This kind of reminded me of one of those old school racers that I'd get on a demo disc way back in the day that would handle like a drunken rhino was put in charge of steering a shopping trolley and relied on its silly explosions to make it seem exciting. I'm totally not saying this game is like that but it wouldn't shock me.
Maybe I have simply grown old and gotten used to racing games being either full blown simulations or ridiculous karting endeavours that are fun for the whole family but this whole arcadey type serious racer never really appealed to me due to poor controls, iffy physics and mind bogglingly frustrating and pointless explosions. It seemed too much like the games were trying to have their cake and eat it too.
I will give it time though, everything has the capacity to shock me, except Borderlands.... fuck that game.