There are the standard modes to the game, exhibition for either one or two players, 'Chase for the Cup', which is the standard career mode where players start out in the Craftsman Truck Series and work their way up to the Sprint Cup Series by winning races and securing prime sponsorships. Players can also learn from the games cover driver, Jeff Gordon, learning tricks of the trade on how to draft and pass as well as introduce new features to the game. Either competing in 'Normal' mode, which is more forgiving and is designed for new players and a 'Pro' mode that is designed for hardcore racing players. There is also two new 'racing models' for players to choose from, depending on their skill. It features an updated driving roster as well as update paint schemes, featuring the top drivers of the NASCAR Sprint, Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series. NASCAR 09 is the continuation of EA's long running NASCAR franchise and an update from the previous years.
