What Assists Should I Turn On First?

New to NASCAR 25? Learn What Assists Should I Turn On First, plus quick steps, presets, and fixes so you can turn clean laps fast without spinning or crashing.

You’re new, the car won’t stay planted, and every corner feels like a coin flip. Here’s the fix: a simple assist setup that stabilizes the car, teaches good habits, and lets you add speed safely. We’ll show you exactly What Assists Should I Turn On First and how to adjust them as you improve.

Quick answer

Turn on Auto Transmission, the Dynamic Racing Line (Corners or Full), and stability/traction help on Low–Medium if available. Keep Damage reduced and Tire/Fuel wear low for practice. If the game offers presets (like Relaxed/Normal), start with the easiest, then step down one level once you can run 5–10 clean laps in a row. As you gain control, reduce Stability/Traction one notch at a time and switch the racing line to Corners Only.

Do this now (60 seconds)

• Set Auto Transmission to On.
• Enable the Racing Line (Corners Only is ideal; Full is fine if you’re totally new).
• Set Stability/Spin Assist to Low or Medium; set Traction/Throttle Assist to Low or Medium if available.
• Reduce Damage and lower Tire Wear/Fuel (or turn off for solo practice).
• Drop AI difficulty below the midpoint so you can focus on driving, not blocking.
• If there’s a Preset like Relaxed/Easy, choose it first.

What Assists Should I Turn On First?

• Auto Transmission: removes missed-shift/stall risk so you can focus on lines and throttle.
• Racing Line: shows braking/turn-in points; switch to Corners Only once you know straights.
• Stability/Spin Recovery (names vary): keeps rear planted on corner exit; start Low–Medium.
• Traction/Throttle Assist (if offered): smooths wheelspin; start Low–Medium.
• ABS/Brake Assist (if offered): On or Low while learning road courses/short tracks.
• Damage: Reduced or Off for practice to avoid reset loops.
• Tire/Fuel Wear: Slower/Off for practice so the car feels consistent.
• Pit Assist (if present): On at first so pit entry/exit doesn’t ruin races.

Note: Real NASCAR Cup cars don’t use ABS or traction control. If NASCAR 25 includes them, think of these as training wheels you’ll remove later.

What this means in NASCAR 25

• Assists are training tools that tame the car and simplify inputs. They help you focus on lines, throttle timing, and race craft.
• Why this matters: stability adds consistency; consistency builds speed. You’ll progress faster if you stop spinning, complete longer runs, and learn tire management.
• Jargon quick hits:
  • Tight/Push: car won’t turn; it drifts up the track mid-corner.
  • Loose: rear steps out; oversteer, especially on corner exit.
  • Draft: speed gain behind another car due to reduced air resistance.
  • Aero push: tight feeling in traffic because of disturbed air.
  • Tire falloff: lap times slow as tires wear; smooth driving saves rubber.
  • Cautions: yellow flags bunch up the field after incidents.

Symptoms → likely causes → fixes (beginner-focused)

• Spinning on corner exit
  • Likely cause: too much throttle; stability/traction too low.
  • Fix: raise Stability/Traction one step; squeeze throttle progressively off the apex.
• Car won’t turn (pushes mid-corner)
  • Likely cause: entry speed too high; steering assist too high can also fight you.
  • Fix: brake/lift earlier; lower Steering Assist one step if it exists.
• Brakes lock on short tracks/road courses
  • Likely cause: no ABS; abrupt brake input.
  • Fix: enable ABS/Brake Assist if available; try 80–90% brake pressure, then ease off.
• Wiggly on restarts
  • Likely cause: cold tires; aggressive throttle; no traction aid.
  • Fix: use half-throttle to 3rd gear; increase Traction/Throttle Assist one step.
• Fast in time trial but slow in traffic
  • Likely cause: aero push; following too close mid-corner.
  • Fix: lift earlier when tucked in draft; diamond the corner to open exit.
• Penalties/pit lane spins
  • Likely cause: hot entry; manual pit off-line.
  • Fix: enable Pit Assist until you’ve learned entry speeds and lines.

Step-by-step: How to do it

1. Find the assists menu

   • Likely path: Main Menu → Options/Settings → Gameplay/Driving → Assists/Driving Aids.
   • If you see “Driving Style” or “Preset” (Relaxed/Normal/Expert): choose Relaxed/Easy.

2. If presets aren’t available (individual toggles)

   • Turn On: Auto Transmission, Racing Line (Corners/Full), Stability/Spin Assist Low–Medium.
   • If available: Traction/Throttle Assist Low–Medium; ABS/Brake Assist On/Low.
   • Set Damage to Reduced/Off; Tire/Fuel wear to Slow/Off for practice.

3. Test in solo practice

   • What you should feel: car tracks straight off corners, fewer snap-spins, consistent laps within ~0.5–1.0 sec of each other.
   • Common gotcha: too much assist can make the car feel numb/tight. If it won’t rotate, reduce Stability one notch.

4. Step down gradually

   • Run 5–10 clean laps; lower one assist by one step.
   • Repeat until you make small mistakes, then bump that assist back up one click.

Beginner settings & assists (recommended)

• Beginner

  • Auto Transmission On; Racing Line Corners/Full; Stability Low–Medium; Traction/Throttle Low–Medium; ABS/Brake Assist On/Low if available; Damage Reduced; Tire/Fuel Slow/Off; Pit Assist On.
  • Why: maximize seat time without spins or penalties.

• Intermediate

  • Auto Transmission On or Manual if comfortable; Racing Line Corners Only; Stability Low; Traction/Throttle Low or Off; ABS Off if you can modulate brakes; Damage Normal; Tire/Fuel Normal.
  • Why: more car feel and tire learning with manageable risk.

• Advanced

  • Manual Transmission; Racing Line Off; Stability Off; Traction Off; ABS Off; Full Damage; Normal/Realistic Tire & Fuel; Flags and Pit Assist Off.
  • Why: full control, authenticity, and maximum pace ceiling.

Practice drill (10 minutes)

• Track: any 1.5-mile oval available (typical “intermediate” speedway).
• Plan:
  • 3 minutes: Baseline with Beginner setup. Focus on lifting early, gentle turn-in, and squeezing throttle off the apex.
  • 3 minutes: Reduce Stability one notch. Keep the same marks; compare exits.
  • 3 minutes: Switch Racing Line to Corners Only. Memorize braking/turn-in without relying on straights.
  • 1 minute: Note best lap and consistency. Adjust one assist up/down if you spun or pushed badly.
• Success: 5+ clean laps in a row with exits under control and lap deltas within ~0.5–0.8 sec.
• Avoid: chopping the wheel or matting the throttle at corner exit.

Common beginner mistakes (and the fix)

• Turning every assist to max
  • Result: the car won’t rotate and feels slow.
  • Fix: drop Stability/Steering Assist one step; brake earlier to help the car turn.
• Practicing in packs too early
  • Result: aero push hides bad habits.
  • Fix: learn solo first; add traffic later.
• Changing multiple settings at once
  • Result: you can’t tell what helped.
  • Fix: adjust one assist by one step, test, then move on.
• Braking too late on short tracks
  • Result: slide up the track, contact, cautions.
  • Fix: brake in a straight line; enable ABS/Brake Assist while learning.
• Hammering throttle on exit
  • Result: snap oversteer or fishtailing.
  • Fix: squeeze to full over 1–2 seconds; raise Traction/Throttle Assist a notch if needed.
• Ignoring tire wear
  • Result: fast early, slow late.
  • Fix: smooth inputs; once consistent, turn wear back on to learn long-run pace.

FAQs

• Does NASCAR 25 have ABS or traction control?

  • Real NASCAR stock cars don’t. If NASCAR 25 includes these, they’re game assists meant for learning. Use them early, then phase them out.

• Should I use the racing line?

  • Yes at first. Start with Full or Corners Only to learn braking/turn-in. Move to Corners Only, then Off, as you memorize reference points.

• What AI difficulty should I start with when using assists?

  • Pick a value below the midpoint so you can run clean laps without pressure. Raise difficulty once you can keep pace and race side-by-side without incidents.

• Is Auto Transmission slower?

  • Slightly, at higher skill levels. Early on it frees your brain for lines and throttle. Switch to Manual once you’re consistent to gain exit control.

• Are assists allowed online?

  • Many lobbies allow basic assists; some competitive rooms restrict them. Check lobby settings before joining.

• My car is stable but too tight. Which assist should I reduce first?

  • Drop Stability/Steering Assist one notch, or raise Brake Assist off/low so you can trail brake gently to help rotation.

• Do assists affect tire wear?

  • Indirectly. Stability/Traction can reduce wheelspin but may keep you on throttle longer. Smooth inputs matter most—use assists to build that habit.

Next steps

Start with the Beginner setup above, run the 10-minute drill, and notch assists down as you keep the car clean. Consistency first, speed second—that’s how you move up fast.

• Next: set your assists, run solo laps on an intermediate oval, then reduce Stability one step.
• Related articles:
  • How to Set AI Difficulty You Can Actually Race
  • Controller vs. Wheel: Best Settings for NASCAR 25
  • Short-Track Braking: Entry, Trail, and Exit Tips
  • Drafting 101: Clean Air, Side Drafts, and Runs
  • Pit Entry and Exit: Speed, Lines, and Penalties