NASCAR Thunder 2004

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NASCAR Thunder 2004
Developer(s) EA Tiburon
Publisher(s) EA Sports
Release date(s) September 16, 2003
Genre(s) Arcade racing
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer, multiplayer online
Rating(s) ESRB: Everyone (E)
Platform(s) PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC

NASCAR Thunder 2004 is a racing simulator by EA Sports, released in 2003. It can be played on PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC. It features the 2002 champion Tony Stewart on the cover. 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 Nextel Cup) Drivers

[edit] Unlockable Busch Drivers

[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
  • #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
  • Tips
  • Run low in corners and have a low-med air pressure in tires to get a great exit out of the corner. On the Tri-Oval go high off of four and low to the Start/Finish line. (Also works at Lowes & Texas)

[edit] Chicagoland Speedway

  • Length: 1.5 miles
  • Races: Tropicana 400, Chicagoland 400
  • Past Winners: Kevin Harvick (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)
  • 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 Damlier/Chrysler 400, Las Vegas 400
  • Past Winners: 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, 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 (4), 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 (1), Mark Martin (1), Terry Labonte (1), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1), Dale Jarrett (1), Matt Kenseth (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)

[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 (4), Bill Elliott (4), Dale Jarrett (4), Michael Waltrip (2), Ward Burton (1), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1)
  • 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 (2), Bill Elliott (2), Terry Labonte (2), Sterling Marlin (2), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3)
  • Banking: 33 degrees in corners, 18 degrees on front straightaway, 2 degrees on back straightaway
  • Tips Ride low on corners, then go high on the back stretch.
  • Don't turn on draft feature (does bump draft), make sure do it on back stretch only.
  • WORKS AT DAYTONA TOO*

[edit] Road Courses

[edit] Infineon Speedway

  • Length: 1.99 miles
  • Races: Dodge/Savemart 350k, Sonama 350k
  • Past Winners: Jeff Gordon (3), Ricky Rudd (2), Rusty Wallace (2), Ernie Irvan (2), Dale Earnhardt (1), Davey Allison (1), Geoffrey Bodine (1), Mark Martin (1), Tony Stewart (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 (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: N/A
  • Banking: 20 degrees in corners, 3 degrees on straightaways

[edit] Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2002

  • Length: 1.5 miles
  • Races: 2002 Freedom 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 (3), Dale Earnhardt (1), Dale Jarrett (2), Ricky Rudd (1), Bobby Labonte (1), Bill Elliott (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)

  • 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)
  • 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)
  • Banking: 9-11 degrees in corners
  • Tips

IN career , you'll need to take 1 more pit stop because of worn tires. to avoid this, pit 1 lap after the half way point (ex lap 7 out of 13) you'll have a better chance to finish somewhere out of last placs (only 1st and 2nd career seasons this works) WORKS WITH THE ROCK TOO

[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)
  • Banking: 6-14 degrees in corners, 1 degree on straightaways
  • Corners: 3
  • Tips

In Turn two look at the Pepsi sign with 3-2-1 on the Outside wall, going into 2 lift off the gas when you hit three (stay outside) that brake softly at the two and coast through (transition to the bottom) than coast and accelerate out of two and you'll get a great jump

[edit] Fantasy Tracks

[edit] Daytona Beach and Road Course

  • Length: 4.1 miles
  • Races: Daytona Beach beach and road races.
  • Banking: 15 degrees in corners
  • +*+Accutally not a fantasy this, track was run till 1958 on Daytona Beach near Highway A1A. This was re-created from photos & movies.*+*+

[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

The actual Homestead infield course is 2.3 miles.

[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

This is the actual "club" layout which also hosts Grand Am races.

[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
  • Banking: 40 degrees in corners, 15 degrees on front straightaway, 20 degrees on back straightaway
  • Average Speed: 227.121 mph

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 Challenge is your chance to prove you belong on the track. If You can complete the challenges, you'll earn Thunder Plates which unlock cars, tracks, and drivers. Michael Waltrip, driver of the #15 NAPA Chevrolet, will be your commentator for all of the challenges but one comentated by Steve Park. To find out what plates you can get from all of the challenges, look under "Thunder Plates".


[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". 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. 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

This article contains a trivia section.
Content in this section should be integrated into other appropriate areas of the article or removed, and the trivia section removed.
  • 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, however the crew chief will reprimand you if you use profanity.
  • This was the final game that went under the NASCAR Winston Cup banner and used the old point system.
  • 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.
  • MRN Radio has some different announcers when the player selects a race at a short track.
  • Even though Joe Nemechek is a member of Hendrick Motorsports, he does not have an Alliance with any of his teammates. Nemechek joined Hendrick in May 2002 and left in October 2003.
  • For some races, such as Bristol and Richmond notably, there will be different MRN radio broadcasters.
  • Tina Gordon is the only female driver in the game.
  • Tina Gordon has no sponsor, the car just says "Tina Gordon" on the sides.
  • 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 the 2002 season 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.
  • The term "road course" was dropped from the alternate races instead they are called for example--"Homestead Infield".
  • This game was the last appearance for Homestead Infield. The infield course is still actively raced as a club, motorcycle, and Grand-Am series races.
  • The commentary does not change if the player selects the New Homestead-Miami (18-20 degrees) layout or the 6-degree banked lay-out.
  • This was the last appearance of MRN Radio in a NASCAR video game.
  • This is the order of the cars on the game case: Tony Stewart, Michael Waltrip, Kevin Harvick, Joe Nemechek, Jerry Nadeau, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Petty, Bobby Labonte, Ward Burton, Casey Mears, and Dave Blaney (not in 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.
  • One "legend" was an employee of Hendrick Motorsports in off-track duties, Bobby Wawak, who was a former driver himself before joining Hendrick in administering show car duties along with his wife. Wawak died in 2004 at 64.
  • 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.
  • This is the only game in the player's EA Sports Bio that is not considered a physical sport(e.g. NCAA Football 2004, NBA Live 2004, Madden NFL 2004 etc.)
  • One song from the game was also in Need For Speed Underground.
  • This was the first NASCAR racing game that allowed the player to listen to music while driving (like in a passenger car).
  • The MRN announcers still refer to the Viagra Ford as the "Mark Martin Ford" in this game. Pfizer treated Viagra like an adult product, effectively banning the Viagra name from appearing on the car in video games. As a result, Pfizer put their corporate name where the Viagra name would be in the car, and once each year, during the race at Rockingham in February, the car would have only the Pfizer logos, and no Viagra markings.
  • The sponsor may not be present, but MRN Radio still says "Winston Cup Series" at some points.
  • The second Atlanta race is referred as the "Georgia 500", instead of the correct title, the MBNA Bass Pro Shops 500. (Bass Pro Shops had not signed its sponsorship at the time).
  • The largemouth bass trophy (from the MBNA Bass Pro Shops 500 from Atlanta Motor Speedway is available as a prize to the winner in both races.
  • This is the first NASCAR game to feature a trophy room, the player can view all of the accolades that have been earned.
  • If the player wins the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400, if the player looks closely at the trophy, it will have characters from Looney Tunes on it. The game was programmed prior to the Looney Tunes being dropped from the race in 2003.
  • 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.

[edit] External links

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