Area 51

{{Infobox location|name = Area 51|image = File:Asphalt_8_Airborne_23_12_2015_18_03_02.png|series = |tracks =
 * Test Site: Omega, Classified, The Secret Lab, Route 375-1 (Asphalt 8: Airborne)|avail_seasons = 2, 9|avail_wifi = No|avail_mp} = Yes|avail_qsr = No|avail_tle = Yes|races = None|added = Santa's Gift Update (Asphalt 8: Airborne)|location = Southern Nevada, U.S.|length = medium}}

A popular location in popular culture and video games, Area 51 is a research base in Southern Nevada, United States of America. It is featured in the Asphalt series as a race track.

Overview
The United States Air Force facility commonly known as Area 51 is a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base, within the Nevada Test and Training Range. According to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the correct names for the facility are Homey Airport (ICAO: KXTA) and Groom Lake, though the name Area 51 was used in a CIA document from the Vietnam War. Other names used for the facility include Dreamland, and nicknames Paradise Ranch, Home Base and Watertown. The special use airspace around the field is referred to as a Restricted Area 4808 North (R-4808N).

The base's current primary purpose is publicly unknown; however, based on historical evidence, it most likely supports development and testing of experimental aircraft and weapons systems (black projects). The intense secrecy surrounding the base has made it the frequent subject of conspiracy theories and a central component to unidentified flying object (UFO) folklore. Although the base has never been declared a secret base, all research and occurrings in Area 51 are Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI). In July 2013, following an FOIA request filed in 2005, the CIA publicly acknowledged the existence of the base for the first time, declassifying documents detailing the history and purpose of Area 51.

Area 51 is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles (134 km) north-northwest of Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield. The site was acquired by the United States Air Force in 1955, primarily for the flight testing of the Lockheed U-2 aircraft. The area around Area 51, including the small town of Rachel on the aptly named "Extraterrestrial Highway", is a popular tourist destination.

Asphalt 8: Airborne
"EVER WANTED TO SEE WHAT REALLY GOES ON IN A TOP-SECRET BASE? THEN YOU'RE IN LUCK! UNCOVER THE MYSTERIES OF AREA 51 IN 4 ALL-NEW OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD TRACKS!"

- In-game description

Area 51 was released in the Santa's Gift Update. Compared to the Tenerife tracks, the Area 51 tracks are slightly longer than a medium-length track. There are four routes:
 * Test Site: Omega / Classified
 * The Secret Lab / Route 375-1

In each track, the player zips through the desert of Southern Nevada via canyons and a small town with a gas station. At the research base, the player starts at the airstrip and can enter and exit the research base through several entrances/exits, one of them sometimes exceedingly dangerous if approached incorrectly with a very fast car. In the research base, various research and space equipment are scattered all over, and in one of the entrances/exits, there is a field of red laser tripwires, although they are just nonsolid scenery and will not wreck the player's car, unlike the cruise ship in Barcelona and lasers in Sector 8. On the track, traffic vehicles are both normal civilian vehicles and military vehicles seen in San Diego Harbor. Area 51 is apparently set in the night time.

In the Multiplayer League Update, Area 51 was revamped to have better visibility and lighting, as well as new nitro power-up locations.

Out of all the tracks in the game, the Area 51 tracks have the most shortcuts and alternate routes. The Area 51 tracks are 4.06 mi (6.54 km) long.

Classified and The Secret Lab are accessible in Gate Drift, as proven by Research & Development and Enduro Double Down.

The following cars have their banners depicted in Area 51:
 * Lamborghini Estoque
 * Lamborghini Egoista
 * Mosler Super GT


 * Recommended cars
 * Top speed, handling, and nitro consumption rates matter here as this track features long sections of twisting and/or straight roads without nitro power-ups, as well as difficult curves and ramps.

Banners / Map =
 * Gallery

Trivia

 * Asphalt 8: Airborne
 * Area 51 reuses the background sound effects heard in Dubai and Nevada.
 * Sometimes, in Time-Limited Events, the Mothership will appear in Route 375-1 along with accompanying sound effect that replace the normal background sound effects from Dubai and Nevada. Be careful, though, as restarting the race will remove the Mothership.
 * In Classified, there is a chance that another alien ship will appear in the warehouse.
 * The game data files reveal that there were originally going to be UFOs crashing onto the ground to surprise racers. The following files prove it: "sfx_ufo_crash_fly_by.wav" and "sfx_ufo_crash_loop.wav".
 * The Area 51 and Rio de Janeiro tracks are currently the only tracks not selectable in Quick Solo Race at the moment. It is unknown whether or not they will become available.
 * Area 51 currently holds the longest unplayable Quick Solo Race appearance of any track in the game, unplayable for seven updates.
 * The Exclusive Metal Events that take place in Area 51 reuse the recommended rank numbers from their Sector 8 counterparts.
 * All of the cars introduced in the Santa's Gift Update use the Area 51 tracks for their Season 9 events.
 * Similarly, all of the cars introduced in the Lunar New Year Update use the Area 51 and Tenerife tracks for their Season 9 events.
 * Area 51 is the second and last location added in 2015.
 * So far, Area 51 is the only night time location to have ever been added to the game in an update.
 * Polls have shown that alongside Iceland, Area 51 is the least well-liked track in the game.
 * The Lamborghini Egoista's Research & Development event starts and ends here, specifically at Test Site: Omega.
 * Area 51 wasn't depicted in a promotional banner for the game until the Multiplayer League Update, featuring a Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG Racing Series and the Mothership in the background.
 * Despite being a new track in the Santa's Gift Update, Area 51 does not appear in Tag Season at all, even though Tag Weekend Cups may use an Area 51 track.