Welcome to the official NASCAR 26 Career Mode walkthrough! In this series, we’ll give you the inside line on making the most out of your NASCAR 26 career, working your way up from a start-up team in the ARCA Menards Series to the upper echelons of the NASCAR Cup Series.

Today, we’re going to have a look at some of the real-world personalities that show up in the game, and the different ways that they’ll either support your race efforts or bring you the biggest news in the sport.

Peak Performance

Steve Letarte and Jamie McMurray’s guidance was key to getting you licensed for your first ARCA start at Daytona, but that doesn’t mean that they’re just going to disappear. More Peak Performance coaching sessions will show up along the way.

Just like at Daytona, you’ll receive guidance about where—and how—to drive the track you’re on, from the optimal lines to throttle, lift, and brake points. Ovals will likely be straightforward, but if you’re not a skilled road racer, this is where you can learn how to better conquer whichever track is on the schedule next.

Don’t feel like being coached? Not hitting your goals and just want to move on? No problem. You can either back out of an in-progress session and just go to the track, or skip the session entirely.

Dirty Mo Media Podcasts

When an important piece of news occurs after a race, you’ll be prompted to watch an all-new episode of either the Dale Jr. Download, featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr. and TJ Majors, or Door Bumper Clear, featuring Freddie Kraft, Tommy Baldwin, and Karsyn Elledge. The hosts will discuss the biggest news in NASCAR and add their unique insight on the event. Then, one of your team members will sum up how it affects you.

Sometimes, this news will be fantastic for your career, such as a cameo role in a movie that boosts your Reputation Points. Other times, it’ll have a direct negative impact on your race prep, like an illness that affects your crew members and cuts your Work Points for the week, forcing you to strategize around them. On other occasions, it won’t have anything to do with you directly at all—but its impact on one of your championship rivals might give you a window to make up some points or extend your lead.

Much like real-world lucky and unlucky breaks, this news can occur at any time during your career. As a result, no two playthroughs of NASCAR 26’s Career Mode are alike.

Next time, we’ll have a look at your Reputation and how to earn your way into higher levels of NASCAR action.

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