System: X360, PS3, PS2
Dev: EA Tiburon
Pub: EA Sports
Release: Jul. 23, 2007
Players: 1 (12 online)
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Review by Jonathan Marx

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Review Rating Legend
1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
2.5 - 2.9 = Average
3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
3.5 - 3.9 = Good
4.0 - 4.4 = Great
4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
5.0 = The Best

Online play is in the same category as all the other features. It is easy to negotiate and all the fundamental components are there. There is nothing innovative to online play though. I actually found racing against the computer to be more fun and more realistic. This is due largely in part to the very small field of competition. You can only race against 11 others if you can actually find that many people to play. You won't have to worry too much about lag times; I'm sure that's why the field size is limited to 12 players in total. Leaderboards help show who is boss, but there are no leagues to join. It would be great to compete against others in a weekly league. That would go a long way toward making up for the lack of a career mode. If you do pick up this title, make sure it's the Xbox 360 version because the online play is superior with less waiting.

There are a lot gameplay options including the ability to tune your car and the ability to race in the other circuits, namely the Busch and Craftsman Truck series. I would have liked even more of this kind of detail and options to help vary gameplay. Not being able to fully customize your car's appearance (not even in the Car of Tomorrow mode), the make up of your pit crew, your sponsor, number (under 100), and driver are all a bit of a bummer. Again, it seems like EA's doing the minimum rather than making a statement. Implementation of a career mode is essential for future games so that gamers can put their stamp on the experience. You've got to be able to inject a little personality and fantasy into the mix. Cut and dry racing gets a bit boring and doesn't feel particularly rewarding in its current state.

If you're a NASCAR fan, then you'll probably really like this game for the detailed tracks, driver roster, and stock car specific racing features. If you're anybody else, you'll probably be bored and give up due to the learning curve. If you already own a NASCAR game from a previous year, then there's no substantial reason to buy this year's version. In fact, it would be better to wait and see if a more rewarding experience is made next year. If you already bought the game, then don't worry too much. Stick with it and you'll improve, and find a good amount of racing fun.

By Jonathan Marx
CCC Freelance Writer

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