Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge explained

Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge should not be confused with NASCAR Challenge.

Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge
Developer:Distinctive Software
Publisher:Konami
Designer:Bill Elliott
Don Mattrick
Stanley Chow
Amory Wong
Programmer:Penny Lee
Alan Stewart
Ted Sylka
Rick Friesen
Amory Wong
Artist:Athena Baxevanakis
Laura Luris
Composer:Michael J. Sokyrka
Krisjan Hatlelid
Brian Plank
Released:March 1991 (NES)[1]
Genre:Racing
Modes:Single-player
Platforms:MS-DOS, Amiga, Macintosh, NES

Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge is a video game developed by Distinctive Software and published by Konami and was released for MS-DOS, Amiga, Macintosh and Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991.

A very similar game, Bill Elliott's NASCAR Fast Tracks, was released for the Game Boy in 1991 by Konami.

This game is the first video game to ever secure the NASCAR license. It features several real NASCAR tracks in the game, such as Watkins Glen and Talladega. This game is also the first to feature a real NASCAR driver in a PC game, Bill Elliott.

Gameplay

Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge is a racing game simulation of the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit. Gameplay is always seen from an in-car perspective.

Before the race starts players can choose their car. There are three different racecars to choose from. A Pontiac Grand Prix, a Ford Thunderbird, and a Chevrolet Lumina.

Players could choose to run single races at each track, or run for the season championship. The race distances ranged from 10 miles to a more realistic distance of 500 miles for the superspeedway races. In the MS-DOS version, the championship consisted of a visit to each of the eight tracks. In the NES and Game Boy versions, the season championship consisted of each of the four tracks run twice, for a total of eight races. Championship points were awarded consistent to the real-life Winston Cup of the time.

Contest

In 1991, Konami sponsored a contest where players could submit top scores for a chance to win a trip to the 1992 Daytona 500 to meet Bill Elliott, and a 1992 Ford Thunderbird. To enter, players were to send 35mm photographs of their final championship score using full race distances, manual transmission and regular damage settings.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Daytona:Elliott envisions comeback from trying season. Detroit Free Press. February 17, 1991. August 20, 2021. Newspapers.com.
  2. Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge materials -- contest sheet -- 1990.