<s>
NASCAR	B-Application
Thunder	I-Application
2003	I-Application
is	O
the	O
sixth	O
edition	O
of	O
the	O
EA	O
Sports	O
 '	O
NASCAR	O
racing	B-Application
simulator	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developed	O
by	O
EA	O
Sports	O
and	O
Budcat	O
Creations	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Device
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
on	O
September	O
19	O
,	O
2002	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
on	O
October	O
16	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Being	O
a	O
racing	B-Application
simulation	I-Application
,	O
NASCAR	B-Application
Thunder	I-Application
2003	I-Application
places	O
the	O
player	O
in	O
control	O
of	O
a	O
stock	O
car	O
in	O
a	O
NASCAR	O
race	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
multiplayer	O
support	O
,	O
NASCAR	B-Application
Thunder	I-Application
2003	I-Application
becomes	O
split-screen	O
and	O
eliminates	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
field	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Returning	O
from	O
NASCAR	B-Application
Thunder	I-Application
2002	I-Application
,	O
it	O
places	O
the	O
player	O
in	O
control	O
of	O
a	O
custom	O
NASCAR	O
Winston	O
Cup	O
Series	O
driver	O
,	O
who	O
must	O
manage	O
pit	O
crew	O
,	O
sponsorship	O
and	O
research	O
and	O
development	O
for	O
20	O
seasons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
month	O
after	O
the	O
console	O
versions	O
 '	O
release	O
,	O
a	O
PC	O
version	O
of	O
NASCAR	B-Application
Thunder	I-Application
2003	I-Application
was	O
made	O
available	O
,	O
becoming	O
the	O
second	O
PC	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
received	O
"	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
on	O
all	O
platforms	O
except	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
,	O
which	O
received	O
"	O
average	O
"	O
reviews	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
GameCube	B-Application
version	O
was	O
a	O
runner-up	O
for	O
the	O
"	O
Best	O
Driving	O
Game	O
for	O
GameCube	B-Application
"	O
award	O
at	O
GameSpots	O
Best	O
and	O
Worst	O
of	O
2002	O
Awards	O
,	O
which	O
went	O
to	O
NASCAR	B-Application
:	I-Application
Dirt	I-Application
to	I-Application
Daytona	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
also	O
a	O
runner-up	O
for	O
the	O
"	O
Console	O
Racing	O
"	O
award	O
at	O
the	O
Academy	O
of	O
Interactive	O
Arts	O
&	O
Sciences	O
 '	O
6th	O
Annual	O
Interactive	O
Achievement	O
Awards	O
,	O
which	O
went	O
to	O
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
:	I-Application
Hot	I-Application
Pursuit	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
