NASCAR Thunder 2003

Tiburon Speedway track:
Complete any Lightning Challenge. Recommendations for the challenges are either Wrecord or The Big One on Talledega starring the #4 driver. For Car Setups, set the Gear Ratio Preset to 10 where Top Speed is 7/8 full and Acceleration is 1/8 full. Then, set Tire Pressure to 30 PSI. Then go to Downforce and set both options to the minimum level so that Top Speed is increased. You will be able to reach speeds of over 240 mph. The reason this is fast is because unlike other tracks, there are no Restrictor Plates to keep drivers from going over 200 mph.
Information in this section was contributed by Glower333.

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.

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.

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.

When you finish a Lightning Challenge, you may get drivers, tracks, or paint schemes. Complete about four Lightning Challenges and you may get some. Keep to get more paint schemes.
Information in this section was contributed by Dylan Evans.

Hint: Eight Championships:
Win all eight championships and get the Eight Championships video with a New Lightning challenge.
Information in this section was contributed by T8r9g.

Hint: 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.

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.

At any short track, set your psi (tire pressure) all the way to 60 and just run on the wall. Keep the wheel turned all the way to the left and you should have an easy win.
Information in this section was contributed by BIG PIMP.

Hint: 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.

To unlock paint schemes, instead of using the veteran difficulty setting, go to the rookie setting switch the speed one level to the right. It will become custom. This will also unlock paint schemes.

Win two titles to unlock the Driver Kitt paint.
Information in this section was contributed by Kingdog819@.

Hint: 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.
Information in this section was contributed by nyr44.

Hint: 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.
Information in this section was contributed by Yanks812.

Hint: 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.
Information in this section was contributed by SKYMASTER51.

Hint: Faster donuts on celebration:
When you win a race and start to celebrate, begin to do a donut. When you are spinning, hold the brake and your car will spin even faster.
Information in this section was contributed by Mike Dickinson.

Hint: 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.
Information in this section was contributed by Dance5801.

Hint: 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.
Information in this section was contributed by Ryan W.

When at Bristol Motor Speedway on the second lap, on the second turn the other cars will slow down.
Information in this section was contributed by jrolivio.

Hint: Bristol: Great crash:
Go to Bristol, turn around, and run directly into the lead car. If yellow flags are on, you will not be able to turn around.
Information in this section was contributed by Corey Walton.

Hint: 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.
Information in this section was contributed by JugHead5267.

At Daytona in career mode in the Datona 500, when you pit instead of taking four tires or right side tires, take on left side tires and enough fuel to make it to the finish. You should leave the pits in first place, providing that you came in first or near it.
Information in this section was contributed by BJchevy24.

Hint: Daytona: Super speed:
Go to Daytona Super Speedway at any length. At a round of pit stops, before you enter, go to speeds of 71 to 75 mph. Do your pit stop with a penalty; your speeds should be at around 207 mph. This will work about 50% of the time.
Information in this section was contributed by Devon Boyle.

Set your gear ratios to preset 6 and tire pressure at 21 psi. You will go up to 194 mph. Note: It will take your car some time to get up to speed, but on the second lap you might even reach speeds of 197 mph (because you will be drafting).
Information in this section was contributed by OoMikeVick7oO.

Hint: 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.
Information in this section was contributed by SquareSoft519.

Hint: Talladega: Car setups:
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.

Go into car setup. Then, select "Auto Transmission". Set the tire pressure to "30". Loosen or tighten the car as desired. Finally, go to the gear ratios. Leave the first gear as is. Set second gear to "1.85", third gear go "1.35", fourth gear to "1.01" or "1.02", and leave rear end as is. When you start the race, second and third gear will be a little slow, but when you get to fourth you will blow them away. At the end of the first lap you should be going about 190 to 195 mph.
Information in this section was contributed by Anakin1287.

Hint: Tiburon: Great crash:
Let all the cars pass you at the star of the race. Line up on the start/finish line so that the front of your car is facing the wall and the back of it is facing the pits. Hold the brakes and wait for the other cars to come around. With you parked out on the track and the other cars coming around, they will hit you. When they do, you and other cars will go flying up in the air. Sometimes this takes out four or more cars, and perhaps even all of them.
Information in this section was contributed by racinrichard.

Hint: Watkins Glen: Easy win:
Set the race length to 5%. On the first lap, cause a caution. When asked to pit, do not. On the second lap, cause another caution. This time when asked, pit. You will be 43rd place, but just before lap 4 everyone else will have to come in and pit. You will coast to an easy win with enough fuel and tires.
Information in this section was contributed by nyr44.

Turn damage off, cautions off and leave unlimited gas/tires off, so you cannot be destroyed. Note: This works on Watkins Glen or Infineon. At the starting of the race immediately, move off to either side of the track without slowing the other cars down. Around the start line, go sideways and hold the brake. When they come around, they should run into but you will not go very far. Then, wait there. They should start running into each other. Sometimes they will all start bouncing around like popcorn. At one point they will disappear. Go after any one that has gotten past by going backwards. When they are all blown up, keep getting fuel and doing laps until you are in first place. Then, drive at the wall until your gas runs out. You will still win. This useful for unlocking the Thunder Plate races.

Hint: Bud Shoot Out:
On the first lap, go into the pits and take on left side tires only (no gas or repairs). When you leave the pits, cause a caution. After all of the caution laps, there will only be one lap remaining and not enough time for anyone to pit.
Information in this section was contributed by Nate T.

Hint: Lap It Up lightning challenge:
At Martinsville Speedway using the 43 car, drive the first few laps with auto-brake on. Try to get as close as you can to Jeff Burton. Then on the last turn, turn off the auto-brake and try to hit Burton on the side, letting you in the lead and win. This may require several attempts, as you may get penalized for reckless driving and sometimes will not get close enough.

Hint: 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.
Information in this section was contributed by Collin Adler.

Hint: Pocono thunder challenge:
Pause game play during the race. Go to the settings and set "Auto Brake" to "Off". Set "Stability Control" to "Limited". You will be able to catch your opponent. Try to stay off the wall; if you hit it too much you car will be gone.
Information in this section was contributed by Cornholio8931.

Hint: The Big One lightning challenge:
At the start of the challenge or a few seconds after, slow the car to 181 to 183 mph. Do not let the meter at the top of the screen transfer below 24th or you will be out of contention. When you feel that you have enough room between the cars that will wreck and yourself, accelerate. You should have enough speed to get to about 4th place. Stay alert to dodge the wrecking cars. Do not slow if you happen to drive through some smoke. You have to time it correctly in order to catch the lead pack.
Information in this section was contributed by Collin Adler.

Hint: Career mode set-ups:
During your first years in career mode, your crew chief will not be as experienced in choosing the correct setup for Superspeedways. If you go with his decisions, you will not finish well. Instead, go to practice mode and get a feel for the track. If your lap times do not come close to the pole sitter's time (about one or two seconds), then make changes on your car. Increase your fourth gear ratio by four or five notches; you will see your acceleration increase. This will allow you to achieve your top speed faster, and you can accelerate out of the corners faster. It is also a good idea to pit at the halfway mark on a 5% race, as most cars will take the next lap to pit and you will not run into pit road traffic. Remember to draft, and you can finish with a good position, and perhaps even win.
Information in this section was contributed by JazzBandTbone.

Hint: Rookie stripes:
When in career mode, the back of your bumper has yellow stripes on it. When you get to the second season, they will be gone.
Information in this section was contributed by T8r9g.