For the first time ever, EA is giving NASCAR fans the chance to take their virtual races on the road with NASCAR for the PSP. While it doesn’t quite match up to the console version, it still manages to offer a comparable experience that should please any on-the-go NASCAR fan.

The most impressive aspect of NASCAR is its solid framerate and relatively short load times. There are, of course, a few sacrifices in terms of details and the sense of speed, but NASCAR still manages to look good. Twenty-two tracks are included and are where you’ll notice a majority of the visual sacrifices. Most of the time it isn’t too bad, though blurry textures make some races a little more difficult since you don’t have quite the visual clarity in draw distance.

NASCAR’s audio is a sound-for-sound match of the console versions. Rock plays during menus, while your crew chief keeps tabs on what is going on during races. Engine noises lack impact, but still sound convincing enough.

A majority of NASCAR’s gameplay is found in Career mode. Dubbed “Fight to the Top”, you play as a rookie driver and work your way up from the Craftsmen Truck series to up to the Nextel series. When compared to the console versions of the same game, the PSP version’s career mode is very limited. There are no qualifier races, so you can’t start out in a higher class and must start from the very bottom. In addition, you can only simulate season races, so things become cumbersome after a while. And, while you have a number of options once you begin putting your racing team together, you are still limited.

If you’re not in the mood to jump into a full season race, you can instead choose to slip behind the wheel in challenge events based on scenarios from the 2005 season. Each scenario is introduced by the driver who lived them and then allows you to relive that moment. Challenges vary and are a short, fun way to pass the time.

When left on the normal settings, NASCAR is a challenge for most casual racing fans. Lap times are stingy and opposing drivers are aggressive, making even the simplest of races a real challenge. However, some drivers are overly aggressive and will do whatever it takes to keep you in check, even if it involves slamming you into a wall or causing you to spin out. Because of this, you’ll find yourself becoming a more aggressive driver yourself. You’ll win more races, but fans won’t like you as much.

NASCAR is rather impressive when it comes to on the track action. You’ll still have to deal with the PSP’s analog nub to steer, though you are given enough slack to compensate – so things aren’t as bad as they could be. Still, when compared to the console versions, you don’t have quite the finesse, making it hard to weave through a group of cars or take sharp turns. Turning on the Driver Assistance can alleviate most problems.

During races you’ll also have to contend with your car’s upkeep. This includes checking for tire wear, monitoring your fuel supply and making sure you don’t take too much damage. For a veteran player, or someone who knows NASCAR, this shouldn’t cause too many problems, but casual players will lose valuable playtime trying to figure everything out. The sharp difficulty is made worse by a lack of an adequate instruction manual. Thankfully, these options can be switched off, giving the game more of an arcade feel.

For its first time out on the track, NASCAR does a good job. At the same time, there are still a lot of kinks that need to be worked out, so casual fans may want to wait until next year.