NASCAR 25 was supposed to be the breath of fresh air fans had been waiting for in the world of stock car gaming. Announced back in October 2023, andn dropping on October 14, 2025, the title from iRacing Studios, powered by Monster Games and built on Unreal Engine 5, promised to finally deliver the realism and immersion that’s been missing since the old NASCAR Heat days.

The game’s packing all four national series: Cup, Xfinity, Craftsman Truck, and ARCA, with laser-scanned tracks for that pinpoint accuracy, nearly 190 licensed drivers, and over 400 paint schemes to customize your ride. The career mode alone sounds like a dream, letting you climb from ARCA garages to Cup glory with “turning points” that force real decisions on contracts, setups, and off-track drama.

But the latest update that really dropped jaws? Burnouts after race wins aren’t in the game. Yeah, that victory lap smoke show, where drivers like Kyle Larson or Denny Hamlin light up the tires in celebration? Gone. Reddit’s r/NASCAR lit up with posts like “NASCAR ’25, the newest NASCAR video game, while (will) not include burnouts if you win a race,” where fans are venting that it’s a letdown for authenticity.

As launch day creeps closer, the excitement’s starting to sour. Dev diaries and previews have teased cockpit views, slick UI menus, and stunning track art, but the full picture’s still fuzzy. The track list finally dropped, boasting 30 unique venues, 91 total with duplicates, available for career, quick races, online, and championships across all series. That’s a lot of asphalt, from Daytona’s tri-oval to Bristol’s bullring, and it’s got fans nodding at the variety.

But here’s the kicker: several 2025 ARCA exclusives like Berlin Raceway, Elko Speedway, Salem Speedway, and Toledo didn’t cut. Cup and Xfinity fans are side-eyeing the absence of Bowman Gray Stadium and Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, too. These gaps, especially for ARCA’s short-track flavor, have folks wondering if the game’s cutting corners to hit the date.

The marketing’s not helping the vibe either. Two years since the October 5, 2023, reveal, and we’re a month out, but the trailers are all flash, no meaty gameplay. The fifth Dev Diary gave 14 seconds of cockpit clips and pit-road peeks, but no full laps or dynamic races.

Producer Matt Lewis’s June Q&A promised a trailer “about a month before” release, but the trickle of screenshots and menus has fans feeling strung along. Windows Central called the August “first look” the “smallest glimpse” possible, noting choppy frames and a shaky camera that left more questions than answers. It’s a far cry from F1 or Gran Turismo, which flood us with hours of footage months early.

NASCAR gaming’s had its previous scars, too. NASCAR 21: Ignition bombed in 2021 with bugs, missing modes, and a 43 Metacritic score, forcing refunds and patches. The EA 2000s era, like NASCAR 07, got slammed for stagnation and glitches, setting a low bar that Heat couldn’t clear.

With iRacing’s sim rep, fans expected better, but the burnout sub and track omissions have them bracing for another swing and miss. The lack of cross-series play clarity adds to the doubt—will ARCA cars hit Cup tracks? As the October 14 console launch (PC November 11) nears, the hype’s fading fast.

Reddit’s been a storm of reactions to NASCAR 25’s burnout omission and track gaps, with fans calling it a “deal–breaker” that’s killing the excitement.

Fans are not happy

“Does it affect gameplay? No. Is it critical for the game? No. Is it disappointing nonetheless? Yes,” one user vented in r/NASCAR’s thread on the no-burnout news. In the same post, folks lamented the loss of that victory lap smoke, a staple in real NASCAR that adds to the celebration.

Another thread, “Is there burnout footage on NASCAR 25… ?” had users griping that iRacing’s realism push makes skipping it feel like a mismatch, why laser-scan tracks but skip the post-win flair?

“Gotta save that engine!” joked another, tying it to realism and wear. In the burnout thread, fans riffed on how burnouts stress cars, so maybe it’s a design choice to avoid “fire risk” or damage models. But it lands flat, NASCAR 21: Ignition’s erratic frames and missing AI pitting already burned fans, and this feels like another half-measure.

“Fine, I’ll just have to do it the old-fashioned way. Running outside after each win and burning ‘em down in my street car. Lucky for my neighbors, I don’t win very often,” one quipped, poking fun at recreating the moment IRL since the game won’t let you.

“Chad Kanaus definitely does not approve” got laughs, but it’s niche, likely a fan jab at a user or influencer who’d hate the cut. The real heat came with “Lowkey almost a dealbreaker,” where fans in r/NASCARVideoGame said the omission tips the scale for those expecting immersive features.

With tracks like Berlin Raceway and Elko Speedway missing from ARCA, and no Bowman Gray or Mexico City for Cup, the burnout snub feels like part of a pattern of pared-down content.