NASCAR Thunder 2003

[final kaoss]

• Better acceleration and easier handling

For all of the tracks except for Daytona and Talledega, go into car setup before the race. Change your tire pressure down to 15 psi for better acceleration and easier handling. For Daytona and Talledega, leave it at 25 psi.

• Bristol: Easy win

First, turn on the running line, and unlimited fuel and tires. Qualify as you would for any track. During the race, when the running line turns red, wait a moment before letting off the gas. Then, press the gas when you reach the green again. The car will automatically go high, and the other cars will slow down. You can go around them. It may take a few laps, but eventually you will be running in the front. This tactic can be adapted for all short tracks.

• Daytona: Easy win

Make sure the race is set on ten percent race length. Then, cause a crash on lap four. If done correctly, there should be a caution. Go into the pits, and ignore that fact if no one else also enters. You will probably be last, but there will soon be another caution and the leaders will come in. Stay out and do not pit. After the stop, you should be in first or second place. You will run low on gas, but you will not run out. Block and you will be able to win.

• Easy paint schemes

Use the following trick to unlock your favorite driver's paint schemes easily. First, set the difficulty level to veteran or legend. Then, set the race length to 3%. Turn on unlimited tires and fuel and turn off damage. Go into quick race and choose the driver whose paint scheme you want to unlock. Choose Daytona Night (Pepsi 400). Before you qualify, go into car setup and set the transmission to manual. Set the gear ratio to 5. Exit out and qualify. You will notice your car is much faster than the others. You are running it at over 9500 rpm (about 193 to 198 mph). No one will be able to catch you. The race is very quick. In less than an hour's time, you can unlock many driver paint schemes.

• Easy win

Make sure all races are set on ten percent race length. Drive into the grass and spin out on lap four, rather than crash. This way, your car is not damaged and you are better able to draft. It also works on lap 7 of all 26 lap races under the 10 percent setting, and on lap 12 or 13 of 39 to 40 lap races.

• Easy win 2

Go to career mode and set it up at either 12, 24, or 36 races at 25% or more. Turn cautions off and when you start, slam on your brakes and turn around. Hit the cars at high speed (especially in the back by the fuel tank, which is their weak spot) and they will sometimes catch on fire. When this happens, the car on fire is out of the race. You can also do this by hitting the car and blocking its movements while it is up against the wall. This will also knock a car out of the race after about a minute. Keep on doing this, and if you are good enough, you can knock all the cars out. Then, turn around and finish the race by yourself in first place. This is a good way to increase your prestige and earnings, especially in the early years of your new career.

• Get pole position

Before running a veteran race in quick race mode, take the Thunder license and complete all three levels of the test for the desired track. This will give the first (pole) starting position.

• Night tracks and alternate tracks

Race at the desired track in quick race mode under the veteran difficulty setting. Win the race to unlock a night or alternate version of it.

[final kaoss]

• Paint schemes

To get all the paint schemes for all the drivers, race with the desired driver. Select any track in quick race mode under the veteran difficulty setting. Win the race to unlock one paint scheme. To get more, go to another race track or the same one at a different time (for example, Bristol day or night). This will not work if its the same time of day, such as the two Richmond races or the two Loudon races.

• Pass easily

Draft with the car in front of you for awhile. When you just come out of a turn, move over and you should pass him. You can also do this on a straight away, but it works much better coming out of a turn. Also, drafting helps fuel mileage and your speed.

• Pay At The Pump lightning challenge

During the Pay At The Pump challenge, step on the gas all through the track. Put a big enough lead on Bobby Labonte and Sterling Marlin so that it is about a two to three second gap. You will run out of gas at the exit of turn four, depending on how hard you have been pushing the car. If the lead is big enough, just block and you will win the challenge. This may take a few attempts, but if you drive the car correctly it will be an easy way to win.

• Talladega: Drive over 200 mph

Go into car setup. Go into "Gear Ratios" and change the two down at the very bottom to "89" and "4.45" respectively. Note: "4.45" for the bottom one and "89" for the one above it. Accept the changes, start the race, and by the end of the back stretch on the first lap, you can get up to and over 200 mph.

• Talladega: Easy win

Go to the car set-up then select the gear ratios. Set the ratio number to "5". Make sure damage is off, and tire wear is unlimited. Also, use a manual transmission. Note: This can also be used at Daytona.

• Thunder Plates

Select the Thunder Challenge or Lightning Challenge at the game mode screen. Complete the various challenges to get new Thunder Plates. Note: The Plates are awarded randomly from game to game -- winning a certain track with a particular driver will not unlock the same Plate between games.

• Tiburon Speedway track

Go into the Lightning Challenges. Choose the one with Jimmie Johnson (Home Sweet California) and win the race to unlock the Tiburon Speedway and another Thunder Plate.