2020 is already shaping up to be a huge year for Tony Stewart. On January 31, the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was officially inducted into the 2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame class, and, on February 5, it was announced that Smoke would be getting his very own video game. The Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner is teaming up with Monster Games, the developer of the NASCAR Heat video game series, for Tony Stewart's Sprint Car Racing.
The racing game is set for a February 14 release date, two days before the Daytona 500. Available for digital download on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the game will be sold for $30.
WATCH: Trailer for Tony Stewart's Sprint Car Racing Game
"I'm really excited to partner with Monster Games on this opportunity. The team has done a great job of capturing the sport, and putting it in the hands of any fan who wants to pick up the game and have a lot of fun playing it," Stewart, who owns the All Star Circuit of Champions, said in a press release. "With the quick-hitting action of sprint car racing, the qualifying, the heat races, and all events leading to the A-main, it's really the perfect experience for a video game and I'm excited to be a part of it."
Rich Garcia, President of Monster Games, added, "We wanted to create something for our fans that was really unique, and after seeing the popularity of dirt racing in our previous games, the direction we wanted to go was pretty clear."
"Nothing compares to the excitement level at the local dirt tracks on a Friday or Saturday night, and that's what we really wanted to capture."
To everyone who had a hand in my career, thank you. Thank you for the sacrifice and support. Thank you for the straight talk and the encouragement. Thank you to the fans. Thank you to my family. Thanks all around.#NASCARHOFer pic.twitter.com/tsG0czS6Od
— Tony Stewart (@TonyStewart) February 2, 2020
According to Speedway Digest, "the game will feature 410 Winged Sprint Cars and TQ Midgets from the All Star Circuit of Champions, as well as 305 Wingless Sprint Cars. "
"Career mode will allow fans to work their way up through the ranks of each series, racing on 24 unique dirt tracks along the way. Or, you can battle it out in the 25-player online races for a chance to take over the top spot on the leaderboards, and secure the ultimate bragging rights with your friends."
If you're not familiar with the Monster Games' NASCAR Heat series, it was fairly successful and received generally favorable reviews. Such drivers as Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, and Chase Elliott were featured on covers over the years. Even Stewart himself was on the cover of NASCAR Heat 4, the latest game in the series.
Given Monster Games' developing prowess, and Tony Stewart's involvement in the project (his business savvy seems to be on par with his auto racing skills), Tony Stewart's Sprint Car Racing could very well be the next big racing video game.