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Turbo Sports Compact Car Street Car Magazine Car Audio and Electronics GTI Magazine Hot 4's Elaborare Maxi Tuning Spoiler AutoMaxx Magazine Stuff Magazine Chrome und Flamen Import Tuner Street Car Magazine GTI Magazine Auto Motor Swiss Tuner Magazine Super Street Power Magazine Street Tuner
If you are around town doing a special event race in explore mode and you run out of nitrous, you can stop at a shop quickly for free refreshment. When you come back out after a few seconds (time doesn't pass in a shop), your nitrous will be completely full.

Hidden Races

Pay attention to your SMS because some of the messages you receive from other racers hint at the locations of the hidden races. They are worth significantly more than regular races so it's definitely worthwhile to track them down.
You must keep track of the hidden race locations. They don't show up on your world map.

Reputation System

The reputation system comes into play during your career races. Reputation points are awarded based on how much you beat the second place finisher by in the race. The maximum amount of reputation points per race is 300. If you keep your reputation point average high, you can choose between several sponsors when the time comes, instead of being stuck with only one contract offer.
Trigger criteria for DVDs are simply for boosting the star rating of your car. There are ten DVDs to star on, one for each star level of your car. Get pimping and you're the main attraction!

Outrun Races

Always keep some nitrous for the last section of a race. The more distance you can put between your car and the second place racer, the more reputation points you will receive. Use this tactic to keep your Rep point average per race as high as possible.
All around the streets of Bayview, there are urban racers that have heard the rumors about you. They're wondering if you can really be THAT good? Now that you're here in town, you can deal with their doubts. Outrun races are like a game of cat and mouse on wheels. Approach a racer's car while driving around the streets and wait for the indicator to light up saying the challenge is being issued. If you accept the challenge, then you're off to the races. Hit the accelerator. There are some things you should consider when playing this game around town: Be aggressive. Use quick turns to lose your opponent at intersections. Often they will hit traffic or walls when trying to anticipate your route. If your opponent is in front of you, try slamming into their rear quarter panel to make them lose control. While they spin out, hit the nitrous for a quick getaway. If you're trailing your opponent, hang back slightly and watch the map. If you're patient, an opportunity will arise for a perfect overtake. Also, if you're a second behind instead of right on his bumper, it's easier to react to their quick maneuvers while they're trying to shake you. If you happen to crash while in a comfortable lead, start driving in the direction you're facing when you come to a stop. Even if it's in the wrong direction, this will confuse your opponent and work out in your favor as long as you get some momentum going before the opponent passes you. If you're having trouble beating Outrun races, hold off until you're familiar with the district layout and until you've upgraded with some new performance parts.

Sponsors

Your illustrious racing career attracts the attention of various sponsors. Depending on your performance, you may get one offer or many, each with specific signing bonuses and contract obligations.
Right after signing a new contract, spend your time racing the sponsored events and the Underground Racing League events to increase your Bank. This way, you have more to spend on improving your ride with performance parts and visual upgrades.
If you tune a car and then trade it in, you don't get to reuse your parts for the new car. All upgrades are exclusive to each model (for example, a wide body kit for a Hummer won't fit a Vauxhall).
After you win a certain amount of Outrun races in each stage of career mode, you will receive an SMS message about a free Unique Part that will give the vehicle either extra performance or a higher visual rating. These parts are integral for they are not offered at the local shops and will help you out in overall gameplay. You must race to a location to get your unique part once the special event triggers. Your SMS message will indicate a special event and you must get to the new star on the world map to begin the race. You have to beat a countdown timer, usually to a shop around town, in order to get your unique part. If you don't beat the clock, you get an opportunity to restart. Take a look in Chapter 3 for all the unique parts you can acquire from winning Outrun races.
CAREER MODE STAGE PROGRESSION

Stage Progression

Stage 3 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 4 Stage 4 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 5 Stage 5 Stage 5

(CONTD)

Completion Criteria
Win 5 URLs Complete 2 DVDs (2 star and 3 star) Win 30 world races (of 46) Win 3 sponsor races Win 7 URLs Complete 3 DVDs (4 star, 5 star, and 6 star) Win 35 world races (of 50) Win 3 sponsor races Win 9 URLs Complete 4 DVDs (7 star, 8 star, 9 star, and 10 star)
After the last URL, you race Caleb in a final circuit race to win the game.

Career Stage Progression

There are certain criteria you need to complete before you can move on to the next stage of your career. Once you finish the stage requirements, a new part of Bayview opens up and new races are available. Only at Stage 5 is the entire city open. Below is a table to track your career progression from stage to stage. Good luck!

3 Street Pro Extreme Stage 1 Turbo Kit Stage 2 Turbo Kit (Replaces L1 Turbo) Stage 3 Turbo Kit (Replaces L2 Turbo) TURBO: Torque Curve TURBO: Torque Curve TURBO: Torque Curve

Tuning Slider SUSPENSION

Street Pro
Sport Springs & Shocks Strut Tower Bars Performance Springs & Shocks (Replaces L1 Springs & Shocks) Front & Rear Sway Bars Camber Kit Coil-over Suspension System (Replaces L1 Springs & Shocks) (Replaces L2 Springs & Shocks) Large Diameter Sway Bars (Replaces L2 Front & Rear Sway Bars)
SUSPENSION: Everything except Sway Bar Stiffness SUSPENSION: Front & Rear Sway Bar Stiffness SUSPENSION: Everything except Sway Bar Stiffness SUSPENSION: Front & Rear Sway Bar Stiffness SUSPENSION: Steering Ratio SUSPENSION: Everything except Sway Bar Stiffness SUSPENSION: Steering Ratio SUSPENSION: Front & Rear Sway Bar Stiffness

BRAKES

1 Street Street Compound Brake Pads Steel Braided Brake Lines Cross Drilled Rotors Large Diameter Rotors (Replaces L1 Rotors) Race Compound Brake Pads (Replaces L1 Brake Pads) Cross -drilled & Slotted Rotors (Replaces L1 Rotors, L2 Rotors) 6 Piston Racing Calipers BRAKES: Brake Bias BRAKES: Brake Bias BRAKES: Brake Bias BRAKES: Brake Bias BRAKES: Brake Bias BRAKES: Brake Bias BRAKES: Brake Bias

ECU/FUEL SYSTEM

1 Street Fuel Pressure Regulator Fuel Rail Fuel Filter Performance Chip High Flow Fuel Pump Engine Management Unit (Replaces L2 Performance Chip) Fuel Injectors ECU: Torque Curve ECU: Torque Curve ECU: Torque Curve ECU: Torque Curve ECU: Torque Curve ECU: Torque Curve ECU: Torque Curve

Pro Extreme

3 Street Pro Extreme Street Performance Tires (Replaces L1 Tires) Pro Performance Tires (Replaces L2 Tires) Extreme Performance Tires (Replaces L3 Tires) TIRES: Front & Rear Grip TIRES: Front & Rear Grip TIRES: Front & Rear Grip
Pimp Your Ride Visual Upgrades
Roof scoops and carbon fiber body parts (such as hoods and trunks) are for show only. They do not affect engine performance or reduce car weight.

Ride Height

Ride height determines how high your car sits on its springs, which affects its center of gravity. Use the slider to raise or lower your car. Generally, a lower center of gravity makes the car handle better.
Always do an initial test run on the track before tweaking any part settings. This way you have set a baseline to compare your performance improvements via tuning.
A lower center of gravity will help you corner faster and that means your control is that much better. However, for Drift Racing you will benefit from more body roll and weight transfer, so try a higher Ride Height.

Front & Rear Springs

Springs determine the overall softness or stiffness of your car. Use the sliders to adjust your front & rear spring stiffness. Try stiff springs for smooth courses, soft springs for courses with curbs and jumps.

Front & Rear Shocks

Shocks allow you to fine tune the softness or stiffness of your car. Use the sliders to adjust your front & rear shock strength, influencing the amount of understeer or oversteer when entering a corner and how your car absorbs bumps. Often, the stiffness of the shocks ensure that you can take hard corners tighter. A good rule of thumb: the stiffer your ride, the better handling it provides.
In all game modes except Drag, you often don't get your car anywhere near its top speed. So tune your final drive ratio and gears for better acceleration instead of top speed. This should give you a big edge over the competition.

Gear Ratios

Gear ratios determine the rate of acceleration and maximum speed you can achieve in each gear. Change each gear ratio by adjusting its slider.

Final Drive Ratio

The final drive ratio affects all of your individual gears, making them higher or lower, resulting in better acceleration or higher top speed (allowing the gears to reach a higher theoretical top speed may not change your ACTUAL top speed if your car doesn't have enough power to get there!) Adjust the slider to choose between acceleration or top speed.
Front & Rear Sway Bars
Sway bars affect the weight transfer between the left and right sides of your car. Use the sliders to adjust the strength of your front & rear sway bars. Softer bars will allow your car to roll while stiffer bars will give your car a go-kart feel.

Steering Ratio

Steering ratio determines how quickly the wheels respond to steering input. Use the slider to adjust the sensitivity of your steering. Quick steering is good, as long as you are still able to control your car.

City Hall

1 1. Shortcutstay left behind Burger King. Shortcutat the Imperial Hotel, stay 2. right and go through the stone plaza. 3 3. Shortcutbetween Lily & Sins and the Harper. Stay left for the fast line. 4 Shortcutcut through between the 4. building and the street post median. 5 Shortcutcut across the grass. 5. 6 Shortcutcut through the car lot. 6.

Dockside

1 1. Shortcutstay left at the road split and cut the corner to line up for the straight stretch. 2 Straighthit this section fast. 2. 3 Railyardavoid it altogether. 3. 4 Storage Yardstay right for fastest 4. line. 5 Ship Yardyour choice; both routes 5. are just as fast. Gas Stationthe second or third bay 6. are good lines through here. Just don't hit the gas tanks. 7 Shortcutignore this uphill shortcut 7. at the hotel.

Freemont

This is a short inner city track that offers little in the way of technical challenges other than several planted meridians scattered throughout. There are no shortcuts to make it any easier than it is. Rip it up!
HIGH PERFORMANCE TIPS BY MARC DE VELLIS
Respect the elevation sections throughout the track. Whether it's a hill, a banked section, or a simple bump, wait for the suspension to settle before you give full throttle. As you hit the bump, gravity will force the car to compress and settle; in this stage, let off the throttle and roll the car through. As the car compresses and straightens out, aggressively go to full throttle. This process takes less than two seconds, and you will be rewarded with a fast lap time.

Freeway East

1 1. Highway Off Rampsignore them and stay on the highway to keep your speed up. 2 Sharp Cornerwatch your speed on 2. this corner entry. Alleythis can be a treacherous 3. little stretch when fighting off other cars. However, it is a great place for blocking racers attempting to pass. 4 Fountainsgo around them. 4. Sharp Cornerpay attention to the 5. turn exitit leads into a divided road.

Freeway West

1 1. Fountains 2 Tunnel 2. 3 Highway Splitkeep left for the 3. fastest line. 4 Highway Splitstay on the 4. inside track.

Garibaldi Run

1 Highway Splitkeep right. 1. Off Rampthe right route is quicker. 2. 3 Alleygood blocking section. 3. On Ramptake the first right; it's 4. similar to a hairpin corner, so treat it accordingly.
The rule for this track is to take the shortest route wherever there is a choice offered. Using the alternate routes can shave your lap time quite nicely.

Grandview Station

1. Sweeping Cornersthis is a long stretch of open highway; pedal to the metal, speed racer! 2 Overpassyou're forced left here, so 2. watch for oncoming traffic. Sharp Cornervery tight right3. hander. 4 Sharp Cornervery tight left-hander 4. that exits back onto a long straightaway. Get on the gas early as you exit out of this corner.

1 Run your car the lowest it can go. Increase your front caster in order for you to weave in and out of traffic. Make sure you shorten your gears so that on the longest stretch, you are almost at maximum revs. If your car feels unstable around traffic, add maximum rear aero. Adjust your ECU and Turbo for a later power band. Since you will be above 5000 rpms for the majority of the race, start your power curve towards the higher rpms. Adjust your nitrous for longer duration, as your speeds will be compounded down the straights.

Blackcomb Way

1 1. Cornerthere is plenty of space on the inside to cut this corner and get ahead of your rivals. 2 Cautionas you enter the tunnel 2. section, keep to the right because a barrier will close all but the farthest lane.

Broadway & Granville

Cornerif you have nerves of steel, 1. you can pick a line through the fountains but for the faint of heart, start braking for a right, left, right combination of turns. 2 Cornerget ready with your brakes 2. as the road turns very sharply to the right.

Cypress Bowl

1 1. Shortcutas you approach the skyscraper, take the cobbled ramp to your rightthis eliminates the corner. 2 Cornerthis wide corner can be cut 2. using the cobbles on the right. 3 Cornerafter the sign for Highway 3. 27, cut the corner over the cobbles but beware of the lamppost to your left.

Domestic Arrivals

Cornertake great care. After such 1. a long and fast section, this tight left turn will have you hitting the brakes hard. 2 Corneras previously stated, be 2. prepared to brake hard. 3 Corneryou will need to find that 3. perfect line to negotiate your way around this obstacle. 1

Eagleridge Estates

1 Tunnelafter exiting the tunnel you 1. will suddenly drop downhill, gaining speed. Beware of oncoming traffic and the ensuing corner. 2 Cornerthe road will split here but 2. stay right for the fastest line. 3 Cornerthe road splits so stay to 3. the right of the monument for the quickest route.

Grouse Grind

1 Cornerdon't be afraid to cut this 1. corner over the grass. 2 Cornercut this corner over the 2. cobbles but beware of the lamppost to your left. 3 Shortcutthe alley can be used to 3. cut the corner but the entry and exit are very tight, so stick to the road. 4 Cornercut the corner over the 4. cobbles but beware of the lamppost on your left. 5 Shortcutas you come over the 5. brow of the hill, keep to the right of the large villa for the quickest route. 2 1

Marathon

1 1. Highwaytake great care as the highway splits. It is difficult to see and the quickest route is left down the off ramp. 2 Cornermore nerves of steel are 2. needed to pick a fast route through the fountains, or you can take the slower, but safer, route around them. 3 Corneryou can cut the corner over 3. the cobbles but the entry and exit are tight and off the racing line, so stick to the road.

Palm Hill

1 1. Shortcutignore the cobbled ramp to your right. The entry is too tight to be of any benefit. 2 Shortcutas you approach the 2. highway, keep to your right. The road will split and, by taking the right lane, you will save yourself a massive amount of time. 3 Shortcutstay in the right-hand 3. lane. Although the corners are harder, the route is much shorter, bringing you out in front of your competitors.

Palomino & 16th

1 1. Cornerthis sharp combination of corners will have you testing your brakes. As you enter the alley, keep to the center to avoid the abundance of trash cans. Hit too many and you will be slowed down. 2 Cornerthis time you will have to go 2. around the fountains, but be careful as the corners are harder than they appear. Be prepared to brake hard. 3 CornerThis is a hard right leading 3. into the finishing stretch right in front of the Hotel Royale.

Port Authority

1 Shortcutupon entering the rail 1. yard, head for the platform to your right, ensuring that you exit with the best possible line. 2 Shortcutapproaching the 2. warehouse, you have several options for your route. They will all take the same time but for something different, why not head right through the center? Start 3 Shortcutwhen racing in reverse, 3. break through the metal gates and head between the flashing bollards. You should enter the building and keep right up the ramp so that upon exiting, you will have a straight run up the gravel track. 4 Shortcutwhen racing in reverse, 4. slow down hard and head for the lefthand tunnel. This route saves a massive amount of time. 5 Shortcutwhen racing in reverse, keep 5. to your left and go down the narrow gravel track. Stay left to avoid the sign post before exiting off the bank.

Finish

This track runs in both directions. For the sake of simplicity, the numbers below indicate either forward or backward based upon the start and finish marked on the map.

Rockridge Cross

1 1. Shortcutget in the left-hand lane of the highway to make use of a much shorter route, but beware of the oncoming traffic. Shortcutstay left to save a great 2. amount of time but beware of the oncoming traffic. Shortcutyou can use the cobbled 3. ramp to your right but the entry is tight so it may be best to stick to the road.

Rollercoaster

1 1. Cornerthis sweeping left hand bend is the peak of your ascent through a twisty, brake-testing course before you start a quick descent.

Sentinel Hill

1 1. Corneryou will be approaching the fountains at high speed so get ready to break through a quick combination of corners. 2 CornerCut this corner across the cobbled area. Ramptake great care as you travel 3. through this section. It is a single lane with oncoming traffic.
A good way to obtain nitrous is by avoiding accidents; come close to a traffic vehicle without hitting it and you will get 100 points of nitrous. Keep it up and you can get up to a 5X multiplier, which results in a huge boost to the meter.

South Junction

1 Cornerget ready to brake hard 1. through a quick combination of turns around the fountains. Tunnelwhen you enter the tunnel 2. section get into the right-hand lane as the others will soon be closed by a barrier.

Tailgate

1 Shortcutcutting over the cobbles 1. is too tight on entry so stick to the road. 2 Shortcutas you come down the hill 2. get to the left and take the shorter cobbled path to the left of the Imperial Hotel.

Terminal & 2nd

1 Shortcutthe foundry has an 1. abundance of routes but the entry and exit to this site are very tight and take far too long to warrant using. Stay on the road. Shortcutto your right is a small 2. ramp which is not worth using.

The Chief

1 1. Shortcutkeep an eye open for a small entrance on your right, which leads to a large glass building, and put your foot down. The doors will smash open and the walls will guide you back to the road, saving lots of time. 2 Cut the corner onto the cobbles. 2. Watch out for the lamppost on the left. Enter this with some speed to start 3. that steep winding climb.

Upper Deck

1. Shortcutas you speed along the highway, stay to your right. Taking this road will save you a vast amount of time and keep you ahead of your competitors. 2 Shortcutagain, keep to the right 2. and take the off ramp. This offers the quickest and best route back to the city.

Drag Racing Drafting

Drafting is a skill that one day will decide a race for you. When a race is tight, you can easily use drafting to give your car an extra boost and take off into the lead. As you drag better opponents, you will need to bust out this essential skill, but remember that these skilled opponents also draft off you! In order to draft a car in front of you, you must be inside its slipstream, or the area of disturbance in the air created by the car ripping through it. The lead car does all the work by breaking wind resistance and making something of a smooth air pocket for some distance behind it. This smooth air pocket is what you want to take advantage of. Once inside the slipstream, your car has a bit more horsepower to give you as it's not doing as much work as the lead car. When you're close and ready, snap out from behind and speed past the lead car.

Dodging Traffic

Most of the tracks you rip through in Bayview have variable amounts of traffic present to throw a proverbial monkey wrench into otherwise cool running races. Some parts of certain tracks may not spawn vehicles at all; watch for this. Traffic seems to respond to racing vehicles differently and unpredictably. Anticipate some drivers pulling off to the side of the road when you approach at high speeds. They may not give any warning when they turn in front of you.
When being tailed closely by another racer, speed towards an oncoming car and try to block the view from behind. When you dodge out of the way at the last second, the racer behind you may not have seen the car and will be totaled by the impact with the traffic vehicle.
DRAG RACE TUNING WITH MARC DE VELLIS
Make sure that you hit a Perfect Shift off the start. This is crucial! I always use the analog stick to hover the RPMs in the green. This will give you a launch, and as long as you hit a couple of Perfect and Good Shifts, you will be unbeatable. Also run soft front springs and shocks to allow maximum weight transfer to the rear wheels. If it is a short race, go for more torque in your Drive train, ECU and Turbo. If it is a longer race do the opposite.

DRAG TRACKS

You need some background info on the tracks you are going to blast through. Here's the 411 on the drag strips you will find around Bayview.

Airport Freeway

Track Length: 2.93 km

Finish 2

1 Start
Description: This track starts in an industrial ghetto in Coal Harbour but soon heads up to the concrete expanse of the freeway just west of the Airport. The drag track is extremely fast on the freeway. This may sound exciting but at speeds exceeding 250Km/hour, any slight corner may hide a lurking catastrophe; sometimes in the form of a milk truck. Just be wary of any line of sight hidden by a corner. If there is variation in elevation, the risk is even greater.
1 Intersectionsdon't worry about these intersections because there is no 1. cross traffic to hinder your neck- breaking speed through this course. 2 Overpassnear the end of the track is a quick trip under an overpass. 2. Watch out for the cement dividers. 3 Main Freewaythis is a fast and relatively straight section but watch 3. carefully for the upcoming corners.

The Nudge

Aggressive racers appreciate this maneuver. The nudge is a hard tap with your car on either of the rear quarter panels of the car in front of you. If you keep the pressure up, especially on a corner, and then steer into the leading car, you can send them careening off into the guardrail. This is called the push out technique. This type of a crash sends drivers into a furious frenzy because it's very difficult to recover from a perpendicular wall crash. This equates to at least a five second lead for you.
Try the push out technique just before a jump. If you and another car are racing neck and neck down the strip and there is a place ahead to catch air, throw in a nudge to the car in front of you right before hitting the jump. Wait until the last second to do this. When your opponent is about to launch into the air, hit them and send them flying out of control off the launch ramp. This technique turns the car's heading just before taking off. It sends them off in the wrong direction once in the air. This technique is devastating and incredibly difficult, almost impossible to recover from when done effectively.
There are two good ways to use your nitrous that depend entirely on the results you're going for:

Hang Time

The alignment of your car just prior to hang time can have profound effects on your safe arrival back on earth. If you hit a jump on any sort of angle or rotational vector, that angle and rotation continues to increase while your car is in the air. Consequently, you may even land backwards if you're not careful! Hit your jumps and catch air straight on for the best results.
1. Use the nitrous in very short bursts to help you accelerate into higher gears. This technique dramatically increases your acceleration. 2. Hold off on using your nitrous until you've nearly maxed out your speed, then blast off on the straights to get an insane velocity boost! Use this technique to quickly overcome your engine's high gear plateau and reach your maximum speed.

The Wallflower

OBSTACLES
Around the tracks you'll find numerous types of obstacles littering parts of the street or deliberately placed items such as boxes or street signs. All objects have a certain weight and can impact your car differently. Lighter objects may just present a quick bump while others may stop you dead in your tracks. Items include boxes, pylons, construction signs, and water barrels; the latter two have a heavier anchor weight. Some of the smaller traffic signs will knock your car around and slow you down if you hit them.

POINTS EARNED PER RACE

RANKING POINTS PER TIER
Rookie Novice Inter. Skilled Advanced Veteran Expert Pro.

Drift Circuit

960 1400

Sprint Street X URL

The Underground Racing League events are the only races in which up to six players can compete at the same time.

Disqualifications

Players are disqualified for breaking the rules in Ranked Games. If players are accused of disrupting the game flow by blocking the road, driving backwards, or are accused of cheating, they receive a disqualification. When players achieve a certain number of disqualifications, their name will change color when they enter a game room. The closer to purple the name is, the more disqualifications they've received.

DISQUALIFICATION TABLE

1 to to to to 300
Legendary 4800 Elite 7000

Name Color

White Yellow Orange Red Purple
When a player reaches Elite status in any race mode, they receive an icon that is viewable by any player in the game room.
Points won will vary based on the number of players in a game. The more players there are, the more points that are awarded for finishing in a higher position. Ranked games require a minimum of three players.
Now that we've covered how to beat down your trash-talking friends' material, let's take a look at some behind the scenes goods with professional racer, Marc De Vellis.

INTERVIEW

BIOGRAPHY OF MARC DE VELLIS
Marc De Vellis is a seasoned nine-year veteran and champion in auto racing at the age of twenty-two. He says that the late Greg Moore was his role model and has inspired Marc in his quest to become a professional race driver on the Cart FedEx Championship circuit in the future. Marc's commitment is such that he has no backup plan for his future. "I've never thought of a back-up plan and I never will, because once you have a back-up plan, you fall back on it," he says. At 12 years old, Marc was rookie-of-the year in his first year of karting; at 16 years old he was an International 125cc-shifter Kart Champion. Currently, Marc is excited to prove to the world that he has what it takes to make racing his career. "Racing is my life and my passion. I have many supportive people under my wings. So far my journey in motorsports has been almost surreal, as I have accomplished all the goals I had previously set forth. I also am aware that without my family backing and supporting me, I wouldn't be where I am today. I owe them much gratitude, as my victories are also theirs," says Marc.

cars. Our goal was to create a fun drive that brought out the natural characteristics of the cars. I believe that we were successful in creating a drive that is both fun and technical. Greg and I have very similar gameplay methods so, basically, we are always on the same page. If he requests that a car handle a certain way, I could literally get it there in minutes once the car was in the window. I truly enjoyed working with him this year. I look forward to the future development we will do together for the upcoming projects. P: How has racing changed since you started your career? What are the most important factors to being a champion racer? MD: I started racing when I was eleven. Now at the age of 22, I find that the industry has grown so competitive that the budgets to run a good season (even for just a year) are almost unattainable. Just three or four years ago the car counts at each race event were in the upper twenties, whereas now they are lucky to get a dozen on the track. In
Europe you are rewarded if you have talent, yet here in North America, the driver who brings the budget gets to race. It is a bit frustrating for me, but if you focus on those frustrating aspects, you never have time to prepare or work on the business side of things to enable your own success. To be a successful champion, the easy part is winning races. The hard part is being a champion off the track. This means that even on the hard days, you greet your fans with a smile and be a role model to the kids. At the end of the day we are all entertainers and loyalty to the fans creates a long, respected career. P: What advice can you offer to our readers on how to get the most out of NFSU2? MD: I recommend pacing yourself. In my opinion, this is the best racing game ever, as it is blended with so many modes and customization options. Pay attention to the scenery because the rendering team did a sensational job. Be disciplined when driving for lap times. When you set a fast time, try to realize what made you
Interview: Marc De Vellis
fast so you can do it again and again. In each mode, whether it is hitting perfect shifts in Drag or connecting your drifts, stay disciplined and you will be rewarded. If anyone needs any advice on car setups, they can drop me a line at info@marcdevellis.com. I am planning on designating some time to answer questions regarding the maximum tunings for the cars. P: What advice can you offer someone who wants to race full-time? How does one get started in the business? MD: Start at the age of six or seven if you want to try to make it a profession. If you are older and have the budget, you can sometimes buy your way into a ride. It takes millions of dollars and is a big financial gamble. At the age of twenty-two, I have had well over $5 million dollars put towards my racing career. It takes a team of people to get you to where you need to go. I can't even count the network of people that have been there and supported me through the years. My wins and championships are as much theirs as they are mine.

P: How does working on a video game differ from working on a television show? BB: Since Need for Speed Underground 2's story plays out like a graphic novel, it was a really unique process to be involved with. Not only did I capture the character in my voice acting, but I took thousands of still photos with the team. Each shot really needed to tell part of the story, and each expression and pose related back to the drama unfolding in the game. It was hard work, but I think it really paid off in the end. P: What did Electronic Arts, Inc. ask you to wear when you were posing for your character stills? BB: You'll have to see for yourself in the game! The coolest part about the story being told in the graphic novel style is that you're not seeing a cyber-representation of Brooke Burke. It's the real thing. The artists treated my photos and animated the sequences to tell the story in Need for Speed Underground 2. P: What do you like best about the game so far? BB: I love seeing the game in action I was really impressed the first time I saw one of the cut scenes from the storyline in action. Games have traveled light years since my days of playing Miss Pac-Man. What I'm looking forward to most is having the opportunity to sit down and actually play the game with my nephew, who is the world's biggest Need for Speed fan. I think I'll be his new hero.
P: Is there such a thing as going too fast? BB: In the gameno way! Video games are a great escape from reality. Of course, I always respect the rules of the road. Get me on the Autobahn, however, and it's a completely different story. P: Do you follow much of the tuner culture yourself? BB: I'm a huge car enthusiast in real life and actually drive a bit of a race car myself. The prize of my collection is a Ferrari Maranello, which obviously doesn't need much tuning. However, I am in the process of chroming out my SUV, which I'm absolutely in love with. The best part about the tuner scene is that it's all about self-expression, and I love to check out what people do to trick out their cars. P: Which car is your favorite to drive in real life as compared to in the game? BB: I love my SUV in real life. It's really quite a powerful feeling to be behind the wheel of such a huge car. Luckily, Electronic Arts, Inc. has also included a number of SUVs in Need for Speed Underground 2, so I get to drive them in the game too! P: Do you have any tips for the players on their racing strategies? BB: Use your brakes! I always love to keep my foot on the gas, but sometimes a little braking can go a long way to making sure you hit the turns perfectly. Never underestimate the power of a little finesse. P: You rock! Can we race sometime? BB: You bet! Look for me online!