Last year's NASCAR Thunder 2004 wasn't much of a change for the series. This year, the "Thunder" tag has been dropped and the game has been redubbed NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup (a name derived from the last ten races of the Nextel Cup Series). With the name change, EA has managed to work in slew of new features that should satisfy both NASCAR fans and racing fans in general.

Visually, NASCAR 2005 is about as sharp as they come. Car models are accurately modeled right down the to smallest of ads. While the overuse of ads may annoy some gamers (trust me, I've run into these people), its just a part of the experience they'll have to deal with. During particularly rough races, cars will also show visible wear and tear. While you're unlikely to see many of the track details, rest assured that they are there and look amazing. In the past, racing games have usually taken shortcuts with sideline details by distilling them down into blurry, 2D images. NASCAR 2005 bucks this trend by including every tree, stand and jumbotron monitor from the real-life courses represented in the game. These details aren't static either, making an excellent presentation even better.

This year, pit crews are much more active and really help to keep you informed over everything that goes on in the track in much more detail. You'll know who's making moves on the track and when you have a prime opportunity to pull ahead. They will also chime in with compliments and insults depending on your performance. If listening to your crew isn't your bag, you can choose to listen to the car's radio which features bands ranging from Saliva to Foghat.

The idea behind NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup should be fairly familiar to most people, even if you're not a fan of the sport. You choose a car and race -- easy, huh? NASCAR 2005 includes all of the drivers, tracks and events from the Nextel Cup Series as well as the Busch Series, Craftsman Truck Series and Featherlite Modified Series. Players can participate in either single-race competitions or race through a full season. Other modes include Chase for the Cup, which allows players to only race through the last ten races of the Nextel Series and a Career mode that lets players drive for a team through multiple seasons.

Career mode is the real meat of the game and is where most of your time will be spent. You start out as a green driver in the Featherlite Modified Division and eventually work your way through the Craftsman Truck and Busch series. If you manage to turn enough heads, you'll be offered a contract to race for a team in the Nextel Series. Eventually you'll be able to earn enough money to purchase your own team, giving you the ability to manage your pit crew, sign sponsorship deals, set merchandising deals and spend money on modifications on your car (or cars). Racing through events during a season will give you points to spend on unlockable features like new paint jobs, drivers, cars and courses. Also included in the Career mode are one-on-one road races where you can unlock wild paint schemes and cars that can be used in various race modes. The selection of cars available here include the Dodge Viper and Mustang GT.

Another interesting aspect in Career mode is that you can make choices that will affect how your driver is viewed by fans and other drivers. As seasons progress, you'll get the opportunity to enter autograph sessions that take the form of a button-timed mini-game. Good performance here will help with your reputation with the fans. Your on the track performance will affect how other drivers (and the fans) will see you. Bumping other cars and pulling other dirty tricks will make you look like a bad guy while being a "good" driver will improve your relations with other drivers. How you're seen by other drivers will influence your driving skills, such as your drafting and intimidation.

NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup offers both online and offline multiplayer, both of which are mildly disappointing. Offline multiplayer only allows for up to two players to go head-to-head, which is understandable considering how annoying four-player split screen can get. Online up to four players and duke it out. While I'm not completely bummed about it, it would have been much more interesting if more people could participate.

AI skill levels can be adjusted to suit your particular playing needs and comfort level. Racer AI is pretty realistic and is prone to making just as many mistakes as real-life drivers. All in all, the game just feels right and provides the right balance of challenge and fun.

Control remains relatively unchanged from last year’s edition, as does the excellent physics engine. NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup still manages to put together a true-to-life racing experience (keeping in mind that I have no real life racing experience). A large part of the game is still about gaining position in races, meaning you’ll have to learn to draft like a pro if you want to make it in the Nextel Series. Steering controls are precise and responsive, but that will only get you half of the way there. You’ll also have to learn to manage the subtle differences between cars. Racing in the trucks is a much different experience than if you’re in a stock car. Things like tire wear and damage will also affect your driving experience.

Pit stops are handled by an easy to use menu system. How long you spend at pits stops depends on how many adjustments you make. Between races you can also adjustments like tire pressure, gear ratio and downforce.

If you’re a NASCAR fan there’s no reason to not pick up NASCAR 2005. Although the online experience may not be spectacular, its still worth the price.