NASCAR was the American stock-car racing license that first appeared in Gran Turismo 5. Its inclusion brought officially branded American oval-racing content to Polyphony Digital’s driving simulator.
Gran Turismo 5 was released for PlayStation 3 in 2010 and expanded the series’ licensed motorsport lineup with NASCAR, the World Rally Championship and Super GT. NASCAR was represented through recognizable cars, drivers and events, including guidance from four-time NASCAR Cup champion Jeff Gordon.
The license was more than a name attached to a menu: the game modeled stock cars associated with the series and incorporated NASCAR-style racing into its event structure. Later updates also added additional NASCAR vehicles, including 11 cars in the Spec 2.0 update released in 2011.
Players sometimes confuse NASCAR with IndyCar because both are major American racing disciplines, but they are distinct: NASCAR is primarily associated with stock cars and oval racing, while IndyCar uses open-wheel cars and was not the license introduced by GT5.