Picture this: A legendary seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, hailed as one of the sport's all-time greats, gets slapped with a lowly rating in a brand-new racing video game, placing him as the eighth-worst active driver. That's the jaw-dropping bombshell hitting Jimmie Johnson fans right now, and it's sparking debates across the racing community. But here's where it gets controversial – is this rating a fair shake at his current skills, or a harsh reminder that glory days don't last forever? Stick with me as we dive deeper into what this means for Johnson and the world of NASCAR gaming.
iRacing Studios unleashed NASCAR 25 on Tuesday, bringing their cutting-edge racing simulation to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S for the first time. This highly anticipated game marks a bold step into console territory for the PC-based sim masters, and right out of the gate, players discovered how the creators graded the real-life talents of today's Cup Series drivers. Among the buzzworthy revelations – which you can check out in full detail on Jalopnik's roundup of upcoming racing games – Jimmie Johnson, the icon with seven championships under his belt, scored a mere 54 out of 100. That puts him as the eighth-worst active driver on the roster, a ranking that's got fans scratching their heads and firing up discussions.
While the main iRacing platform on PC thrives on head-to-head battles between human racers, NASCAR 25 flips the script with a powerhouse single-player mode featuring AI versions of actual drivers. And no, these digital doppelgängers aren't all created equal in speed or skill – far from it. Racing titles inspired by real-world championships, like this one, tweak driver abilities behind the scenes to mimic authentic results, much like how Madden NFL adjusts player stats for realistic gameplay. Lately, though, these games have made those ratings front-and-center, just like in sports sims where you pick your team based on visible attributes.
And this is the part most people miss – NASCAR 25's driver ratings aren't just about pure talent or driving prowess. They factor in a whole lot more, which complicates things for newcomers to the sport. To clarify: A driver's performance on the track isn't only down to their innate skills. Take Jimmie Johnson, for instance. When he hung up his full-time racing boots after the 2020 season, he wasn't the dominant force he once was. He wrapped up his last two years in the points standings at a respectable but not spectacular 18th place – yet here he sits as the 40th-highest rated in the game, still miles ahead of his current reality. Even overlooking his podium finish at this year's Daytona 500, Johnson's part-time gigs with Legacy Motor Club (formerly Petty GMS, as covered in Jalopnik) have him roughly in that 40th spot today. The key? His team setup simply doesn't match the powerhouse resources of his old Hendrick Motorsports days, and the game's ratings reflect that team disparity, not just his abilities.
iRacing Studios appears to have ranked every active Cup Series driver on a scale from 40 to 100, creating a bell curve of talent. William Byron, the 2024 regular season champion and back-to-back Daytona 500 victor, nabbed a flawless 100 rating, even without a Cup Series title to his name. He's widely seen as the top performer week in and week out right now, proving the system rewards consistent excellence over past accolades. The same approach applies to other series in the game, like the NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series. For a concrete example, this year's ARCA champ, Brenden Queen, got a stellar 99 rating. But let's be real – would Queen hold up as a 99 against the elite Cup Series field? Probably not, and that's a point worth pondering: how do you fairly compare drivers across different tiers of competition?
Now, here's the controversial twist that's got everyone talking: Is Johnson's low rating an accurate snapshot of his decline, or is it unfairly punishing a legend for moving on from full-time racing? Some argue it makes sense – after all, past glory shouldn't guarantee top marks forever, especially when team support dwindles. Others might see it as a slap in the face to someone who revolutionized the sport. What do you think? Does the rating system capture the true essence of a driver's worth, or should historical achievements weigh heavier? Should video games prioritize current form, or blend in legacy? Drop your hot takes in the comments – I can't wait to hear the debate!
