Who’s on the cover of NASCAR’s new video game? 3 drivers to front NASCAR 25

Racing fans have been waiting almost four years for a new console NASCAR game. Finally, we're almost there.

Although there isn't a ton of gameplay footage out there, fans are putting their hopes in iRacing to give NASCAR the game it deserves.

But before we get there: Does NASCAR 25 have the cover drivers it deserves?

Ford, Chevy and Toyota all represented on NASCAR 25 cover

NASCAR unveiled a trio of drivers to cover its first video game since NASCAR 21: Ignition, which was released just under four years before NASCAR 25's release date.

Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 driver William Byron, Gibbs Racing No. 20 driver Christopher Bell and Penske No. 12 driver Ryan Blaney will share the spotlight on the cover of NASCAR 25, as revealed on Saturday.

The trio all made the Championship 4 in 2023, with Blaney winning his first Cup title. Byron and Blaney returned to the final round in 2024, losing out to Joey Logano, while Bell finished fifth.

Byron has already locked in the regular-season championship for 2025 ahead of the beginning of the playoffs next week. Blaney and Bell are currently fifth and sixth.

When does NASCAR 25 come out?

The latest installment in a storied history of NASCAR video games drops on next-gen consoles on Oct. 14. It will come out on PC at an unknown date.

iRacing took the reins on the game after buying the rights from Motorsport Games, and began the long journey of building the game with a fall 2025 release date.

What do we know about NASCAR 25 so far?

We've gotten very little so far in the way of authorized gameplay videos with just a few weeks to go before NASCAR 25 is out. But it does feel like gameplay isn't too far out, with lots of drivers and teams getting a chance to play the game privately. What we have seen are some pictures of gameplay, the heads-up display and menus.

According to NASCAR, the game will include a career mode that will allow players to "customize their own driver and vehicles, manage contracts, money, facility and staff. Making strategic decisions on and off the track will play a pivotal role in the journey from ARCA to becoming a Cup Series champion."

There will also be online multiplayer, but crossplay between Xbox and Playstation won't be available.

NASCAR 25 soundtrack and driver roster is massive

What we do know are the series, drivers and music that will be included in the game.

ARCA, Craftsman Trucks, Xfinity and Cup Series will be featured in NASCAR 25: 57 ARCA drivers, 48 Truck Series drivers, 45 Xfinity drivers and 45 Cup Series drivers. It's an absolutely massive roster that iRacing is bringing to the game, including several part-time drivers.

The soundtrack is also out in the world after including input from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and current drivers like Bubba Wallace and Ryan Blaney.

Notable artists include System of a Down, Molly Hatchet, Jelly Roll and Breaking Benjamin making another entry into a NASCAR video game soundtrack.

Can iRacing return NASCAR video games to glory?

NASCAR's last console video game was NASCAR 21: Ignition on Oct. 28, 2021, which followed annual releases of NASCAR Heat from 2016-2020. The games saw mixed responses from NASCAR fans.

Before that, Eutechnyx had video-game rights, starting with NASCAR The Game: 2011 and NASCAR: Inside Line and ending with NASCAR '15.

Fans have been jonesing for iconic videos games for their motorsport after an era of classics in the 2000s. EA Sports had rights from the late-90s through 2008, making classics like NASCAR Thunder in 2003 and 2004.

Other non-EA classics included the first run of NASCAR Heat games in 2000 and 2002, Papyrus' NASCAR Racing 2003 Season and Monster Games' NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona.