NASCAR 09

NASCAR 09 is the thirteenth NASCAR game published by EA Sports.  All 22 tracks visited by the Sprint Cup series are present in game, as well as an additional two tracks used by the Nationwide and Truck Series.  40 Sprint Cup drivers are playable in the game along with a handful of drivers from the lower tier series.  The game features the Car of Tomorrow for the Cup series, however no manufactures are present in the game.

Jeff Gordon's Involvement in this years edition goes deeper than his appearance on the cover, as he appears in game in the menu screens to assist you through out the game, giving you advice and tutorials on new features.

Reputation and Performance Points

Reputation points will allow you to unlock better racing contracts in the career mode, you earn and lose these points in Sprint Driver Challenges as well as standard races.  Based on performance, the better you do in a race the higher the points you'll earn at the end.  You can only gain reputation points by racing under your driver profile.

Performance points are earned in Sprint Driver Challenges and in the career mode as well.  Performance points can be used to improve your car's stats, you may modify the points rating for your car on four different track styles, Speedway, SuperSpeedway, Short Track and Road Course. 

• Engine - Controls the amount of Horsepower you have. The higher your rating the faster you can go.
  
• Chassis - Higher Chassis ratings give you better Tire Wear.  This will allow you to go longer without a pit stop.
  
• Aerodynamics - Gives you more speed in the Draft.  Also helps you use less fuel keeping you on the track longer.
  
• Durability - Helps your vehicle take more Damage inside and out. 

Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

NASCAR 09's career mode, consists of a series of contracts that paves your way through each season.  Each contract had its own requirements you must fulfil, and each contract lasts no longer than 5 races.  If you successfully fulfill the contracts requirements you will recieve a payment of Reputation and Performance points.  The more Reputation points you earn, the better team and sponsor contracts will be unlocked.  All leading to the ultimate goal of qualifying for, and winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup title.

Sprint Driver Challenge

Sprint Driver Challenge allows you to drive in 77 different scenarios out on the track, if you complete them successfully you earn Reputation and Performance Points.

Speed Trap

- Complete a full lap on a track without falling below a minimum speed limit.

Wreck Avoidance

- Successfully navigate through a wreck and finish the allotted section of the track while under a time limit.

Perfect Line

- Follow the racing line to keep the timer from expiring and make your way through the pack in an allotted amount of laps.

Overtake

- The driver must pass a certain amount of cars before the time expires.

Pitting Strategy

- Successfully complete a pit stop under green flag conditions and win the race.

Follow the Leader

- Stay in the lead car's draft to keep the timer from expiring and complete the set amount of laps.

Pack Navigation

- Advance through a field of cars.  Each car you pass will add time to the clock, you must pass the allotted amount of cars before the timer can reach zero.

Hot lap

- Must complete a lap under a certain amount of time.

Draft Timer

- Make your way through the field using the draft to keep the timer from expiring and make your way up to the set position.

Driver Challenge

- Each challenge will be introduced by a video of the driver you'll be facing, they will give you the rules to the upcoming challenge and usually will add a bit of advice as well.  These challenges are usually more difficult than the rest.

Multiplayer

Online play allows you to setup races on the fly and race up to 14 other players online.   Race results in ranked sessions are recorded on the global leader board.

Paint Booth

EA Sports has introduced a new paint booth mode to NASCAR 09, taking advantage of computer editing tools you may download templates from EA's website which you can completely customize the appearance of the car.  Importing it to the game requires you to upload your template to the "EA Locker Room" where you can then access and download your paint schemes in game.  Paint schemes are viewable only to you and friends when racing online however.

ESPN

ESPN's partnership with EA in this game includes features such as live recorded sports updates that will play in the menu, and ESPN On Demand, a service that allows you access to streamed video and audio as well as printed news articles about NASCAR.

Downloadable Content

In Mid July EA Sports released a series of new content for NASCAR 09,  including three car skin packs which contain real alternative sponsors that drivers ran in the 2008 Sprint and Nationwide series.
Car Skin Pack #1 - 200 Microsoft Points ($2.50) - A collection of NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series cars, Including Carl Edwards' Aflac car, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s National Guard Camoflague car, and Kyle Busch's Snickers car, and more.

Car Skin Pack #2

- 200 Microsoft Points ($2.50) - A collection of NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series cars, Including Jeff Gordon's Pepsi car, Kevin Harvick's Platinum Pennzoil car, Kyle Busch's Pedigree car, and more.

Car Skin Pack #3

- 200 Microsoft Points ($2.50) - A collection of NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series cars, Including Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Silver and Black National Guard car, Tony Stewart's Subway car, Denny Hamlin's Fedex Ground car, and more.

Track - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

- 320 Microsoft Points ($4.00) - EA Sports added the famed Montreal Race Track, new home of the NAPA Autoparts 200 in the NASCAR Nationwide series, since 2007.

Soundtrack

• "Ether" - AFI
• "Runnin' Wild" - Airbourne
• "Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast" - Airbourne
• "C'mon!" - Keith Anderson
• "Strange Times" - The Black Keys
• "Two As One" - From First to Last
• "It's Over" - Jet Black Stare
• "Ready to Roll" - Jet Black Stare
• "The House Rules" - Christian Kane
• "Born Into It" - The Parks
• "Hard Times" - The Parlor Mob
• "Condescending" - P.O.D.
• "Light it Up" - Rev Theory
• "Got it Made" - Theory of a Deadman
• "This is Who I Am" - Third Day

Achievements

1. Keep On Truckin'  (10) - Win a Craftsman Truck Series race (minimum of 11 opponents).
2. Nationwide Reward  (10) -  Win a Nationwide Series race (minimum of 11 opponents).
3. Sprint Ahead  (10) - Win a Sprint Cup race (minimum of 11 opponents).
4. Craftsman Champion  (25)  - Win a Craftsman Truck Series Championship in Career.
5. Top of the World  (25) - 100 Rated Car for All Track Types.
6. Nationwide Champion  (25) - Win a Nationwide Series Championship in Career.
7. Unfriendly  (10) - Take track ownership from a friend.
8. Chase for the Cup™  (50) - Qualify for the Chase for the Cup™ in Career.
9. Chase Champion  (50) - Win a Sprint Cup Series Championship in Career.
10. Are You Experienced?  (10) - Win a Sprint Driver Challenge Event.
11. Experience Wanted  (25) - Win 10 Sprint Driver Challenge Events.
12. The Ultimate Experience  (75) - Complete All Sprint Driver Challenge Events.
13. Mach 1  (25) - Achieve a 761 Rep Rating.
14. Movin' On Up  (50) - Achieve a 3000 Rep Rating.
15. To the Top  (100) - Achieve a 5500 Rep Rating.
16. Custom Car Creator  (10) - Complete a Custom Car for all racing series.
17. Trade Your Setup  (10) - Upload a Car Setup to EA Locker.
18. We're Talkin' About Practice  (10) - Record a Lap in "Test and Tune" Mode.
19. Kid Dyno-mite  (10) - Achieve a Top Speed of 200 MPH.
20. Worst to First  (10) - Win a race after starting in last place (minimum of 11 opponents).
21. Online Horsepower  (50) - Win a Ranked Race on Xbox LIVE.
22. Cross Country  (75) - Drive 5,000 Total Miles.
23. Move Over Jeff   (25) - Won 82 races.
24. Chase for the Cups  (100) - Won 8 Sprint Cups in Career.
25. King Me  (200) - Won 201 Total Races.