Drift Zones in Need for Speed: Payback are activities to beat a series of score targets along specific routes that can be found across Fortune Valley. They are unlocked after completing the first event of the questline "Mac: Shift-Lock" in chapter 3 - "City Lights".
They are highlighted by an icon of an arrow leading from a hairpin. Nearby drift zones will be shown on the player's mini-map, but its location isn't recorded on their map unless they attempt the entirety of a zone's route.
Driving through a start point will initiate the player's attempt to beat that zone's score target. Beating each of the three star rating targets will reward the player with bank and reputation. Beating all three star rating targets will allow the player to earn additional bank and reputation by beating their personal best score for a zone.
When in a drift zone, a score multiplier will increase the amount of points a player can earn whilst drifting. The multiplier starts at a base times one, but chaining multiple drifts together in quick succession will increase the multiplayer to a cap of times four.
Colliding with any solid objects or barriers will reset the current multiplier to times one.
The multiplier can also be sustained outside of drifting by using nitrous, but this will only lock the multiplier between drifts or stop it from receding whilst drifting. Barrels located across some drift zones can be used to add to the player's current multiplier.
Each star rating target has a different reward for the player upon beating it:
- 700 and 9,174.- - 1,050 and 13,762.
- - 1,400 and 18,348.
- Beating a personal best - 600 and 7,500.
Owning the High Roller Pack will add an extra 5% bank and reputation to all target rewards.
Earning a single star rating for all 30 drift zones will unlock the "Sideways Style" award.
There are a total of 30 drift zones across Fortune Valley; 10 in Mount Providence, 3 in Liberty Desert, 6 in Silver Rock, 7 in Silver Canyon, and 4 in Ember Valley.
Drift Zones[]
| Image | Map | Location | 
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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All Right! You Drive! Liberty Desert |
12,000 | 24,000 | 40,000 |
|
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All You Need Is Drift Mount Providence |
18,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 |
|
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Come Drift Away With Me Mount Providence |
20,000 | 45,000 | 70,000 |
|
|
D.K. Mount Providence |
12,000 | 25,000 | 45,000 |
|
|
Day Drifter Silver Rock |
12,000 | 28,000 | 50,000 |
|
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Don't Hit It! Drift It! Silver Canyon |
18,000 | 42,000 | 75,000 |
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Drift In The Sands Liberty Desert |
15,000 | 32,000 | 75,000 |
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Drift Royale Silver Rock |
11,000 | 25,000 | 40,000 |
|
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Four To The Floor Mount Providence |
8,000 | 21,000 | 40,000 |
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If You Catch My Drift Silver Rock |
8,000 | 21,000 | 40,000 |
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|
In The Zone Mount Providence |
20,000 | 40,000 | 75,000 |
|
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Into The Turns Mount Providence |
15,000 | 36,000 | 60,000 |
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Just Keep Drifting... Mount Providence |
16,000 | 40,000 | 70,000 |
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Just Speed Up A Bit Silver Canyon |
15,000 | 40,000 | 70,000 |
|
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Keep On Drifting Silver Rock |
8,000 | 20,000 | 45,000 |
|
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License Please! Mount Providence |
16,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 |
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Masterclass Silver Canyon |
16,000 | 35,000 | 60,000 |
|
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One Shot Ember Valley |
12,000 | 28,000 | 50,000 |
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Overpower Silver Canyon |
25,000 | 65,000 | 100,000 |
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Over The Hill Ember Valley |
25,000 | 75,000 | 130,000 |
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Smoking Tires Silver Rock |
14,000 | 36,000 | 65,000 |
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Spin That Tire! Mount Providence |
30,000 | 90,000 | 140,000 |
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Tarmac Meets Tires Mount Providence |
8,000 | 28,000 | 50,000 |
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The Drift Life Silver Canyon |
14,000 | 24,000 | 50,000 |
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The Sauce Silver Rock |
9,000 | 22,000 | 45,000 |
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Throwing Skids Ember Valley |
10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 |
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Turn The Volume Up Silver Canyon |
15,000 | 40,000 | 65,000 |
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Well Played Ember Valley |
18,000 | 40,000 | 70,000 |
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Wild Turns Silver Canyon |
16,000 | 38,000 | 60,000 |
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You Got This! Liberty Desert |
12,000 | 35,000 | 60,000 |