The long-running NASCAR franchise owned by EA receives a significant update with the release of NASCAR 09, which is also a continuation of the series. The top drivers from the NASCAR Sprint, Nationwide, and Craftsman Truck Series are featured on its revised driving roster as well as its updated paint schemes.
In addition, there are now two different “racing models” from which players can select, depending on the level of their expertise. Either participating in the “Normal” mode, which is more lenient and is geared for beginner players or competing in the “Pro” mode, which is created for players who are dedicated to the sport of racing. In addition, players have the opportunity to pick up tips and tricks from the game’s cover driver, Jeff Gordon, who can teach them how to draft and pass, as well as introduce them to brand-new game elements.
“Chase for the Cup” is the typical career mode for racing video games. In this mode, players begin in the Craftsman Truck Series and work their way up to the Sprint Cup Series by winning races and acquiring prime sponsorships. The “exhibition” mode can be played by either one or two players. There are also new “Sprint Driver Tasks” that let the user compete against some of the best drivers in the Sprint Cup in various racing challenges. If the player is successful in these competitions, they will be able to unlock new paint schemes and additional bonus content.
In addition, there are online features for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 (but not for the Playstation 2), where players may build special paint schemes for their cars by using the “Paint Booth.” This feature gives players the freedom to customize paint schemes in any way they see fit. Giving players the ability to download templates from the Electronic Arts Sports website and using those downloaded templates in modifying software like Photoshop.
