NASCAR 25, iRacing Studios’ long-awaited console game, is finally revving up for its October 14, 2025, launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with PC hitting Steam on November 11. It’s the first standalone NASCAR title for consoles under iRacing’s 2023 license grab, promising the full package: Cup, Xfinity, and Craftsman Truck Series action with laser-scanned tracks, 190 licensed drivers, and over 400 paint schemes.

Early access testers flagged glitches, like a final-lap caution restarting the race instead of ending it, letting a leader on empty snag a win after a bump. Force feedback issues on steering wheels have players feeling disconnected, prompting an all-nighter fix from devs. “We are aware of the force feedback issues with some wheels in NASCAR 25 and have been working through the night to get a fix into the pipeline as quickly as possible,” the team said. It’s a bumpy start, but iRacing’s sim roots have fans hoping the kinks get ironed out fast.

Recently, Carson Hocevar, the 22-year-old Spire Motorsports driver, spilled the beans on NASCAR 25’s big secret.

Hocevar leaks the Creator series

Through his X account, Hocevar made it known that a Creator Series featuring influencers like @StableRonaldo and @YourRAGEz. He revealed the game’s teaming up with these Twitch and YouTube stars to bridge the gaming and racing worlds.

It’s a $300 million partner play, tapping into creators with millions of followers to pull in a fresh crowd. The series will spotlight them in custom content, from in-game cameos to challenges, blending NASCAR’s speed with social media’s reach.

The move’s smart. NASCAR 25’s career mode and 40-player online lobbies are built for the community, and influencers like Ronaldo and YourRAGEz bring that energy. Their streams, packed with high-stakes gaming and real-talk banter, could introduce NASCAR to a younger, digital-first crowd.

iRacing’s betting on this to boost visibility, with the creators’ $300 million combined audience a goldmine for cross-promotion. And Hocevar leaked it with a grin, hyping how the series will make the game feel alive. This leak ties to his own spotlight, fresh off a $50,000 fine at Kansas for spinning tires near safety crews.

Hocevar’s Kansas penalty explanation

 “Yeah, I fired it up just to throw it into neutral. It’s sometimes hard to get these things into neutral, so I fired it up. And honestly, I didn’t really know it spun the tires. Obviously, there’s a tow truck in front of me. I’m not going anywhere. I was trying to go places earlier, and the tires are off the ground, and they just spin,” he said.

NASCAR’s video showed his wheels churning while hooked up, a risky move with workers nearby. Hocevar owned it but argued the intent wasn’t malicious. Officials saw action, not excuses.

He got why the call was black-and-white: “They judge based on actions and visibility and not intent, right? The tires spun, black and white, so next time I might just have them rock the car to throw me in neutral. That’s on me, not. I was sitting there in third gear doing a burnout, so it’s on me, not thinking about the tires spinning. It was educational for me.”

The NASCAR official who rang him was shocked Hocevar didn’t fight it, but he took the L like a pro. “NASCAR doesn’t have the intent. They can’t know the plan and story behind everything and judge everything, and sometimes they have to call it the way they see it,” he added, wishing the fine was $5,000, not 50K.

Hocevar’s paying the tab himself: “I spun the tires. It’s me.” It’s a classy move for a 22-year-old in his second Cup year, turning a penalty into a lesson. His Twitch fundraiser to cover the fine rallied fans, flipping a black mark into community support. Now, with NASCAR 25’s Creator Series leak, Hocevar’s showing he’s got more than antics. He’s a voice in the sport’s future, bridging racing and gaming.