NASCAR Heat 2

NASCAR Heat 2 is a racing video game by Monster Games and published by 704Games. It is the sequel to NASCAR Heat Evolution, and was released on September 12, 2017, for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows via Steam.^[1] Kyle Busch is featured on the cover.^[2] The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series are featured in the game for the first time since EA Sports' 2008 release, NASCAR 09. Truck and Xfinity stand-alone tracks, including Eldora Speedway and Gateway Motorsports Park (before it was added to the cup schedule in 2022) are also featured. All three series are playable online, and in career mode, the player can ascend the ranks to conquer the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

NASCAR Heat 2
Cover art featuring Kyle Busch
Developer(s)	Monster Games
Publisher(s)	704Games
Series	NASCAR Heat
Platform(s)	PlayStation 4 Windows Xbox One
Release	September 12, 2017
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

NASCAR Heat 2 was also the working title of NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona, as logos for it appear in some menus of the 2002 game.

Gameplay

Career mode gives players the ability to start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and work up towards the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The player can use their own car or use a driver on a team. In the beginning, users choose a driver from hot seat offers in the Truck Series and progress up the ranks to Cup. Users can also play a single-season championship simulation. Also included are online multiplayer, with races up to 40 players, or local split-screen multiplayer. Challenges featuring different tracks and drivers are also included in the game; all are voiced by Claire B. Lang.

On April 30, 2021, the online servers for NASCAR Heat 2 and NASCAR Heat 3 were shut down.^[3]

Drivers

NASCAR Heat 2 features drivers from all three of NASCAR's national series in the game (42 MENCS drivers, 43 NXS drivers, and 32 NCWTS drivers). However, there are some notable omissions, including Beard Motorsports with driver Brendan Gaughan in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, and all GMS Racing drivers in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, excluding Justin Haley. The driver rosters for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series,^[4] NASCAR Xfinity Series,^[5] and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series^[6] have been confirmed by 704Games. In a patch released in October, 704 added all remaining NASCAR Next drivers including Hailie Deegan and Chase Purdy.

The highest-placing Toyota driver in the Sprint All-Star Race was selected as the cover driver; Last Year: Carl Edwards won the cover driver competition with a fourth-place finish. He retired from NASCAR on January 9, 2017, and handed his ride to Daniel Suárez. That year the eligible drivers were Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, and Martin Truex Jr. Busch won the cover driver competition with a win in the NASCAR All-Star finishing 2nd in Stage 2 in that event and winning the event.

Soundtrack

Song	Artist
"Chemical Weapon"	Steve Everett
"Hurricane Woman"	Wild Adriatic
"Little Gift"	Umphrey's McGee
"Not Quite Done Yet"	Sir Cadian Rhythm
"Hurricane"	Angela Perley and the Howlin' Moons
"You Can't Hurt Me"	Thomas Wynn and The Believers
"Some Nerve"	Wild Adriatic
"Push"	Red Sun Rising
"Check It Out"	Oh The Larceny
"This Is Who We Are"	Written In Kings
"Weather"	Fire Fences
"Scout"	Inner Image
"I Wanna Fly"	The Bihlman Bros.
"Gettin' Home"	Simplified
"Bone Crunching"	Patrick Robert Murdoch

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	(PS4) 66/100[7] (XONE) 59/100[8]

Review scores

Publication	Score
Game Informer	7/10[9]
Hardcore Gamer	4/5[10]
Polygon	7.5/10[11]

Reception

Accolades

The game was nominated for "Game, Franchise Racing" at the 17th Annual National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards.^[12][13]

References

1. Good, Owen S. (May 15, 2017). "NASCAR Heat returns to consoles with a sequel this fall". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
2. Staff (May 20, 2017). "Kyle Busch is cover athlete for NASCAR Heat 2". NASCAR. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Archived from the original on May 21, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
3. "Sunsetting NASCAR Heat 2 and NASCAR Heat 3 Online Servers". 704Games. 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
4. "Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series". NASCAR Heat. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
5. "NASCAR Xfinity Series". NASCAR Heat. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
6. "NASCAR Camping World Truck Series". NASCAR Heat. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
7. "NASCAR Heat 2 for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
8. "NASCAR Heat 2 for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
9. Kato, Matthew (12 September 2017). "NASCAR Heat 2 Review - Falling Back In The Pack". Game Informer. Archived from the original on September 15, 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
10. Wells, Cory (18 September 2017). "Review: NASCAR Heat 2". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
11. S Good, Owen (12 September 2017). "NASCAR Heat 2 review". Polygon. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
12. "Nominee List for 2017". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. February 9, 2018. Archived from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
13. "Horizon wins 7; Mario GOTY". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. March 13, 2018. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018.

External links

• Official website