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As you start the game you are presented with a challenge before you can begin the game itself, much like the 2005 version of the game. This time however you start at Daytona where you are working as both Jimmie Johnson & Jeff Gordon to move Jeff Gordon to the front and win the Pepsi 400 over DEI teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. & Michael Waltrip. This is very helpful for new players who have never played the EA Sports NASCAR games, as it is a very quick and simple way to teach them the controls of the game.

Once you beat this (and it actually took me a time or two to do so) you are able to select from several different race modes. As in most of these games you can simply choose to select any race you want to run and simply “Race Now” as it’s called in the game. The ever popular “Fight to the Top” mode also returns to the game, which gives you the chance to start from the bottom of the NASCAR totem pole and work your way up. The season mode also returns for another visit. This mode allows you to select any driver you want and complete a full season on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit, complete with the Chase for the Cup in the final ten races.

Also returning in this game is the typical “challenge modes” that EA Sports has made popular in most of its games. In these modes you are typically required to mimic past race finishes by jumping into the driver’s seat and replace drivers like Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth or Kurt Busch.

Once you decide to run an actual race in any of the four series available in the game you have the option to practice and qualify before actually starting the race. This is usually a good idea if you’re not familiar with a track. Also if you’re not up for a 500 mile race you can choose from a variety of race lengths from 4% (the shortest) to as much as 50% before you hit the 100% mark.

The biggest added feature in this year’s version of the game is the ability to switch cars with your teammates in the middle of a race. Say you drive for a three car team and only two of you are in the top five. What do you do? You quickly switch to the car outside the top five and drive that bad boy right to the front. You can start a race in your car and finish the race in a teammate's and it doesn’t make a difference.

The racing itself is reminiscent of the real thing, with the sites and sounds of a real NASCAR race. The EA Sports crew did a great job gathering up audio clips to go along with this game, as you can hear the sound of the motor picking up the gears coming off of pit road even. The graphics are just as good if not better than the 2005 version of the game, with scoring pylons (such as the one at Pocono) even keeping track of the top five cars just like they do at the real events.

Also included in the game is the ability to unlock more paint schemes for the drivers, such as “Rainbow” car that Jeff Gordon drove a few years ago on a regular basis. You can of course also unlock Dale Earnhardt Sr. Shocking I know. In order to unlock these cars as well as other little goodies you have to gather points, which you can gain by doing a number of different things while racing. Lead a lap, get 50 points towards that awesome paint scheme you wanted to unlock. Hit a car and you lose five points towards that paint scheme. Aw shucks and I just wanted to wreck Jeff Gordon for fun.

Simply put, if you’re a diehard NASCAR fan pick this game up. It’s got all the site’s and sounds of the real thing which makes it really fun to play. If you’re not a huge NASCAR fan this game might seem a little hard to figure out at first but after some practice even the newest of fans can get the hang of this one. Just ask my girlfriend.