • Banking: 24 degrees in corners, 5 degrees on straightaways

[edit] Texas Motor Speedway

  • Length: 1.5 miles
  • Races: Samsung/Radioshack 500
  • Past Winners: Jeff Burton (2), Mark Martin (1), Terry Labonte (1), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1), Dale Jarrett (1), Matt Kenseth (1), Ryan Newman (1), Carl Edwards (1), Elliot Sadler (1), Kasey Kahne (1), Greg Biffle (1), Tony Stewart (1)
  • Banking: 24 degrees in corners, 5 degrees on straightaways

[edit] Short Tracks

[edit] Bristol Motor Speedway

  • Length: .533 miles
  • Races: Food City 500, Sharpie 500
  • Past Winners: Darrell Waltrip (12), Rusty Wallace (9), Dale Earnhardt (9), Jeff Gordon (5), Cale Yarborough (9), Richard Petty (3), Terry Labonte (2), Mark Martin (2), Alan Kulwicki (2), Bobby Allison (4), Tony Stewart (1), Elliott Sadler (1), Kurt Busch (1)
  • Banking: 36 degrees in corners, 16 degrees on straighaways

[edit] Martinsville Speedway

  • Length: .526 miles
  • Races: Virginia 500, Subway 500, Martinsville 500
  • Past Winners: Darrell Waltrip (11), Richard Petty (15), Fred Lorenzen (6), Cale Yarborough (6), Dale Earnhardt (6), Rusty Wallace (6), Jeff Gordon (3), Ricky Rudd (3), Geoffrey Bodine (4), Bobby Labonte (1), Kurt Busch (1)
  • Banking: 12 degrees in the corners

[edit] Richmond International Raceway

  • Length: .75 miles
  • Races: Chevy Rock and Roll 400, Pontiac Excitement 400, Richmond 400
  • Past Winners: Richard Petty (13), David Pearson (6), Darrell Waltrip (6), Rusty Wallace (6), Dale Earnhardt (5), Terry Labonte (3), Benny Parsons (2), Tony Stewart (3), Bobby Allison (7), Matt Kenseth (1), Jimmie Johnson (2), Jeff Gordon (2)

[edit] Superspeedways

[edit] Daytona International Speedway

  • Length: 2.5 miles
  • Races: Daytona 500, Pepsi 400, The (Bud) Shootout
  • Past Winners: Richard Petty (10), Cale Yarborough (8), David Pearson (5), Dale Earnhardt (3), Sterling Marlin (3), Jeff Gordon (5), Bill Elliott (4), Dale Jarrett (4), Michael Waltrip (2), Ward Burton (1), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2)
  • Banking: 31 degrees in corners, 18 degrees on front straightaway, 3 degrees on back straightaway

[edit] Talladega Superspeedway

  • Length: 2.66 miles
  • Races: EA Sports 500, Aarons 499, Alabama 500
  • Past Winners: Dale Earnhardt (10), Bobby Allison (4), David Pearson (3), Darrell Waltrip (4), Davey Allison (2), Buddy Baker (3), Ernie Irvan (2), Mark Martin (2), Jeff Gordon (6), Bill Elliott (2), Terry Labonte (2), Sterling Marlin (2), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3), Bobby Labonte (1)
  • Banking: 33 degrees in corners, 18 degrees on front straightaway, 2 degrees on back straightaway

[edit] Road Courses

[edit] Infineon Speedway

  • Length: 1.99 miles
  • Races: Dodge/Savemart 350k
  • Past Winners: Jeff Gordon (5), Ricky Rudd (2), Rusty Wallace (2), Ernie Irvan (2),Tony Stewart (2), Dale Earnhardt (1), Davey Allison (1), Geoffrey Bodine (1), Mark Martin (1), Juan Pablo Montoya (1), Robby Gordon (1)
  • Corners: 10

[edit] Watkins Glen International

  • Length: 2.45 miles
  • Races: Sirius at the Glen, Thunder Road 220
  • Past Winners: Jeff Gordon (4), Mark Martin (3), Rusty Wallace (2), Ricky Rudd (2), Steve Park (1), Geoffrey Bodine (1), Kyle Petty (1), Ernie Irvan (1), Tim Richmond (1), Buck Baker (1), Billy Wade (1), Marvin Panch (1), Tony Stewart (2), Robby Gordon (1), Kevin Harvick (1)
  • Corners: 11

[edit] Other Tracks Over 1 Mile in Length

[edit] California Speedway

  • Length: 2.0 miles
  • Races: Auto Club 500, California 500
  • Past Winners: Jeff Gordon (2), Mark Martin (1), Rusty Wallace (1), Jeremy Mayfield (1), Jimmie Johnson (1)

[edit] Darlington Raceway

  • Length: 1.366 miles
  • Races: Mountain Dew Southern 500, Carolina Dodge Dealers 400, Darlington 400
  • Past Winners: David Pearson (10), Dale Earnhardt (9), Darrell Waltrip (5), Cale Yarborough (5), Bill Elliott (5), Jeff Gordon (6), Harry Gant (4), Ward Burton (2), Dale Jarrett (3), Jeff Burton (2), Sterling Marlin (2)
  • Banking: 23-25 degrees in corners, 2 degrees on straightaways

[edit] Dover International Speedway

  • Length: 1 mile
  • Races: Delaware 400, MBNA Armed Forces Family 400, Dover 400
  • Past Winners: Richard Petty (7), David Pearson (5), Jeff Gordon (4), Ricky Rudd (4), Rusty Wallace (3), Bill Elliott (4), Bobby Allison (7), Jimmie Johnson (2), Tony Stewart (2), Harry Gant (4)
  • Banking: 24 degrees in corners, 9 degrees on straightaways

[edit] Homestead-Miami Speedway

  • Length: 1.5 miles
  • Races: Ford 400
  • Past Winners: Greg Biffle (3), Bobby Labonte (1), Matt Kenseth (1)
  • Banking: 20 degrees in corners, 3 degrees on straightaways

[edit] Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2002

  • Length: 1.5 miles
  • Races: 2002 Ford 400
  • Past Winners: Tony Stewart (2), Bill Elliott (1), Kurt Busch (1)
  • Banking: 6 degrees in corners, 3 degrees on straightaways

[edit] Indianapolis Motor Speedway

  • Length: 2.5 miles
  • Races: Brickyard 400
  • Past Winners: Jeff Gordon (4), Dale Earnhardt (1), Dale Jarrett (2), Ricky Rudd (1), Bobby Labonte (1), Bill Elliott (1), Tony Stewart (2), Jimmie Johnson (1)
  • Banking: 9 degrees in corners, 0 degrees on straightaways

[edit] Michigan International Speedway

  • Length: 2 miles
  • Races: Sirius 400, Michigan 400, Motor City 400
  • Past Winners: Cale Yarborough (8), David Pearson (9), Bill Elliott (7), Mark Martin (4), Rusty Wallace (5), Davey Allison (3), Bobby Allison (4), Bobby Labonte (3), Dale Jarrett (4), Matt Kenseth (1), Jeff Gordon (2)
  • Banking: 18 degrees in corners, 12 degrees on front straightaway, 5 degrees on back straightaway

[edit] New Hampshire International Speedway

  • Length: 1.058 miles
  • Races: New England 300, Sylvania 300
  • Past Winners: Jeff Burton (4), Jeff Gordon (3), Ricky Rudd (1), Dale Jarrett (1), Rusty Wallace (1), Ernie Irvan (1), Tony Stewart (1), Joe Nemechek (1), Robby Gordon (1), Ward Burton (1), Ryan Newman (1)
  • Banking: 12 degrees in corners, 2 degrees on straightaways

[edit] North Carolina Speedway (Rockingham)

  • Length: 1.017 miles
  • Races: Subway 400, Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400, Rockingham 400
  • Past Winners: Richard Petty (11), David Pearson (5), Dale Earnhardt (3), Rusty Wallace (5), Kyle Petty (3), Jeff Gordon (4), Bill Eilliott (4), Cale Yarbourough (7), Matt Kenseth (1), Johnny Benson (1), Ward Burton (1)
  • Banking: 22-25 degrees in corners, 8 degrees on straightaways

[edit] Phoenix International Raceway

  • Length: 1 mile
  • Races: Checker Auto Parts 500k
  • Past Winners: Davey Allison (2), Jeff Burton (2), Bill Elliott (1), Dale Earnhardt (1), Tony Stewart (1), Rusty Wallace (1), Dale Jarrett (1), Ricky Rudd (2), Bobby Hamilton (1), Terry Labonte (1), Mark Martin (1), Matt Kenseth (1), Jeff Gordon (1)
  • Banking: 9-11 degrees in corners

[edit] Pocono Raceway

  • Length: 2.5 miles
  • Races: Pennsylvania 500, Pocono 500
  • Past Winners: Tim Richmond (4), Rusty Wallace (4), Jeff Gordon (4), Bobby Allison (3), Geoffrey Bodine (3), Bobby Labonte (3), Dale Earnhardt (2), Bill Elliott (6), Terry Labonte (2), Darrell Waltrip (4), Jeremy Mayfield (2), Dale Jarrett (3), Denny Hamlin (2), Kurt Busch (2).
  • Banking: 6-14 degrees in corners, 1 degree on straightaways
  • Corners: 3

[edit] Fantasy Tracks

[edit] Daytona Beach and Road Course

  • Length: 2.0 miles
  • Races: Daytona Beach 500 beach and road races.
  • Banking: 15 degrees in corners

[edit] Daytona Infield Road Course

  • Length: 2.175 miles
  • Races: Florida 500k
  • Corners: 9

[edit] Devil's Canyon Speedway

  • Length: 2 miles
  • Races: Tumbleweed 300
  • Corners: 9

[edit] Dockside International Raceway

  • Length: 1.5 miles
  • Races: Fisherman's 349
  • Corners: 7

[edit] Homestead-Miami Infield Road Course

  • Length: 1.45 miles
  • Races: Homestead-Miami 400k
  • Corners: 6

[edit] New York Metro Speedway

  • Length: 2 miles
  • Races: Rush Hour 350
  • Corners: 9

[edit] Phoenix Infield Road Course

  • Length: 1.51 miles
  • Races: Sandstorm 500k
  • Corners: 10

[edit] Pocono Infield Road Course

  • Length: 2.068
  • Races: Keystone State 500k
  • Corners: 8

[edit] Sawmill Speedway

  • Length: 2 miles
  • Races: Lumberjack 325
  • Corners: 11

[edit] Talladega Infield Road Course

  • Length: 2.163 miles
  • Races: Dixieland 500k
  • Corners: 8

[edit] Texas Infield Road Course

  • Length: 1.374 miles
  • Races: Texas 500k
  • Corners: 6

[edit] Tiburon International Speedway

  • Length: 3 miles
  • Races: Tiburon 500 Nascar 500
  • Banking: 40 degrees in corners, 15 degrees on front straightaway, 20 degrees on back straightaway

Fantasy tracks not available for PC.

[edit] Modes

[edit] Career Mode

  • Work your way through the ranks of NASCAR as you compete for 20 consecutive seasons. Vie for the best crew, try to sign the top sponsors, and incorporate the latest racing technology. If you want to be offered a good sponsor and money for your team, buy new engines, chassis, body and your R&D (research and development)... you need to race smarter and finish in a good position to do so. If your starting and finishing position meets your sponsor's expectation, your prestige will raise, and maybe you will be offered better money and sponsor.

[edit] Season Mode

  • You don't have to win every race to finish the season on top. Compete consistently in a series of races in quest of a NASCAR championship and you might end up with enough points to clutch the cup.

[edit] Thunder License

  • Get some experience behind the wheel as you learn every track in the country from "The King," Richard Petty, and other top NASCAR drivers. This is pretty much like the practice mode in "Race Now." Except that you don't have an option to mess with your setups.

[edit] Lightning Challenge

Lightning Challenges are mini-games in which the player must re-enact some of the greatest and most exhilarating moments of NASCAR races from 2002 and 1st part of 2003. If the player complete the challenges, he or she will earn Thunder Plates which unlock paint schemes, tracks, and drivers. Michael Waltrip, driver of the #15 NAPA Chevrolet, will be the commentator for all of the challenges but one, which is commentated by Steve Park, Michael even commentates himself in one challenge. To find out what plates you can get from all of the challenges, look under "Thunder Plates". The challenges are played on all difficulty levels.

[edit] Soundtrack

Song Artist Album
Across The Lines Nonpoint EA Trax Exclusive
Down Motograter Motograter
Tear It Up Andrew W.K. The Wolf
Down Mesh STL Coming up for Air
Quarter Fuel Natural Selection
Creatures 311 Evolver
Chromatic Fades Autopilot Off Make A Sound
Chapter Four Avenged Sevenfold Waking the Fallen
This Time Depswa Two Angels and a Dream
Nothing Sacred Memento Beginnings
Action Powerman 5000 Transform
Fall Back Down Rancid Indestructible (Rancid album)|Indestructible
I Hate Everything About You Three Days Grace Three Days Grace
Little Know it All Iggy Pop with Sum 41 Skull Ring
Guilt Fingertight In the Name of Progress

[edit] Criticism

  • There is a feature in the game called Grudges and Alliances, where the player can share draft with the cars around him to gain an alliance with the driver. If the player wrecks a driver, that driver will attempt to pay back the player with a bump and become a "rival" and continually gun for the player's bumper. The downside to the feature is the drivers will intentionally wreck their cars to wreck the player and also the drivers will get angry over the least bit of rubbing and bumping, which can get frustrating for some gamers. Additionally, drivers will become rivals with the player even if they run into the player. Other criticisms are the drivability of cars, the cars are lot tougher to drive than they were in the previous NASCAR Series. Also many of the drivers had real-life rivalries were added to the game. For instance Jeff Gordon was a rival to Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon and Terry Labonte were allies. This is because in career mode the stability and autobrake features are automatically shut off (they can however be turned on to Limited) and the players of the game had to either get used to the lack of stability and autobrake or set up a car to substitute for the loose feeling that not having stability on would cause.

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
Tony Raines' #74 Chevrolet that was later removed.
Tony Raines' #74 Chevrolet that was later removed.
  • Tony Raines was originally in the game driving the #74 Chevrolet for BACE Motorsports in the Cup Series, but was removed from the game for unknown reasons. The car can be seen in some of the tutorial videos, although the number on the side is blurred out in one of them.
  • This was the first and only game to feature EA Sports Talk(TM) which allowed gamers to trash talk and give feedback to the crew chief, although the crew chief will reprimand you if you use profanity.
  • Christian Fittipaldi drives the 43 car for Richard Petty. John Andretti, the former driver, is not available, even though some paint schemes suggested he would be in the game.
  • For some races, such as Bristol and Richmond notably, there will PRN (Performance Racing Network as opposed to Motor Racing Network) radio broadcasters. PRN broadcasts at Speedway Motorsports Inc. tracks while MRN broadcasts at International Speedway Corporation and independent tracks.
  • The Lighning Challenges featuring Steve Park and Jeff Green have them wearing the driver suits of their prievious teams, Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Richard Childress Racing, respectively prior to both drivers switching to each others teams midway in the season.
  • Homestead-Miami Speedway has two versions in the game, one is the newly banked surface and the other is the old flat surface used in 2002. The flat version of the speedway is called "Homestead 2002".
  • Paint Schemes from prior seasons are unlockable for some drivers.
  • The game was programmed prior to Jerry Nadeau's career-ending head injury in May 2003, and so he remains in the game.
  • This was the last appearance of MRN Radio in a NASCAR video game.
  • There is a mistake on the Lightning Challenge "Eyes On The Prize". The write-up on the Challenge says that Tony Stewart went a lap down at "lap 27", but the challenge was to get his lap back by lap 127.
  • NASCAR Speedzone cars are unlockable in "Race Now", but they are listed as "Passing Car", "Drafting Car", etc.
  • If the player has a Need For Speed Underground save file, it will add points toward the EA Sports Bio.
  • The Winston Cup title sponsor is not present, but MRN Radio still says "Winston Cup Series" at some points.
  • This is the first NASCAR game to feature a trophy room, the player can view all of the accolades that have been earned.
  • NASCAR analyst Benny Parsons used this game in the NBC Broadcasts during the 2003 season to show viewers at home the weekend's track in his announcer car.
  • NASCAR Thunder 2004 was featured during the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge, analysts Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond played it during the VISA Race Break.
  • This was the first NASCAR game to not feature a day race at Lowe's Motor Speedway due to the UAW-GM Quality 500 becoming a night race in 2003. Likewise, it is the only official Winston Cup track in the game to feature just night races.
  • Although Jerry Nadeau and Johnny Benson were teammates in real life (both with MB2 Motorsports), they are not allied with each other.
  • This remains the last game to feature a Season mode that lasts more than one season.
  • Hermie Sadler's career stats in Season and Career modes are actually Todd Bodine's real life stats. This could mean that Todd Bodine was originally in the game, but was cut out later.
  • According to GameFAQs, the game was originally scheduled for release on the Nintendo GameCube, but was cancelled.[2]
  • The game contains online play for the Playstation 2 version but not the Xbox version.
  • There is a mistake with the rookie stripe on the #27 car. When you unlock him, go to the Race Now mode and rotate the car so you are looking at the back. There is one solid stripe. However, when you look at the back of the car when you race, there are two stripes with the make, Pontiac, in the middle.
  • The longest track in the game is Tiburon Speedway (3 mi.)
  • When MRN or PRN radio is doing the starting grid when they say 22 car on Kevin Grubb when they are supposed to say the 26 car instead.
  • Also, in the race Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are Hendrick Motorsports teammates and they are allies but Terry Labonte and Joe Nemechek are not.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gamezone: Nascar Thunder 2004 PSX.
  2. ^ NASCAR Thunder 2004 (GameCube). GameFAQs. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.

[edit] External links

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