Street races

Throwing down#

1. Bring your own rideA car from your garage, car or bike. No stolen wheels: you race what you own. Same goes for your opponent.
2. Pull up alongsideStopped, behind the wheel, within 8 m of another driver who's also behind the wheel. Nobody has stars on their tail, nobody is already racing.
3. Flash your lightsHold H for half a second. Pick the stake (cash or pink slip), the amount and the route.
4. They take it or leave itThey see both cars side by side: stats, engine, gearbox, brakes, turbo, value. They have 15 s to hit E. Stay stopped side by side meanwhile, or the challenge falls through.
5. Green lightCash stakes are taken and held during the race. 3 s countdown, cars locked. After that, first one to the line wins.

You both need the stake in cash on you. Between two challenges you throw, give it 20 s.

Two kinds of route#

Too far out of town, no finish line is at the right distance: head back toward the city to start an open route.

Race meets#

Nobody to race? Head to a meet, marked on the map: Cypress Flats car meet, the Observatory lookout, the Del Perro Pier parking lot, Legion Square parking, Sandy Shores airfield. Music, tuned cars, a crowd: the vibe is there.

Every meet is a calm zone: no shooting. Except at players with stars, a bounty or a vendetta on their back: they're fair game.

Stopped in your car at a meet, G opens the race board. Sign up with your terms: cash up to a cap, pink slip, or both. Drivers already signed up get a heads-up, and any driver at the meet can challenge you in one click. No need to pull up side by side: everyone starts from where they're parked, but both stay at the meet, behind the wheel, until the green light. Get out, switch cars or leave the meet: you're off the board.

How you lose#

• Dying, getting arrested or disconnecting.
• Wrecking your car.
• Spending more than 10 s out of your car. A checkpoint or a finish only counts in the car you started in.

If one driver drops out, the other wins and takes the pot. If nobody makes it in time, the race is a draw: everyone gets their stake back.

The cops#

A street race gets noticed. In 33% of races, someone sees you go by shortly after the start:

• a cop sees you: ★ right away;
• passers-by see you: they film, then run off to call it in. The first one who gets away drops the star on you (see witnesses);
• nobody around: nobody calls, no star.

With stars, you still race: the race goes on, cops on your tail.

Your record#

Every win counts toward the "Races won" leaderboard and earns +60 reputation, but only once every 30 min against the same opponent. Your record and your last 10 races are in the My record app. Races won also move your challenges forward.

What the cops won't tell you#