Race 9: All Go, No Show!

Drag Race Tournament
Location: Various
Approx. Distance: n/a
Reward: Easy 3750, Medium 5000, Hard 6250
Unlocks: 14th & Vine Construction Track Reverse

Back we go to 14th and Vine, site of the first Drag race in the Underground mode. This time, the race is a tournament of 3 drags, with much higher payouts. Be sure to choose Hard mode, as the AI still has trouble shifting. You should be able to consistently get Perfect Shifts, which will make this tournament a breeze even on the higher difficulty level.

Starting with the first drag in this tournament, oncoming traffic will try to trip you up. True oncoming traffic isn't a problem - you'll have plenty of time to change lanes - but traffic emerging from intersections on the last drag may trip you up. Luckily, this traffic always appears in the same place, at the same time, so subsequent runs will be easier.

On the second race, there's a ramp on the right-hand side of the road at the end of the drag. Maneuver yourself into that lane to score some bonus Style Points.

The third track runs through a construction zone partway through - make sure you get off to a good start so that you can freely move to the center lanes to avoid totaling your ride. As mentioned earlier, this race also features perpendicular traffic, so be prepared for quick lane changes on the back half.

Four new races appear after you complete All Go, No Show!

Race 10: Olympic Knockout

Knockout Race
Location: Olympic Square Reverse
Approx. Distance: 6.3 miles
Reward: Easy 525, Medium 750, Hard 900
Unlocks: Nothing

By this point, you've likely unlocked and purchased several performance upgrades, emphasizing speed and acceleration over handling. Back to Olympic Square you go, to see if you can handle the resultant slight decrease in responsiveness. You know the track well; hit your shortcuts, avoid the walls, and success will come.

Race 11: Drop The Klutch!

Drag Race
Location: Highway 1
Approx. Distance: n/a
Reward: Easy 525, Medium 750, Hard 900
Unlocks: Highway 1 Drag Track

Again, be sure to choose Hard difficulty for drag races. If you've purchased a turbo kit, you'll need to get used to the decreased window for Perfect Shifts here. As well, there's significantly more traffic on this challenge compared to previous drags - be prepared to change lanes.

Race 12: Cross-town Hustle

Sprint Race
Location: Broadway
Approx. Distance: 3.9 miles
Reward: Easy 525, Medium 750, Hard 900
Unlocks: Broadway Sprint Track

It's time to sprint from Chinatown to some condos down in Atlantica. This course is filled with shortcuts, tight turns, and oncoming traffic - the end result being a course with ample opportunity to rack up mondo style points through precise driving, albeit one on which it is incredibly easy to lose control, crash, and burn.

Take advantage of the straightaway at the beginning of this course to grab some serious speed.

Right off the starting line, you'll cover a long straightaway; take advantage, but be prepared to downshift or Powerslide around the turn at the end. Take the abrupt left for a shortcut if you're courageous - it's quite a tight fit. Shortly after this shortcut, you'll find yourself outside of the city, with grass and trees on either side rather than skyrises. Take the shortcut over the bridge on the left-hand side of the road, but do so in second or third gear unless you want your vehicle to play the role of a pinball. Be ready for the quick left turn as you exit the shortcut.

Next you'll re-enter the city proper - note the shortcut off the right-hand side of the course. You'll lose a small amount of speed as you break through the weak barriers, but it's a straight shot and avoids a rather tight turn, so you'll come out ahead both in time and Style Points. After this point, you'll drive your way back onto portions of older courses that you're already familiar with.

Race 13: Time To Get Dirt-Y

Drift Race
Location: Drift Track 2
Approx. Distance: n/a
Reward: Easy 525, Medium 750, Hard 900
Unlocks: Nothing

As with the first Drift race, Hard mode is much more difficult than Medium, so don't bother with it unless you're racking up Powerslide points with ease.

This track isn't just a straight rectangle like the first drift track - you'll be able to gain some easy Powerslide points, and acceleration, at the curves in the middle of the straightaways.

Race 14: Downtown Series

Circuit Race Tournament: 4 laps
Location: Various
Approx. Distance: Various
Reward: Easy 3750, Medium 5000, Hard 6205
Unlocks: Level 1 Weight Reduction Kits, Level 1 Suspension Packages, Level 1 Nitrous, Stadium Circuit Track, Atlantica Circuit Track - Reverse

You'll recognize the first course in this tournament from a previous challenge, with added cross-traffic this time through; be ready for it. The second course is a rehash, as well, though this time you'll race it in reverse.

The third track, however, is quite new. You'll run through Chinatown again, only this time you'll do it backwards. This will let you grab some air on those steep hills, rather than trying to climb them. You'll also pass a stretch of highway, as well as an incredibly long back alley straightaway. In short, this course is all about speed over precise handling. If you had removed any speed upgrades for the previous challenge, stick them back in.

Toward the end of the open highway section, downshift to gain control for the much-tighter underpass area ahead. Ramp yourself up to top gear during the massive straightaway, and hug the center line during the jumps to keep yourself from hitting obstacles. That's about all the strategy there is to this course - let it all hang out.