ive got logitech wingman formula gp wheel ... old thing without force feedback and gameport plug.. (pic is just off the internet / not mine ... mine is a gameport not usb)

in need for speed (the first one) when u connect the car steers in the opposite direction to what it should (left is right and right is left)... also the throttle doesnt get full acceleration .. i have been through joystick calibration in the game menu (there is no wheel calibration), the wheel centers and steers predictably but oppositely .. i have also tested / calibrated it in windows 95 (though im sure that has no impact on DOS environment)..
in the other DOS driving game "nascar racing" the steering was also reversed but it had a menu option to get around this..
what im wondering is there a software solution to this so the steering defaults to the correct way for games that dont have a reverse option? a driver/patch perhaps? why was the wheel designed like this in the first place?