Gran Turismo 2: Drag Race Game Mode Leftovers ft. Oddheader

This video documents everything we know about the planned Drag Race Mode on Gran Turismo 2. It was cut from the final game, but there are still cars, menu items, and more that still remain in the game's files; the cars are even unlockable!
Many thanks to Oddheader for providing the awesome commentary. It's our second collaboration video; the first you can watch here: • GTA 3 (PS2) One Fact A...
I highly recommend that you check out his channel if you're into video game secrets and easter eggs as much as I am: / oddheader
A big thanks to Toyota SPRINTER TRUENO 1986 for the video's thumbnail artwork. Drop him a message if you're looking for some awesome artwork for your own videos: / @toyotasprintertrueno1...
The music is: Gran Turismo 4 Soundtrack - From the East to the West
#granturismo2 #oddheader #granturismops1

[@MrBrightSide784]

I miss playing this in my room with no care in the world, growing up sucks

[@EmpyreanReaper]

I feel you on that one 😭😭

[@Cladounnet]

Miss so much that feel too ! I remember I played weeks and weeks to get 100% on GT2, I was something like 11 or 12 years, don't care about the world and responsabilities, probably the best part of my life... :) Actual life is good too, but never equal that !

[@IIGrayfoxII]

ePSXe dude. Relive your childhood.

[@yungblade6927]

true

[@matt12a]

a time for everything, you will have a kid and they will be able to live care free for 20ish years.

[@tamastoth7768]

These GT2 menu musics always so relaxing. Anyone else noticed that how "atmospheric" that game was? We never really talk about atmosphere in a racing game but GT2 had a really strong one. With all the music, the map-menu and cities, the unique cars and the original tracks. It's like the game have it's own world. It's just awsome to see so many fictional and real things meet in a racing game (not in a dumb way what can be seen often in new nfs games). And maybe it's just the nostalgia but I can't see it GT Sport. And I can't see that want of perfection what was seen in GT2. It was ahead of it's time and had a lot of potential just like that drag mode. For me this is the best racing game ever made and maybe the best videogame ever. By the way cool video man

[@MattJ155]

Really enjoyed reading this. Thanks for the comment.

[@tamastoth7768]

@@MattJ155 Me thanks for the amazing videos 🙏

[@relate97]

Here’s a cool fact I could be wrong and it was just random but I started playing gt sport in Toronto and it always had nice soothing English music just moved to Montreal and now they only play French songs for me it’s pretty cool but could be random I guess lol

[@leoleonvids]

What about the one in GT1? The NTSC-U/PAL soundtrack made the game feel very cold and technical, which I guess fits...

[@niko1600]

I fall asleep with GT4s menu music every single time. It's legit the only thing that makes me sleep

[@mistx7115]

heck drag racing is even mentioned in one of the games manuals.

[@drewgalbraith4499]

Mist X yup I totally remember that

[@sp3cialed1]

I have that one, it confused me why I never unlocked it as a kid now I know

[@CorvusRemalius]

I can confirm that as I still have the case, manuals and discs in pristine condition.

[@DavidRSAT]

Corvus Remalius You’ll make some mad money some day

[@niko1600]

Which page? I've got the original NTSC(the one with the infamous Vector M12 on Trial Mountain) version so idk I'd PAL or NTSC-J is different

[@X2011racer]

GT4 also had Drag Mode cut from the final release as well; A pre release screenshot of GT4 featured 2 cars in Las Vegas Drag Strip in their own lanes, but the course ended up being used for 400m Machine Tests only. Forcing the Game to load a race in Las Vegas reveals that there are 2 proper starting positions, but the rest (3rd-6th place) are garbage positions, placing them out of bounds. The fact that 1st and 2nd place positions have proper starting positions may be what's left of Drag Race mode in GT4.

[@submaniac93]

l_20 is actually a cut slalom course, with missing geometry. So nothing to do with the drag strip unfortunately. There's one car you guys didn't mention, which has a name strign in the demos, but was never modeled (only a placeholder body), which is the HKS Celica, that completed the trio of HKS cars back in the day.

[@GroovyBabyYeah]

submaniac93 loli speaking factual information. Thanks (kidding but serious thanks for info)

[@submaniac93]

@@GroovyBabyYeah ✌（◕ω◕）✌

[@MattJ155]

Wow, I never knew about the HKS Celica! Always amazed with your Gran Turismo knowledge. Would I be able to ask you a few things about the text string only cars? If so, what's the best method - Discord / email etc.?

[@teddysadcat]

the HKS Celica did appear in another game, Option Tuning Car Battle Spec-R

[@submaniac93]

@@teddysadcat Oh interesting. I've never played any of the OTCB games, mostly because of he language barrier, but they seem like decent tuner games from back then

[@DatShepTho]

Love that thumbnail!!! Definitely the better of the two. GT2 menu design is the best ever menu design!!!

[@alicetreat8564]

Its shame the video is not on orginal aspect ratio glory. Sigh...

[@CamaroAmx]

My guess as far as the drag strip tracks are concerned is that the tracks would of been the straightaways on some of the larger tracks (like test track), similar to what Forza did in Forza 3 and GT2’s 0-400m test and tunes. I don’t think they would of modeled brand new tracks. Interestingly, despite the drag mode being cut at the last minute in GT2, it never appeared in GT ever. We just got hints here and there (like the drag strip in GT4 but no dedicated drag cars). Maybe part of the real reason they cut drag racing from GT2 is that they couldn’t get it to work the way they wanted it to and they worked on it until the 11th hour. When they couldn’t get it to work properly in time, they cut it out. And when they have made the next GT games, they decided that it was not worth the effort or the idea was scrapped forever by management to focus on road course racing.

[@MsSirAndy]

maybe because of hardware ps1 limit?

[@CamaroAmx]

MadMax but it’s never appeared in GT. Not on ps1, ps2, ps3 or ps4

[@IIGrayfoxII]

@@CamaroAmx GT4 did have a drag race mode. Vagas Strip

[@CamaroAmx]

@@IIGrayfoxII but it lacked dedicated drag cars, the opposite of GT2.

[@IIGrayfoxII]

@@CamaroAmx it was meant to be raced with any car. You can make a demio drag car

[@YoSuey]

I remember my father being super hyped for Drag Racing in GT2, before playing it and getting furious about it not making it in. Wanted to sue sony for false advertising lol.

[@niko1600]

Yeah my dad told me he was super hyped when he got the HKS R33 as he had the rare opportunity to see the real thing in person(Now sits in the HKS Museum that you need special access to get into) and was pissed as they advertised drag racing

[@GuntanksInSpace]

Very interesting digging on what remained of GT2's scrapped drag racing mode! Even more than the alleged drag strip clip-through track that can be found at Laguna Seca when you go out-of-bounds. Kickass video, Matt and Oddheader!

[@John-qb8wh]

When I won the hks drag 180sx I was like "What am I supposed to do with this?"

[@msmadmax420]

See if its faster than Pikes Peak... its what I did. I think most of us did. And win a few races with em. And resell em to farm cash. All things GT veterans did with em.

[@AdrianOkay]

get the 400m record and post it

[@RandomCarGuy17]

Sell it for 250,000 credits and put that money towards something else. or use it to farm in the Tuned Turbo Car Cup.

[@skarm227]

they make great hybrids, if you wanna use the engine there's actually some kei cars that can handle 1000hp

[@mikidof]

The funny thing is the 180SX Drag is much faster than the R33 Drag

[@azoreanblade2]

For the Dodge Intrepid, I've managed to get it to 186 mph with the stock 4 speed transmission with 505 hp. Also, if you navigate to where it says 'Machine Test' there's an option for 400m or 1/4 mile to try out drag times.

[@John-qb8wh]

I got the HKS 180SX drag when I won a race but was confused as to why I got a drag car when there is no drag races until good friend of mine told me that GT2 was rushed and that's why there's no limitations on different car type races,no drag races and once you complete all races the game percentage counts 92.8% instead of 100% And when I asked him, "is this why I got a drag car?" he said "yes, it's best to just sell it"

[@Player-jx9pd]

Matt you & Oddheader are legends! I can fly happy on Sunday now. Thank you for the great content we’re all so grateful for it and thank you for uploading it before the weekend. :-)

[@MattJ155]

Thanks so much for watching! We're nothing without fans like you. :)

[@Player-jx9pd]

MattJ155 Watched you from the start-ish and every single video that’s been uploaded has always been interesting! I’m also on GTPlanet as GTPVenomZombie, always keep an eye on the hidden stuff threads in the GT section so it’s very fascinating to watch everything you upload. Especially the Driver/Driver 2 content those videos are in my KZbin treasure chest! Appreciate you as always buddy :)

[@Mace2.0]

The only legit drag strip course in GT was the Las Vegas strip in GT4, but lack of dragsters.

[@Mace2.0]

...Although not many racing games do have a drag race mode. Yeah, the Need for Speed games is one of them, R: Racing Evolution, and Test Drive 2002 are another, but it would be appreciated if there's more drag race modes, instead of a lobby taking place in a track with a long straight lane.

[@speedchannel7196]

Kvf 29 Don’t forget Forza!

[@damcleandetailing]

Lack of dragsters.. tell that to the fully modded Honda Odyssey with nitrous that runs 11’s iirc haha. GT is easily for me the best collection of racing games ever!

[@DANLi_]

*sees the video* *instantly clicks*

[@bobbobson3652]

I'm addicted to oddheaders videos, and I love this content. Double the fun

[@MattJ155]

Thanks Bob!

[@mlynskey2]

That music takes me back!

[@vaillant_500]

Wait... Oddheader narating your GT Leftover video series? That's *NEAT*

[@wolfo1931]

In addition to drag racing and the remnants in the form of the cars in game, the Taurus and its racing modification as well as the Dodge Avenger ES makes me wonder if stock car racing was a planned class as well.

[@AmyraCarter]

Stock Car racing we didn't get until GT5...

[@AlexZanderMuro]

I remember doing the old Laguna Seca and Seattle Circuit glitches to get out of the map and view the "drag strip" that was just a graphics glitch that allowed you to drive straight for as far as you wanted and see what your cars can max out at. Looked a lot like a dragstrip and I'm pretty sure one of the PS magazines had an article about it back in the day (probably where I first heard about it). Something to look into if you haven't already!

[@cpzarchive349]

4:46 There's code to apply something like "noclip", what I remember, you were able to clip through walls. Use it if you want to reach the "track"

[@MattJ155]

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try.

[@RedDriver180]

What would drag racing look like in GT2 kzbin.info/www/bejne/e37Fk2tpq86ljNU

[@radovanbojanic4635]

Thanks matt your gt2 videos always make me feel nostalgic and warm inside almost like its 2002 when i was gifted my ps1 slim and a copy of gt2 all though it was the Japanese version and i didn't know what i was doing i fell in love with this game and cars

[@chungman6167]

Nice that you got oddheader! Like the thumbnail and video, too. Good work!

[@MattJ155]

Thanks!

[@GTvsForza]

Interesting that even the demo had Drag Mode (kinda).

[@MadrugaFan]

Yeah, the unused Drag Race graphic found in the retail game is a demo leftover that somehow survived the redesign of the Arcade Mode panels.

[@CarsSimplified]

Pretty cool stuff! I always wondered why those cars were in there, and I completely forgot about that Intrepid racing modification!

[@seanhart7185]

Oddheader and Matt making a GT2 video together? I can't click fast enough!

[@MattJ155]

😊

[@Ben_Mayall]

Sean Hart isn’t it just beautiful that he replied to you as well? 🙂

[@emanuelecasetta4923]

in Gran Turismo's official website, in the description of the game it says "Feel the awesome force of an old American muscle car in a quarter mile drag race". in the description of the Mercury cougar it says "[...] If in stock form it may have seemed more suited for drag racing, modiefied Cougars were run in professional road-racing series and did well." Problably that's another leftover of the drag mode (but it's also the description of the performance of the car).

[@MattJ155]

I have seen that too!

[@RobertT1999]

Hey, I'm an admin in odd's Discord server. Glad to see him narrating as a collaboration. I've heard about your videos many times before, but I've never really watched. But now I shall subscribe and watch when you upload new videos.

[@MattJ155]

Hi. I've joined the Discord server but haven't posted much yet. I need to get involved more. Anyway thanks for checking out my videos and subscribing! :)

[@wira2562]

In Machine Test, the fastest cars for Drag Race 400 m and 1 km are Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak Version and Cultus Pikes Peak Version in Gran Turismo 2.

[@KevinAbillGaming]

In Gran Turismo 4, you can actually have a drag race using Cheat Engine, despite it was scrapped during the development. This involves locking a track code and choosing a 2-car or a 6-car track.

[@cr27gaming52]

oh wow, very interesting stuff! also i didn't expect to see oddheader here lmao

[@MattJ155]

Haha, yeah we're friends and we've collaborated on videos before, and hopefully again in the future.

[@chAiNsss_]

IA cars don't have speed limit on GT2. You can see it on Test Course for example, where a Mitsubishi Lancer, which has a low top speed when you use it, gets 300 km/h and more when being used by the IA.

[@D_LGND]

GT4 Las Vegas drag strip was probably the closest we got to a drag race in GT

[@mojojoji5493]

I love odd header working with new channels love it

[@Levin_Pilot_246]

To inform something for Oddheader, there are 2 arcade mode version of this game which are 1.0, and 1.1, and for Simulation mode disc has 3 versions, which are 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2, but the developers completely forgot the Drag race mode topic, due for solving other issues with the game

[@takashirafael9391]

there is a way to test max speed in one tiny course i remember just get a wall on one turn and game's glitch are done and you can run on imaginary road only need keep you "red dot" on screen

[@apexgt4]

Here is a question. On the track with just a line as it’s mini map. Can you try this? Since the tracks don’t scale with the map. What I mean is in gt3 onward, the maps change size depending on the length. So the map of the nurburgring is the same size roughly as the driving course. But in gt2 they don’t. That’s why the map looks like a couple of pixels on motor sports land while the map is normal on other tracks. So this means the distance is consistent. So can someone measure the length of the line for the drag strip and see how long it is (maybe by driving on the test course?)

[@submaniac93]

The issue as I mentioned in my comment is that this is a slalom course actually. Starting from the right side. I've never gone to the end of the track myself, but now you're making me curious to see how long it is haha However, you would be right, if the road's length is the same size as what's shown on the map, even with the fac that we start away from it seemingly, then it's a road that's roughly 80% of one of Test Course's straights I'd say, quite long.

[@SuperFrizzio]

Nice video! Also drag racing is mentioned in the PAL manual of the game.

[@TommyFenstermacher5150]

It's also mentioned in the NTSC manual. I have both 1.1 and 1.2 and it appears in both manuals.

[@PSXDRIVERPLAYERBSTH]

Where is this mention supposed to be in the PAL one, skimmed it through and couldn't find anything. Except images from GT1, which the Platinum manual actually fixes (seen it).

[@SuperFrizzio]

@@PSXDRIVERPLAYERBSTH In one of the manuals (can't remember which one, maybe the one that explains the basic of driving)

[@PSXDRIVERPLAYERBSTH]

Went through both quickly, the game manual and the Driving Strategy Guide, saw nothing. And it's been some years since I actually read through both of those. Would like to have the English languaged Platinum manual though, I recall through a translated one I saw on a friend's house recently, it fixes a bit about saving/loading the game on GT Mode (it's not like in GT1, what the OG manual says)

[@MattJ155]

I'd love to know where it's mentioned, if anyone knows!

[@alexandersasphalt9808]

@MattJ155 Very interesting video. I'm glad that you featured OddHeader in the video (as OddHeader talks about Easter Eggs & Hidden Discoveries within games)

[@MattJ155]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@emanuelecasetta4923]

Gran turismo 7 will have drag races, sort of, but I still hope PD will add the hks trio so we'll finally get the complete drag racing experience in the gran turismo series.

[@WaifuWarsRacing]

Really liked the Oddheader cover here tbh

[@MattJ155]

Awesome, thanks!

[@doodle4503]

Oddheader In a video on a channel with less than 15,000 subs? Awesome. And also when I typed out this comment, it auto corrected Oddheader to Redheaded, strange, isin't it?

[@Lowerthaibar]

wtf a wild Oddheader appears

[@IIGrayfoxII]

Only issue with the Drag mode being arcade only is. The 100% completion issue.

[@ThunderTHR]

Excellent work!

[@logut80]

I used to use the "the ghost car" to do roll races lol Race one car & find a mark at the beginning of a long straight to be the starting point. I'd pick another car to race the ghost car, pace the ghost car and look for that mark on the straightaway then floor it. The faster car would be the ghost car to compete against the next opponent I'd choose

[@FAT8893]

I actually believe that the Machine Test feature in Simulation Disc is the intended Drag Racing mode.

[@kevinvandeford5562]

oddheader collab..nice bro perfect combination

[@AmyraCarter]

I remember getting several of the HKS Drag R33 GTR prize cars, selling them at 125K each, lol Why? Heh, for the ONE car everyone would do this to grab. The Suz-ki Es-kudo/Grand Vitara. Yeah, imagine taking that monster into the drag races; you'd win every time, lolz

[@niko1600]

It's the best way to make money I just keep one to use at test track and sell the others I get although I get 250k...

[@AmyraCarter]

@@niko1600 It is certainly easier than trying the endurance/patience test that is five laps at Red Rock Valley for a prize car that sells for 500K. I mean, if ya have the right car, and can control it, then it's a breeze, but... (the GT40 Race Car is a good car to take to that challenge but it is also one that requires skill to maneuver).

[@Floordford]

I don't think they would have gotten drag racing correct anyway. Dedicated drag race games kind of get it right but they still can fall short. Things like burn outs to clean and heat the tires, staging and suspension set up are things that are very different in a drag scenario verses street/track. I think it's good that they scrapped it. In a simulation game they would have fallen short in the drag racing.

[@Alanzice]

Amazing video as always. Really interesting.

[@MattJ155]

Thanks!

[@Karma-zf6su]

This kind of video is so amazing.

[@Pluvillion]

Oddheader's voice never gets old.

[@ToastNova]

the data for 4 drag races somewhat remains in GT mode in the final game, and they still count towards completion using cheats, 3 of them barely have enough data to complete but the 4th doesn’t work so even with cheats, its impossible to complete GT2 100%

[@Julian_Pepper]

they even have a 0-1,000 strip license test track for the braking tests, they could have made this work.

[@midorifox]

It's so sad that gt2 was so rushed... I hope that the source code will leak one day,so fans can add the missing features themselves.

[@BRockin25]

GT2 is arguably the greatest game of all time

[@BawesomeBurf]

I was always a bit annyoed at the missing 1.8% in this game. Drag Racing always seemed like the most logical reason why it was impossible to 100% the original release. I remember trying to drive those HKR cars, and they were pretty much useless outside of the Test Course.

[@BAIGAMING]

Good video, but I think your footage is stretched and looks fat. Check the graphics options and force it to 4:3 aspect ratio, then decorate the left-over space with whatever you'd like

[@yusufsubadar3677]

Did anybody else ever find the hidden drag strip at Laguna Seca?

[@lucasromeo8637]

I Always think these drag cars are not a vault but now my teory is concluded the final version must have drag racer mode

[@brookie1141]

That Dodge looks clean

[@r.u.s.e3586]

Was not expecting to here oddheader in this video lol

[@Dexter037S4]

ODDHEADER AND MATTJ155? I never would've expected.

[@IIGrayfoxII]

There was a HKS Celica So HKS R33 Drag is AWD HKS 180SX is FR HKS Celica would've been FF? It would've covered the main drive layouts

[@ChaseMC215]

Gran Turismo 2 looks great, even without the Drag Race mode

[@BonzaELTesto]

Ohh shit oddheader on here

[@ahrred3127]

I Play The Game On My Emulator And I Alway Feel There Is Somethin Missing Because Of The Drag Car.

[@purwantiallan5089]

Shame that drag race was removed. If it is implemented the GT2 is 100% beaten.

[@C.I...]

2:15 I saw somewhere that "Plam Strip" was actually a misspelling of "Plum Strip", which was one of many pre-release names for "Apricot Hill Raceway". EDIT: here: tcrf.net/Prerelease:Gran_Turismo_2#Eiger_Path_and_Palm_Strip

[@dhruvmini01]

Eiger path IS Grindelwald because the eiger mountain faces Grindelwald as a city in real life. Also it is Eiger as in tiger

[@1mfilms]

half the video = "Plam Strip" and other alternate names for the courses

[@Goodstone_5488]

Interesting facts!

[@franktorresquiroz685]

Good video. As a spanish native speaker, how difficult is for me to detect the pronunciation of "Plam", "Palm" and "Plum" Strip in 2:47. Greetings from Peru.

[@chrissss696]

What about 0-400m and 0-1000m tests? Maybe it first was supposed to be a race between another car but then they removed the opponent and just called it "car test"

[@monkeycheez3]

1:26 long boi

[@bitelaserkhalif]

One can simulate drag race in test track 400m. But it won't be the same

[@windowsmaster8681]

I was wondering if you could show off the gta2 beta build because it's my favorite top down game

[@yugenboy]

2:25 Eiger Path? Damm that track in GTHD is more of a looker for it's scenery than the track itself. I wonder how it will look like in GT SPORT.

[@sergiomartins98]

Its not the same as GTHD, in GT2 it had the exact layout of grindelwald but without the altitude variation

[@yugenboy]

@@sergiomartins98 Ah, I see. Wasn't that hidden in a demo?

[@submaniac93]

Eiger path is Grindelwald, before it was named as such. In PD's cannon, Grindelwald is located very near Eiger Nordwand and the rest of the GT5+ tracks. Grindelwald is actually a real location just north east of the Eiger mountain too :D

[@nescruz1998]

Grand turismo forget a big detail drag cars dont get curves are just for straight roads

[@GroovyBabyYeah]

Isn’t there a drag strip out of bounds at laguna seca

[@SonicBoone56]

I think that's just the background image looping over and over again.

[@GroovyBabyYeah]

Socky Noob hooray someone knew what I was talking about

[@MattJ155]

Yeah, it's basically a duplicate of the track.

[@blazex3043]

What is a good car to start game?

[@Kacpa2]

Why you dont narrate your videos anymore Matt? i preffer listening to your voice when you cover stuff like this.

[@MattJ155]

Hi. I do narrate my own videos sometimes still. The last two videos (about the Gran Turismo Preview disc I bought) were narrated by me. To be honest, I do want to upgrade my microphone and do better audio quality commentaries too. The reasons why I let others do commentaries are because I enjoy collaborating with other KZbinrs and I also like to give others a chance to raise awareness about their chsnnels, for example, GS Central, who have fewer subscribers than me. :)

[@kmotin2412]

Is it possible to mod the game and make a Drag Strip for the game?

[@SonicBoone56]

That'd be awesome

[@MadrugaFan]

Only if the track data is reverse engineered and tools are developed for that. Right now we can't even import full custom car models, so it'll take a while for that to happen.

[@submaniac93]

Just as Lamar Cosen said. Track data is so far relatively unknown, and unresearched. However, whenif the day comes where we manage to make/convert custom cars and import them into GT2, then that kniowledge surely will be useful in understanding the track data. For now, the only thing doable to tracks are modding their textures

[@raymxslappedyall3660]

would there be a drag license?

[@apexgt4]

I don’t think it would work because the ai rubber banding! 😄

[@x7ameedo700]

Don't you think they were just there for fun?

[@candycabngfl]

lol No 4.3 aspect = Pancake mode !

[@putraaulia7619]

hmm it's very odd when oddheader talking about racing games...

[@saleemhoosen2236]

Laguna seca has a drag strip

[@MattJ155]

That was a rumour that unfortunately turned out not to be true. It was merely a duplicate of the normal track.

[@luiszelaya8698]

Wat ony have 2 hks bot not didge intrepid . Did no kwno dodge put intrepid drag race

[@kirillassasin]

3:22 turn off sound

[@questaebenzinah2600]

Someone knows why they removed that?

[@reinhardofavercland7448]

1. They rushed the production 2. They had a problem to fit all of the contents into the disk (disk space was very limited back then)

[@questaebenzinah2600]

@@reinhardofavercland7448 ah ok. Do you know the problems with Polo and CLK Dtm instead? :) thanks

[@marz_mitzi]

gross. of all the people you choose the fakest one to narrate~

[@MattJ155]

Hmm, OK this interests me. What makes you say that about Oddheader?