NASCAR 25 has an abundance of race tracks for players to choose from (30, to be precise), but not all tracks are created equal. While each track has its niche, some are unarguably harder to traverse. Whether it’s the length of the race or the irregular shape of the track, tracks like Watkins Glen or Circuit of the Americas (COTA) stand out when it comes to difficulty.
However, they still don’t compare to the hardest track in NASCAR 25, which is what we’ll be talking about today. Is every track easier if you have the right setup? Perhaps. But clearing this one takes more than just pure luck. Let’s take a look at which track is considered the hardest track in NASCAR 25.
The Hardest Track In NASCAR 25
The track we’re talking about is the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, regarded as one of the most difficult tracks not just by players, but by professional drivers as well. The short length and tight layout of the track make it difficult to grab the perfect turning opportunity, and mistakes are punished much harder here. Recovering after a bad turn could very well cost you the race.
There are a few different factors that contribute to the difficulty of this track. The first, as mentioned, is the shape and length of the track. This is undoubtedly one of the biggest contributing factors to what makes this track hard. Next, you have a generally narrow track, getting even narrower on turns. Hold your place before the turn to avoid losing control.
Recovering is quite difficult as well. Since it’s a shorter track, you can’t rely on your opponents making a mistake to overtake them. Time is ticking, and with it, your chance of victory slipping away. Finally, you have the setup sensitivity and mental fortitude required to clear this track. Trust me, you won’t get this down on the first try. But consistency and experimentation are key to figuring out the LOIRP.
Oval-Shaped Layout With Sharp Turns
We mentioned how the shape of the track will be one of your biggest opponents. An oval-shaped track means there’s not a lot of straight track to pick up speed, and you’ll need to constantly drive at an angle. Alongside the shape itself, we have the turns. LOIRP has 4 distinct turns, with 12 degrees of banking at each turn. 12 degrees isn’t a lot of leeway, so you’ll want to drop speed before going into each turn.
Balancing your acceleration on the oval track with braking during each turn can be tricky and requires a few tries just to get the hang of it. Go too fast and you risk skidding off-track, but go too slow and, before you know it, you’re in last place. You also want a good handle on your car going into turns, since a loose setup might cause you to slip up.
Higher Traffic Congestion
The track itself is one thing; the other cars are another. LOIRP is a fairly narrow track in NASCAR 25. Cars will often bump into each other unintentionally, causing the other to slide off track. This is made even harder during turns, which is why we emphasized managing your speed beforehand.
With a narrower track, it becomes much more difficult to overtake cars. Even if you speed up, you still need some portion of the track free to actually move past them. You’ll need to plan your overtake correctly, or risk placing both you and your opponent in last place.
Tire Wear & Sensitivity Setup
We’ve talked extensively about how difficult the track is, but where do players struggle setup-wise? Majorly, the cornering grip and speed on straights. Finding the perfect balance between these two settings is an art, even more so for LOIRP. Since banking is at 12 degrees for this track, you’ll need moderate to high cornering grip without compromising too much on speed on straights.
Then again, there isn’t a lot of straight track present, so adding just the right amount of points here is key to making your setup work like a charm. You also need to take into account tire wear when it comes to sharp turns. Over time, this track can really deteriorate your tire’s health.
Consistency & Practice
LOIRP isn’t an easy track by any means, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be mastered. A lot of players fail when they give up on understanding the track, even with the correct setup and tricks. This can be exhausting, especially because with a track this short, every move needs to be calculated and precise.
Practice is key, and consistency can be achieved if you’ve got the skill to back it up. Remember that this track cannot be cleared on sheer luck alone, so get those laps in before you go up against the big guns.
