You can actually hit the jump through the shortcut at the beginning of this race, since you begin so close to it that you should have total control over the speed and angle of your car, so hit it and get moving. The first big right turn is also close enough to the starting line to normally occur before the pack separates, so if you get the opportunity, hit one of your opponents while you're going through to steal some of their momentum and prevent yourself from having to brake.
The last track section will be your savior if you've fallen behind; as usual, the computer can be expected to lose a few seconds in the mess of roads, so take the left road, cut across the dirt, and head down across the unfinished road, which will deposit you directly in front of the finish line.
Reverse: To 1st Ave. Truck Stop
Unfortunately, the computer seems eager to take the route that normally saves you a few seconds, so you shouldn't expect any huge leads to begin the course. The concrete barrier section will let you gain a second or two on your opponents, however, especially if you dare to travel in the oncoming lanes after you exit the canal. The final jumping shortcut is so temptingly close to the finish line that you may want to try taking it, especially if there's someone ahead of you who's going over it as well. The loss of speed inherent in taking a big jump like this isn't that important, given the short little sprint to the finish line, and if your competition lands badly, you should be able to pass them for the win.
The dirt section after the canals here should be taken slowly enough to prevent any spin-out mishaps; you'll have a good opportunity to make up time or retake the lead on the construction shortcut that immediately follows.
If you take the right-hand slot of the shortcut, you'll need to make a hard right and hold it longer than you normally would; you'll barely have time to straighten it out before you're faced with the right turn at the fork in the road. If you can't coax your car through the somewhat extreme turn radius, it's better to sacrifice the right turn and keep your speed while heading into the left side of the fork. This may make it more difficult to hit the shortcut ahead, but you should still be able to make it if you weave far enough to the outside.
Reverse: To 7th & Sparling
The main sticking point here will be the nasty turn subsequent to the fork. You'll either need to take the turn on the far outside edge, or cut your speed drastically; blasting through it as fast as possible is an option, as wide as it is, but this will leave you in a bad position to make the ensuing shortcut. If you do manage to negotiate your car into the shortcut, the dirt section that follows is just straight enough for you to go full-throttle through it, if you can keep an eye on where the walls are.
If traffic's bad, then the right-hand lane is your only real choice. It's probably the best choice, no matter what, but if you prefer to dare the oncoming traffic, at least you know that the catch-up feature will let you get back in the race should you have a horrific accident. If you're not in the lead when you reach the alleyway, try to get behind the first car and let him or her deal with the signs and traffic paraphernalia that lead to the bridge; they'll take the speed hit from the successive impacts, letting you blast past them and take the lead after you land.
Reverse: To 9th & Frey
Making it into the construction shortcut will be difficult on your first run-through of this map, since it doesn't show up on your HUD map, and follows a somewhat unfamiliar turn. After you pass the concrete barrier section, start looking for a very gentle right turn and keep your eyes open for the construction barriers; when you spot them, get in line for the shortcut and head through full-blast. The rest of the course is a fairly speedy one, but be sure to hit the brakes, if necessary, to get in the correct lane of traffic when you reach the bottom of the highway.
You'll need to draw upon the hard-earned skills you've built up while racing on the many different Circuit tracks to do well on this, the longest Sprint track. Truth be told, most of the curves are rather moderate, letting you floor it for most of the track without concern, but if you hit a rough spot, even towards the end of the route, don't give up hope; ahead lies the wonderfully confusing Port Royal track section that the AI cars never seem to handle properly. If you can bust through the dirt shortcut and get back on line before the long left turn, you should have an unbreakable hold on the lead.
Reverse: To Spillway
The action here can get quite intense, simply because there are so many opportunities to screw up, especially when there's heavy traffic. By the time you unlock this track in Underground mode, you should have a pretty good NOS kit installed; if you're fighting for the lead through the Terminal construction area, you can attempt to take the jump shortcut, slam on the nitro, and make a mad dash for the finish line. It's a desperation move, obviously, but that's what makes it so fun when you actually pull it off.
