NASCAR 26 is developed by iRacing Studios, a racing game studio with 200+ employees globally that traces its roots back to Papyrus Design Group, the team behind classic racing sims like NASCAR Racing and Grand Prix Legends.
Who iRacing Studios Is
NASCAR's official announcement names iRacing Studios as NASCAR 26's developer and quotes vice president and senior producer Matt Lewis directly. iRacing Studios' own site describes the company as "Creators of the world's greatest motorsport titles" and states it employs more than 200 people globally.
The studio's lineage runs through Papyrus Design Group, founded in 1987 and closed in 2004. According to iRacing's official pages, founders Dave Kaemmer and John Henry — after Papyrus shut down — "assembled a dream team of developers, many from Papyrus," and launched iRacing.com. Papyrus itself had already produced landmark racing sims: Indianapolis 500: The Simulation (1989), NASCAR Racing (1994), Grand Prix Legends (1998), and NASCAR Racing 2003 Season (2003). That history is one reason NASCAR 26's confirmed features — Dynamic Track Technology, an overhauled tire and braking model — lean toward simulation-grade driving physics rather than an arcade approach.
One detail worth flagging: iRacing's own pages aren't perfectly consistent on the founding year. The Ownership & History page states iRacing "was founded in 2003 by Dave Kaemmer and John Henry," while the iRacing Studios About page describes the modern studio as launching iRacing.com in 2008, after Papyrus closed in 2004. Both are official sources; this guide reports both figures rather than picking one to make the story tidier.
Other Games iRacing Studios Develops
According to iRacing Studios' own site, the studio currently develops several titles beyond NASCAR 26:
| Title | Type |
|---|---|
| iRacing.com | Flagship subscription racing simulation (launched 2008) |
| NASCAR 26 | Official NASCAR console/PC racing game |
| INDYCAR Racing The Game | IndyCar racing game |
| iRacing Arcade | Arcade-style racing title |
| World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing | Dirt track racing game |
| ExoCross | Racing title |
This spread — from a subscription sim used by esports-level racers to a licensed NASCAR console game — is part of why iRacing Studios' NASCAR 26 team can draw on simulation expertise that a studio without iRacing.com's background wouldn't have.
FAQ
iRacing Studios, per NASCAR's official announcement, which quotes vice president and senior producer Matt Lewis.
The company states it has more than 200 employees globally, per its own About page.
Its own site lists iRacing.com, NASCAR 26, INDYCAR Racing The Game, iRacing Arcade, World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing, and ExoCross.