GTA Online Lunar New Year Stunt Races — Snake

Lunar New Year Stunt Races are a special type of competition added to GTA Online to celebrate the traditional East Asian holiday in January 2025. Three tracks dedicated to the Year of the Snake were available for three weeks:

• 04/2025,
• 05/2025,
• 06/2025.

These races differ from regular Stunt Races in both visual elements (fireworks, Chinese lanterns, traditional gates, etc.) and technical features. For example, during the race, players have access to a speed boost (activated by pressing X on PC, X on PlayStation, or A on Xbox). Nitrous becomes available 5.5-6 seconds after the start, refills automatically, but recharges faster after passing checkpoints, special pads, and performing stunts.

Before starting, players can configure only a few settings. Race type: Standard or Non-Contact Mode. Number of laps: from 1 to 7 laps. Only five Sports cars can participate: Dinka RT3000, Maibatsu Penumbra FF, Annis 300R, Benefactor SM722 or Albany V-STR. If a customized car from this list is unavailable or personal vehicles are disabled by the host, it’s recommended to use the Albany V-STR, as it has the best stats and performance across all three tracks.

• Lunar New Year — The Big Bash,
• Lunar New Year — Spectacle,
• Lunar New Year — Lap of Honor.

These races are open to all players of any level, with 1 to 16 participants per session. They can be launched through the loading screen if highlighted there, the Stunt Series marker in Pacific Bluffs or Pause Menu → Online → Quick Join → Play Job → Rockstar Created → Stunt Races. You can also join by accepting an invitation from another player.

Lunar New Year — The Big Bash

Rockstar Games Social Club page
Creation date: December 19, 2024
Location: Downtown Los Santos
Lap distance: 8.12 km
Checkpoints per lap: 50

You need to activate the boost immediately before the first checkpoint to gain enough speed for the jump and fly as far as possible (the same applies to similar sections; otherwise, you might not always make it). Performing stunts is optional and up to you. Up ahead, you’ll encounter plenty of snake-like winding sections and a couple more jumps. There are hardly any barriers on the track, so be extremely careful when taking turns. Use Nitrous on straight sections and at checkpoint 38 (located right next to the Maze Bank Tower). The road twists there, and if you don’t gain enough speed, you risk falling off. Before the finish line, there’s a hairpin turn — a nearly 180-degree curve.

Lunar New Year — Spectacle

Rockstar Games Social Club page
Creation date: December 19, 2024
Location: Vespucci Canals
Lap distance: 6.07 km
Checkpoints per lap: 28

Once again, as soon as the opportunity to boost appears, use it immediately. Water significantly slows down the car. While this track has slightly more barriers, the risk of falling off still remains. Before the first jump, there’s a special strip that replenishes Nitrous, but it’s placed in a narrow passage, so you’ll have to decide on the spot whether to go for it. This depends on if there’s anyone nearby who might cut you off, if your car is moving straight, and if you’re confident in passing that section without mistakes. Past checkpoint 11 (near the construction crane), there is a gate that you should pass as close to the center as possible to avoid hitting the concrete base.

After another checkpoint and a jump, there are several boost refill pads — first on the left, then on the right, and finally in the center. Don’t swerve trying to collect them all; just pick the one that’s closest or most convenient. Between checkpoints 16 and 17, where the road twists sharply, there’s another strip. Collecting all the Nitrous from it is possible but difficult, so just touching it is enough to get at least some boost. On the next jump, try to stay centered or slightly to the right, as the building on the left can interfere with your landing (a modified car might even land on the roof).

Up ahead is another hairpin turn, and shortly after that, the track leads into a canal. Before entering, make sure to drive over a special pad to maximize your Nitrous. The moment you hit the water, align your car straight; otherwise, you’ll inevitably hit the small wooden piers on either side. Activate the boost immediately to minimize speed loss on water. After passing under two bridges, veer slightly to the side (preferably right), as there’s a pillar in the middle of the tunnel. Avoid accelerating too much here, as a sharp turn awaits at the exit, followed shortly by the finish line.

Lunar New Year — Lap of Honor

Rockstar Games Social Club page
Creation date: December 19, 2024
Location: Davis Quartz Quarry
Lap distance: 7.06 km
Checkpoints per lap: 38

To the left of the first checkpoint, there is a pagoda. Entering the gray zone around it is strictly forbidden, as it will bring your car to a complete stop. After the hairpin turn and the fifth checkpoint, you’ll face a tricky section. On the second or later laps, collisions with other players are likely at the intersection if the race is set to Standard (Non-Contact Mode disabled). The first jump is the most dangerous — the landing platform here is narrower than the others, making it very easy to overshoot and go off the track. There will be several more jumps over the mountains, and it’s absolutely necessary to accelerate using boost before them (you can refill Nitrous right before these sections, so use it as aggressively as possible both before and after pad). Some sections of the track have no barriers, and there is one particularly tricky Nitrous strip that is placed dangerously close to an obstacle. Whether to take the risk or not is entirely up to you.

A special reward, the Lunar New Year livery for the Maibatsu Penumbra FF, was given to everyone who participated in at least one of the races listed above. It can be applied for free at any convenient vehicle customization location, including Los Santos Customs, Beeker’s Garage, the Office Garage, the LS Car Meet, or an Auto Shop.

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