Starting line for a NYFE race.
NYFE racing was the most popular sport in Haven City during the time of Jak II, where drivers raced on advanced zoomers called air racers. All of the official championship races took place on the tracks of the Mar Memorial Stadium, while the unofficial city race and port race took place on normal zoomers in sections of Haven City. The NYFE racing tournament consisted of three classes: Class Three was the entry level and easiest class; Class Two was the second class; and Class One was the deadly NYFE championship. A racer must perform well in a class to progress to the next class of races.
Each class consisted of eight racers and took place on a different track. Turbo boosts were present on all tracks and if collected, provided the racer with a temporary speed boost. The winner of NYFE championship (Class One) received a month long supply of dark eco and a tour of the Baron's palace.
After the Mar Memorial Stadium was crushed underneath the Palace, NYFE racing was not seen again in the Jak and Daxter series.
History[]
Pre-Jak II[]
Little is known about the history of NYFE racing prior to Jak II. Erol, the commander of the Baron's Krimzon Guard, is the only other known air racer besides Jak and quickly earned the reputation of being "crazy and dangerous on the track." By the time Daxter finds Jak and busts him out of prison, Erol is considered the "undisputed grand champion."
Jak II[]
Krew, wanting a racing team contracted to him, offered to help Jak become a racer and get a team mechanic. Needing the access to the Baron's palace offered as a prize to the winner of the NYFE Championship, Jak accepted. During the Class Two race Daxter raced for the team showing that the sport uses team qualifications rather than individual racer ones.
Jak and Daxter's performance inspired the people of Haven City and Krew, seeing more money in betting against his own racer, asks Jak to throw the tournament in Erol's favor. An argument between Jak and Erol leads to an unofficial city race between them.
At the Class One race, Baron Praxis himself appeared to introduce the grand prizes of a month's supply of eco and a tour of his palace. Jak defeated Erol in the race and pocketed the purple clearance pass before the Baron could identify him. Enraged at losing to Jak, Erol tried to kill him with his air racer but instead collided with the barrels of dark eco.
Pre-Jak 3[]
When the Palace fell and the city was broken up by different factions, the Metal Heads inhabited the northern stadium section and what was left of the stadium. After the planet's salvation, it's unclear if NYFE racing returned to Haven, though it is unlikely considering the following uproar of popularity in combat racing.
How to play[]
Once you have selected a class from the stadium central computer you will have to enter the stadium itself and walk up to your designated air racer. After this the race will start immediately in a few seconds, each race lasts five laps. It should be noted that while your vehicle can sustain damage, too much damage will result in a crippling slow speed. If you crash it you will automatically lose the race.
It is highly recommended to use boosts and shortcuts to get ahead of other racers, as to avoid any situations where you will be dragged into any locations such as a wall, trench or bottomless pit. It is possible for any other racers to crash, eliminating them from the race.
The city and port races use zoomers and accelerator rings, even though they are classified as NYFE races. In these you race against only one opponent. After the countdown ends you will have to drive through the blue accelerator rings. Missing a ring, hitting the same ring twice or straying too far from the designated track will result in losing the race.
You can earn nine Precursor orbs, three for reaching every target time. The orbs will be awarded once the game is over, but note that you can only get the reward for every target once. Getting them all in one go will end with you receiving all nine orbs.
List of races[]
| Race | Required mission | Bronze | Silver | Gold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 3 | Win Class 3 race at stadium | 2:29 | 2:24 | 2:19 |
| Class 2 | Win Class 2 race at stadium | 2:20 | 2:15 | 2:10 |
| Class 1 | Win Class 1 race at stadium | 2:22 | 2:18 | 2:13 |
| Class 3 - Reverse | Win Class 1 race at stadium
And collect 135 precursor orbs |
2:58 | 2:53 | 2:48 |
| Class 2 - Reverse | Win Class 1 race at stadium
And collect 135 precursor orbs |
2:35 | 2:30 | 2:25 |
| Class 1 - Reverse | Win Class 1 race at stadium
And collect 135 precursor orbs |
2:30 | 2:25 | 2:20 |
| City race | Beat Erol in race challenge
Side mission: Ring race 2 (no. 08) |
2:17 | 2:12 | 2:07 |
| Port race | Win Class 1 race at stadium
Side mission: Orb search (no. 04) |
2:22 | 2:17 | 2:12 |
Class 3[]
Right off the start you are greeted by three boosts up ahead, with the majority of rival racers in front and to the left of you. The first thing you want to do is to use 
to jump over the racer on your right, then accelerate and pick the right boost and immediately use this right after this turn to get ahead of the others. Past the second turn are another three boosts, one of which you want to use to cross the bottomless pit shortly up ahead. If you drive straight on, jump, and use the boost at the right time, you will safely make the jump and arrive on the other side.
Without the boost you have to go around the pit, costing you the chance at the gold medal most certainly. After this is a ramp over another pit, don't boost here as you will charge into the ceiling and destroy your vehicle. Pick up the boost after the bit and use it quickly, too late and you are bound to get into trouble with the S-turn up ahead. The finish line is a little further one, although the track from there on is smooth.
Class 2[]
Similar to the Class 3 race, you want to jump over the racer on your right and take the boost on the right up ahead. Use it right away to get ahead of your rivals, take care not to use it when heading down the slope down into the underground, as you might get airborne and crash into the ceiling. Up ahead, after the turn with the next three boosts in it, is the first shortcut for this track. Much like before you have to cross a bottomless pit-style area, although the distance here is much shorter as well as rather tight due to the numerous structures around here. You can actually cross it without using a boost if you have enough speed.
The second shortcut is right after the first one, if you brake and turn to the right you can see it clearly, it's not recommended to use both shortcuts since after braking you won't have enough speed to properly make the jump, not to mention the lost time by braking your vehicle. Regardless if for some reason you can't use the first shortcut; use the second. Don't use only the second one since it means missing out on a boost, which you won't if you only pick the first shortcut.
The rest of the lap leading to the finish line is fairly easy, except for the annoying trenches on the sides. Try to avoid these as they can hamper your progress if you get caught in these.
Class 1[]
Ignore the boosts up ahead and go straight into the first shortcut on your right, taking the boosts when you exit it again, using one to stay ahead of the other racers behind you. The main reason for doing so is the turn you will be in by then, which has an annoyingly deep trench on the left side and a bottomless pit in the middle of the area up ahead. Take care to avoid being pushed into these. Take the boost after the pit, but consider holding back using it yet in this corridor with the trenches on both sides.
The reason for doing so is that the next turn is a rather sharp corner, slow down a bit here and use the boost straight after this to get back up to speed. Up next is another tiny shortcut (just ignore the boosts on the left) bring you back to the finish line. The time for this race is very limited, and you may want to consider practicing to get two boosts in one go. This can be very useful, and it helps keep boosts as a back-up if you accidentally miss one.
Class 3 - Reverse[]
A troublesome race early on, without any early boosts you are forced to be stuck with the other racers, who might even beat you to any of the boosts up ahead. It will most certainly cost you a medal if you fail to get a few boosts and get ahead of the rest. The only real thing to note is that the ramp for the small pit has been turned around and that there is no way to use a shortcut of any kind here, meaning you have to go the slow way around the bigger pit. Technically one can use the bump on the right before the shortcut together with a well-timed boost to make the jump, but odds are you will come out either heavily damaged or not at all.
Class 2 - Reverse[]
Despite the harsh start, the rest of the track is fairly simple. You are going to be bunched up with the other racers, with the first set of boosts placed in set of track filled with trenches. You should be able to take the left one, as the others pile up on the right, and hopefully make it out of the trench perfectly. If not, you have to rely on your boost to give you that extra cut ahead of the rest and then rely on cutting corners down in the underground (again, no shortcut available) to make it ahead safely.
Class 1 - Reverse[]
Go and take the shortcut near the start again, this time it will be on your left though. It is possible some other racers have the same idea as yours, which is a nuisance, though not for long. Up ahead, after a turn, is a short but wide corridor with trenches on both sides, and a sharp corner to the left. Your rivals will most certainly fail to take it properly, allowing you to cut the corner and take the left boost to get up ahead easily. Get through the next corridor (with trenches again) safely, avoid the pit in the middle right after this and the trench on the right this time after that.
If done successfully and without failure, you will have gotten ahead of the rest which should allow to sail smoothly to the finish line and so on. Do not forget to take the second shortcut, which is on the right after the bit of the track with the lone deep trench on the right side.
City race[]
A NYFE practice race played against an Underground member in Haven City. This race was first introduced in the "Beat Erol in race challenge" mission, assigned by Krew.
The track starts at the Hip Hog Heaven Saloon, then goes through the Southern Gardens, western Bazaar, past Haven Palace and through Main Town ending at the Mar Memorial Stadium. It is pretty long and introduces plenty of points where failure will cost you dearly, practice makes perfect however as you properly learn the do's and don'ts for each accelerator ring.
Port race[]
The track proceeds clockwise, making a simple circle passing the first tower, bridge, second tower, far left end of the Port, Hip Hog Heaven Saloon and gun course and ending at the far right end of the Port.
In this race, hitting the water also counts as a loss.