It's good overall, but it's harder than it looks...O_o;;
It's pretty cool with the COT and everything, they have all the drivers, all the tracks. The only bad part is, there are only, ONLY Nextel Cup tracks. If you switch to the Truck series, or Grand National series, you won't have tracks like IRP or Gateway or stuff like that...kinda ticked me off, but its all good.
Career mode is now called Chase mode...why I don't know, it just is. But it's pretty cool. You have to get liecenses to get cars, and there are several different licenses; Superspeedway, Speedway,Short Track COT, Speedway COT, Supperspeedway COT and Road Course COT. Each earn you ONE car for your career mode. Well...not exactly. You get the licence, then you have to go into a contract for a team, Joe Gibbs, Hendrick, ect. You use one of their cars on each type of track and you have to finish above a certain position each time. Then, once you do all the races the team requires you to do, you get one of their cars for your career. AND THEN you pursue your career...I like it...more challenging than the days of old.
A new thing they have added is driver badges...I haven't gotten very far with it, so I haven't found their purpose, but I will soon find out. Each driver badge has requirements you must fulfill. From winning race(s), to saving yourself a spin, top 5(s) top 10(s) total number of wins...ect. ect...
Overall, this game has given me a run for my money, but is harder, and more frustrating than the previous games.