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NASCAR 25 Finally Gives ARCA Racing Fans What They’ve Been Waiting For
- Screenshot by Sarah Talker | Courtesy of the Daily Downforce

Let’s be real, NASCAR gaming fans have been surviving on scraps since 2020. Sure, we got a few attempts at racing games, but calling them “playable” would be generous at best. It’s been a drought longer than most relationships last these days. But October 14th, 2025, might just be the day gamers stop crying into our energy drinks and get excited about virtual racing again.

iRacing’s NASCAR 25 is finally dropping, and for the first time in gaming history, we’re getting the full ARCA Menards Series experience. Yeah, you heard that right. No more pretending we’re satisfied with just Cup Series action while secretly wishing we could start from the bottom like real drivers do.

What Makes NASCAR 25 Different From Previous Disappointments

Here’s where things get interesting and where previous games face-planted spectacularly. NASCAR 25 isn’t just throwing us another generic racing experience with fancy graphics and calling it a day. The career mode makes sense now because you start in ARCA, just like real drivers.

The game includes all four major NASCAR touring series, but the real kicker is that career mode forces you to earn your stripes in ARCA first. No more jumping straight to the Cup Series because you clicked a button. Finally, a game that understands how motorsports work.

Strategic decisions both on and off the track will determine whether you make it to the big leagues or end up selling insurance in Nebraska. You’ll manage contracts, money, facilities, and staff – because apparently, someone at iRacing realized that racing involves more than just turning left really fast.

The Complete ARCA Driver Roster That Matters

Now, let’s talk about who cut NASCAR 25’s ARCA roster. The developers didn’t just throw darts at a board of random names – they included drivers people might recognize.

NASCAR 25: ARCA Menards Driver Roster

  • 1. Nate Moeller, No. 0 (Wayne Peterson Racing)
  • 2. EJ Tamayo, No. 01 (Fast Track Racing)
  • 3. Eloy Falcon, No. 2 (Rev Racing)
  • 4. Lanie Buice, No. 2 (Rev Racing)
  • 5. Alex Clubb, No. 03 (Clubb Racing Inc.)
  • 6. Alex Quarterley, No. 3 (1/4 Ley Racing)
  • 7. Todd Souza, No. 3 (Central Coast Racing)
  • 8. Willie Mullins, No. 3 (Mullins Racing)
  • 9. Dale Quarterley, No. 4 (1/4 Ley Racing)
  • 10. David Smith, No. 05 (Shockwave Motorsports)
  • 11. Eric Johnson Jr., No. 5 (Jerry Pitts Racing)
  • 12. Brayton Laster, No. 06 (Wayne Peterson Racing)
  • 13. Lavar Scott, No. 6 (Rev Racing)
  • 14. Sean Corr, No. 8 (Empire Motorsports)
  • 15. Cody Dennison, No. 9 (Fast Track Racing)
  • 16. Robbie Kennealy, No. 9 (Jan’s Racing, KKM)
  • 17. Ed Pompa, No. 10 (Fast Track Racing)
  • 18. Zachary Tinkle, No. 11 (Fast Track Racing)
  • 19. Takuma Koga, No. 12 (Fast Track Racing)
  • 20. Tanner Reif, No. 13 (Central Coast Racing)
  • 21. Patrick Staropoli, No. 15 (Venturini Motorsports)
  • 22. William Sawalich, No. 18 (Joe Gibbs Racing)
  • 23. Jake Bollman, No. 19 (Bill McAnally Racing)
  • 24. Lawless Alan, No. 20 (Venturini Motorsports)
  • 25. Amber Balcaen, No. 22 (Venturini Motorsports)
  • 26. Tyler Reif, No. 23 (Sigma Performance)
  • 27. Jake Finch, No. 25 (Venturini Motorsports)
  • 28. Tim Richmond, No. 27 (Tim Richmond Racing)
  • 29. Brenden Queen, No. 28 (Pinnacle Racing Group)
  • 30. Kyle Steckly, No. 29 (Rette Jones Racing)
  • 31. Cleetus McFarland, No. 30 (Rette Jones Racing)
  • 32. Rita Goulet, No. 31 (Rise Motorsports)
  • 33. D.L. Wilson No. 39 (CW Motorsports)
  • 34. Thad Moffitt, No. 46 (Nitro Motorsports)
  • 35. Brad Smith, No. 48 (Brad Smith Motorsports)
  • 36. Trevor Huddleston, No. 50 (High Point Motorsports)
  • 37. Blake Lothian, No. 51 (Strike Mamba Racing)
  • 38. Isabella Robusto, No. 55 (Venturini Motorsports)
  • 39. Timmy Hill, No. 56 (Hill Motorsports)
  • 40. Steve Lewis Jr. (Steve Lewis Racing)
  • 41. Presley Sorah No. 66 (Maples Motorsports)
  • 42. Ryan Roulette, No. 67 (Maples Motorsports)
  • 43. Will Kimmel, No. 69 (Kimmel Racing)
  • 44. Kyle Keller, No. 71 (Jan’s Racing)
  • 45. Jonathan Reaume, No. 72 (Strike Mamba Racing)
  • 46. Any Jankowiak, No. 73 (Klas Motorsports)
  • 47. Kole Raz, No. 76 (AM Racing)
  • 48 Corey Day, No. 77 (Spire Motorsports)
  • 49. Isaac Kitzmiller, No. 79 (CR7 Motorsports)
  • 50. Becca Monopoli, No. 85 (City Garage Motorsports)
  • 51. Brian Clubb, No. 86 (Clubb Racing Inc.)
    52. A.J. Moyer, No. 88 (Moyer Petroniro Racing)
  • 53. Caleb Costner, No. 93 (CW Motorsports)
  • 54. Hunter Wright, No. 95 (Man Motorsports)
  • 55. Jackson McLerran, No. 96 (Man Motorsports)
  • 56. Jason Kitzmiller, No. 97 (CR7 Motorsports)
  • 57. Michael Maples, No. 99 (Maples Motorsports)

Notable Names That’ll Make You Care

Cleetus McFarland running the No. 30 for Rette Jones Racing? Yeah, the YouTube guy who turned “DO IT FOR DALE” into a lifestyle is in the game. Love him or hate him, at least he brings personality to a sport that sometimes feels like watching paint dry in 200 mph increments.

William Sawalich in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing entry represents the future of NASCAR. A young talent that hasn’t been crushed by the politics of the sport yet. Then there’s Timmy Hill in the #56, because every racing game needs at least one driver who’s mastered the art of showing up and not wrecking.

The Diversity That NASCAR Desperately Needs

The roster includes female drivers like Amber Balcaen (No.22 Venturini Motorsports), Isabella Robusto (No.55 Venturini Motorsports), and Lanie Buice (No.2 Rev Racing). It’s refreshing to see NASCAR 25 representing the diversity that real-world ARCA has, instead of the atypical male-driven innuendo that some people still think the sport represents.

Why ARCA Inclusion Matters for Racing Games

Here’s something most casual fans don’t understand. ARCA racing is where dreams either take flight or crash and burn. Including ARCA in NASCAR 25 isn’t just about having more content. It’s about authenticity. Real NASCAR champions didn’t start in Cup Series cars.

They earned their way up through series like ARCA, learning the sport from the inside out while also dealing with different competition levels. This included figuring out how to make a career out of driving fast in circles. NASCAR 25 gets this right by making ARCA the foundation of career mode.

The Learning Curve That Previous Games Ignored

ARCA cars handle differently from Cup Series monsters. They’re less forgiving, require different strategies, and the competition is hungrier. These drivers are fighting for every position because their next meal might depend on it. That desperation creates better racing, and hopefully, NASCAR 25 captures that energy.

Previous NASCAR games treated lower series as afterthoughts or training wheels. NASCAR 25 seems to understand that ARCA racing has its unique challenges and rewards. It’s not just “Cup Series Lite” – it’s a legitimate racing series with its personality and drama.

What This Means for the Future of NASCAR Gaming

Finally, a racing game that doesn’t assume every player wants to immediately jump into the most elite level of competition. NASCAR 25’s approach of starting players in ARCA shows respect for the developmental ladder that makes NASCAR special.

The inclusion of all national, east, and west ARCA series drivers means players get exposure to the full breadth of American stock car racing. You’re not just learning about 40 Cup Series drivers – you’re discovering the next generation of talent before they become household names.

The Bottom Line on NASCAR 25’s ARCA Integration

NASCAR gaming fans have been burned before, so obviously, there’s going to be some skepticism surrounding this new game because there are a lot of unanswered questions. NASCAR games have promised authenticity and delivered arcade experiences with official licenses slapped on top.

NASCAR 25’s commitment to including a complete ARCA experience, from career mode integration to a comprehensive driver roster, suggests someone finally understands what racing fans want. The fact that players will start their careers in ARCA isn’t just a gameplay mechanic – it’s a statement about respecting the sport’s structure and development system.

Whether NASCAR 25 delivers on this promise remains to be seen, but at least they’re asking the right questions for once. After years of disappointing NASCAR games that felt like cash grabs with fancy graphics, maybe – just maybe – we’re finally getting something worth the wait. The ARCA roster alone shows more attention to detail than most previous games managed across their entire driver lineups.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

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