No one knew this NASCAR secret for 18 YEARS

[raginstang]

That's definitely a load bearing pirate wheel. If it's deleted the track loses collision and you fall through the track.

[DLc]

It’s probably just one of those “old code” things where if it gets deleted, the code breaks, and so they left it there for that reason

[DarktideVtuber]

Devs will often mess around within their own games and i can confirm, it is very common for us to just leave stuff somewhere where "nobody can ever find it". We never learn.

[Nedums]

in NT2004, There was a track named Dockside, so the wheel probably came from there, but im sure that the pirate wheel is there to keep the track working.

[davidmuncy]

It's just part of old code writing. They often had some sub codes program running that allowed something to work, like physics or sound. They were often represented by a physical item that allowed developers to observe it's working properly. This icon was hard written into the code, so it was something that could span several games if the same engine was used. I would guess the wheel was just some generic item they could select that was so far out from the content In the game, they could easily find it without thinking it was a glitch

[jaykay]

Usually those are on a ship and it’s used to steer it

[corvettezone]

Probably one of those things where it serves no purpose but if you removed it Poland gets invaded again. It's quite common.

[lucastraman]

There's a tomato png that holds TF2 together

If it wasn't there the game wouldn't work

[ultramavor]

Wow, what’s really weird is that I have a copy of that exact game sitting next to me right now. I pulled my old PS2 down from the attic just a few weeks ago, and Nascar Thunder 2004 was there in the box.

[WannabeFlagman]

EA NASCAR was built off their NFL game code. To find the origins you’d likely need to trace back through the Madden games.

[unknownmanufacturer]

It's actually the control module for the tracks it keeps you from normally going outside the maps boundary if it's deleted the game would be unplayable

[CharizardMaster]

it’s one of those things where it’ll break the game if it’s not there for whatever reason.

[TKFTW]

My guess is it was a physics engine test that they left in so long that when they removed it the game would crash so instead they just left it in

[knkn]

It is sprite to hold some code, when i do something, i start from creating an empty "sprite" and fill it with functions, when i m done with this function and it works ws intended, i do forget about this sprite and never touch it again due to OOP paradigma. This wheel must be draw trees of track or something like this.

[kylelanctot]

This needs a remaster the national anthem with the start your engines and the flyover you could do burnouts till your tires popped or engine blew it was awesome

[ImTheMilkMan]

The pirate wheel probably there to fuck with people who over think things or they were time traveling Alestorm fans

[johnnycaldwell]

It's probably like the JPEG of the coconut from TF2

[turboluck]

Im guessing its a carried over asset from another game they worked on and it just hung around

[childofchrist]

This just brought back an abundance of memories I played this game nonstop🤣🤣

[haroldthefrog]

In nascar dirt to daytona, in turn one of homestead there is a blue/orange tire barrier, if you enter it from the butt end you can..albiet very slowly glitch into the infield. Works in the trucks at least. Found it after wrecking and trying to smash my car