Thrustmaster NASCAR Pro Racing Wheel

The Thrustmaster NASCAR Pro Racing Wheel is a full-size PC steering wheel and pedal set designed to bring realistic driving control to racing simulations. Released around 1999, it connects via the standard 15-pin gameport and is built with the same tank-like construction ThrustMaster became known for. The unit includes a 9.75-inch rubber-coated wheel with four programmable buttons, a separate weighted two-pedal base (gas and brake), and a console-mounted analog shift lever. The entire assembly clamps to a desk using ThrustMaster’s Cam-Lock system: two quarter-moon arms with pivoting rubber pads that cinch down with screw-tightened flip levers, providing near-bolted stability even on tables with irregular lips.

The wheel uses a spring-return mechanism that mimics the feel of power-assisted steering in a real car, while the pedals are firm and responsive, though they lack pivoting heads. Setup is straightforward hardware-wise, but the wheel can be finicky with certain soundcard gameports; ThrustMaster officially recommends their own ACM Game Card for flawless calibration. Software installation is minimal, and the included Pro Panel utility handles calibration and button assignment under Windows 95 and DOS. No bundled games are included, but the manual covers Windows 95 controller setup clearly for novices. At launch, the wheel carried a suggested retail price of $179.95, though press materials listed $140.00.