TURN UP THE HEAT

$1 million Bank! That’s what’s at stake at The Grand, the biggest race in Lakeshore. Think you have what it takes? You’re gonna need to turn up the heat - race hard, be fast, and win your races.

You can’t just walk into The Grand – you’ll need cash (Bank) and cars to compete. And that means you have to win races. Even if you don’t come in first in every race, placing will net you some cash. Cash = more upgrades. More upgrades = faster finishes.

The Weekly Calendar

Qualifiers and The Grand - How it works

You must win the Qualifiers for three weeks to get to The Grand. Bank your cash Sunday through Friday, with each week culminating in a big three-part race on Saturday night called a Qualifier. To enter the Qualifier, you need to have a wad of cash to pay the entry fee and a car that can keep up with the other racers. Qualifiers are Eliminator Races, meaning if you don’t place, you're out. To progress to the next week, you must win the final race of the Qualifier.

Winning a Qualifier race ain’t no joke - it takes nerves of steel to burn up the streets of Lakeshore. If you win, you’ll be awarded a grip of cash and a Legendary Custom car - a super tricked-out car with a unique body kit and custom wrap. Now repeat that two more times to get to The Grand.

The Grand is like a souped up Qualifier - with a twist. You’ll need a big buy-in and four different cars of different tiers of performance to participate in four different races in a row. When you win The Grand, you get a pile of cash ($1 million Bank!).

Heat Levels. More Risk, More Rewards

As you race and win, your Heat will increase. The more you win, the higher the Heat. As your Heat increases, Lakeshore's finest up their game, increasing their tactics, capabilities, and resources with one goal in mind: take you down. The Heat you accumulate from your Day races goes with you into the Night, increasing the Risk, and bumping up the Rewards. Get Busted without banking your dough at your Safe House, and you’ll be broke as a joke, and you won’t be getting into the Qualifier with empty pockets.

Hit the Safe House to bank your cash.

Each event in Lakeshore has a Heat value. The higher the risk, the higher the Heat, the higher the buy-in… the bigger the reward! You could play it safe and go low-risk, but what’s the fun in that? Not only that, some events require a certain Heat level. Build up your Heat, find those events, and bank that money.

Once the cops are called in, be ready to run, take them out, or hide. The longer the chase, the higher the Heat, the more aggressive the cops. Heat levels 1-2 will have you facing Dodge Charger Patrol cars and AWD Ford Explorers ready to take you down by any means necessary on any route, and Heat level 3 brings out the Corvette Interceptor - which you’re not gonna outrun, so you will have to out drive it. Heat level 4 doubles the intensity with the introduction of the Undercover Camaro and the pursuit helicopter. If you survive and get to Heat level 5, the cops will bring the pain with the Ford F-150 Raptor joining the pursuit helicopter. Yep, that’s a helicopter chasing you. And there’s no ramming it to disable it. Either lose it with expert driving skills or hide.

Once you’ve escaped the cops, get to a Safe House quickly to bank your cash. Unless, of course, you’re willing to turn up the heat and risk what’s in your pockets for even more. Once you hit a Safe House, Day shifts to Night or Night shifts to the next Day. Maximize your time in Lakeshore during each period to pad your Bank and build your Heat.

The Side Bet Screen (Not Final Artwork)

Street racing through the city of Lakeshore is gonna take everything you’ve got - and even then, you’re not guaranteed to win. Take your winnings - even if you placed dead last - and save up to add some power to your ride. Winning guarantees a pay day, but even if you don’t win, bank the cash you earn from each race so you can hit bigger races with higher buy-ins, upgrade and customize your machine and gear, and get better finishes. There IS a side hustle - and that’s the Side Bets. You can throw down some cash to up the ante in your races with Side Bets. Adding a Side Bet changes the dynamic of the race - so don’t bet what you’re not willing to lose. Better yet, don’t lose. Meetups are where you can test your skill against other racers and make some quick loot via side bets.

Remember: The higher the risk, the greater the reward. Go all in and go all out. Still need some advice? Check these tips to make Bank and get to The Grand.