Nascar 08 on a PS 2, can anyone help me with the car setup that will get me around the track in one piece…?

I been trying to figure out how to set the car up to travel around the track smoothly but I either burn tires or loose control and end up in the wall or into another car. This game is so live that it is totally different from 07. I am playing on a PS2 and talking about Nascar 08.

It takes practice, the car should be set to default, and you just need to hang back wait for your chance to pass, in cornors go wide and then come in so you don’t hit the walls