The 2008 edition of the NASCAR series of video games allows players to takes themselves into the game, with their name, and also the ability to customize the body color scheme and car design. Most of the game's new content is provided through the Earn Your Stripes career mode (PS2).

In Earn your Stripes, you start by going through time trials to get better starting contracts. After you get a contract, you can start racing. You can tune up your car in the areas of acceleration, tire wear, top speed, among several others. After a set amount of races, you will need to go through another time trial to get to the next set of races. As you complete races and gain reputation, more contracts will come in. In every race, you need to complete some objectives set in your contract. Some contracts are easy to complete (such as finishing a race), while others give more complex objectives (such as gaining several allied cars). Players can also race in the Craftsman Truck, National (Busch), and NEXTEL Cup.

The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions allow players to share their setups online. The chase mode offers a series of challenges like drafting or passing to unlock new features. All versions offer online multiplayer races.