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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 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.
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 allows you to drive in 77 different scenarios out on the track, if you complete them successfully you earn Reputation and Performance Points.
- Complete a full lap on a track without falling below a minimum speed limit.
- Successfully navigate through a wreck and finish the allotted section of the track while under a time limit.
- Follow the racing line to keep the timer from expiring and make your way through the pack in an allotted amount of laps.
- The driver must pass a certain amount of cars before the time expires.
- Successfully complete a pit stop under green flag conditions and win the race.
- Stay in the lead car's draft to keep the timer from expiring and complete the set amount of laps.
- 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.
- Must complete a lap under a certain amount of time.
- Make your way through the field using the draft to keep the timer from expiring and make your way up to the set position.
- 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.
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.
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'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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.