Speed Challenge Competition (Updated 2023)

One of the promotions Sega Europe/Dreamarena did for MSR was this Speed Challenge competition.....

Basically this was a 'fastest lap' competition over 3 courses (one in each city) using MSR's headline car, the VX220/Speedster.  After getting a fast time, you would then upload them to the leaderboards within Dreamarena.  Here's a picture of the London ranking (scanned from ODM #17):

Frustratingly you are forced to drive with automatic gears and ABS on, however those winning players still managed some spectacular times:

The London Challenge (St James's Park/Long/Parliament Street South II)

Best lap: 1'10.422 set by benvollo (France)

The San Francisco Challenge (Financial District/Medium/Market West II) 

Best lap: 1'01.327 set by Sirus (UK)

The Tokyo Challenge (Shinjuku/Long/Higashi-Dori Kita II)

Best lap: 0'56.034 set by Manasel (Spain)

Original link: Sega Europe News Archive (March 2001)

Here's an interview with the San Francisco Challenge winner in ODM #18:

2023 update: A commentator who took part in The London Challenge told me about the watch they received as a runner-up prize.  It was a 'Swatch New Chrono Overdrive SK413' that was released circa 1998.  A picture is below.  In my opinion, the runner-ups received a better prize than the winners (who got a Dreamcast wheel).

The Speed Challenge option can be found by selecting INTERNET on the main menu.  Of course you are unable to upload your times since Dreamarena has been closed since March 2002!  I managed to beat the above times in 2010/2011 but not via the Speed Challenge option.  Instead I made Time Trials of the above courses so I could use manual gears and switch ABS off.  Here are my video replays for each course however if you think I'm fast, just remember the winners had to do it in automatic!

If you can get your Dreamcast online and wish to challenge my times, the above Time Trial files can be obtained at: https://dreamcastlive.net/metropolis-street-racer-dlc/

August 2023 update: I have now managed to beat the competition times using Speed Challenge rules (automatic gears and ABS).  Please see the following link for more information: https://msrdreamcast.blogspot.com/2023/08/my-speed-challenge-quest.html