diff --git a/hyper.h b/hyper.h
index 16ae61a7..f182f59f 100644
--- a/hyper.h
+++ b/hyper.h
@@ -676,6 +676,7 @@ namespace rg {
   static const char princess = 'p';
   static const char daily = 'd';
   static const char daily_off = 'D';
+  static const char racing = 'R';
   
   // wrongmode only -- marks 'global' achievements not related to the current mode
   static const char global = 'x'; 
@@ -4680,7 +4681,7 @@ ld sintick(int period, ld phase = 0);
 namespace racing {
   extern bool on, player_relative, track_ready;
   void generate_track();
-  void show();
+  void configure_race();
   void prepare_subscreens();
   extern vector<cell*> track;
   extern int current_player;
diff --git a/menus.cpp b/menus.cpp
index 2df73efd..946ac9c2 100644
--- a/menus.cpp
+++ b/menus.cpp
@@ -494,6 +494,9 @@ void showChangeMode() {
   dialog::addBoolItem(XLAT("Yendor Challenge"), (yendor::on), 'y');
   dialog::addBoolItem(XLAT("%1 Challenge", moPrincess), (princess::challenge), 'P');
   dialog::addBoolItem(XLAT("random pattern mode"), (randomPatternsMode), 'r');
+#if CAP_RACING
+  dialog::addBoolItem(XLAT("racing mode"), racing::on, 'R');
+#endif
 #if CAP_DAILY
   dialog::addBoolItem(XLAT("Strange Challenge"), daily::on, 'z');
 #endif
@@ -539,6 +542,10 @@ void showChangeMode() {
       }
     else if(xuni == 'p')
       pushScreen(peace::showMenu);
+    #if CAP_RACING
+    else if(xuni == 'R')
+      racing::configure_race();
+    #endif
     else if(xuni == 'i') dialog::do_if_confirmed([] {
       restart_game(rg::inv);
       });
diff --git a/quit.cpp b/quit.cpp
index e9a09ae2..e0136475 100644
--- a/quit.cpp
+++ b/quit.cpp
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ void showMission() {
     tour::on ? (canmove ? XLAT("Tutorial") : XLAT("GAME OVER")) :
 #endif
     (cheater && !autocheat)? XLAT("It is a shame to cheat!") : 
+    racing::on ? "racing mode" :
     showoff ? XLAT("Showoff mode") :
     (canmove && princess::challenge) ? XLAT("%1 Challenge", moPrincess) :
     canmove ? XLAT("Quest status") : 
@@ -307,9 +308,9 @@ void showMission() {
     );
   keyhandler = handleKeyQuit;
 
-  if(!peace::on)
+  if(!peace::on && !racing::on)
     dialog::addInfo(XLAT("Your score: %1", its(gold())));
-  if(!peace::on)
+  if(!peace::on && !racing::on)
     dialog::addInfo(XLAT("Enemies killed: %1", its(tkills())));
 
 #if CAP_TOUR
@@ -326,6 +327,7 @@ void showMission() {
     else if(tour::on)
       ;
 #endif
+    else if(racing::on) ;
     else if(princess::challenge) 
       dialog::addInfo(XLAT("Follow the Mouse and escape with %the1!", moPrincess));
     else if(gold() < R30)
@@ -354,6 +356,7 @@ void showMission() {
   else if(tour::on) ;
 #endif
   else if(peace::on) ;
+  else if(racing::on) ;
   else if(tkills() < R100)
     dialog::addInfo(XLAT("Defeat %1 enemies to access the Graveyard", its(R100)));
   else if(kills[moVizier] == 0 && (items[itFernFlower] < U5 || items[itGold] < U5))
@@ -375,7 +378,7 @@ void showMission() {
   if(cheater && !autocheat) {
     dialog::addInfo(XLAT("you have cheated %1 times", its(cheater)), 0xFF2020);
     }
-  else {
+  else if(!racing::on) {
     dialog::addInfo(timeline(), dialog::dialogcolor);
     }
   
@@ -439,6 +442,8 @@ void showMission() {
     dialog::addItem(XLAT("restart"), SDLK_F5);
     if(inv::on && items[itInventory])
       dialog::addItem(XLAT("inventory"), 'i');
+    if(racing::on)
+      dialog::addItem(XLAT("racing menu"), 'o');
     #if ISMOBILE==0
     dialog::addItem(XLAT(quitsaves() ? "save" : "quit"), SDLK_F10);
     #endif
diff --git a/racing.cpp b/racing.cpp
index 12a68e3b..9c53d751 100644
--- a/racing.cpp
+++ b/racing.cpp
@@ -13,10 +13,13 @@ bool on;
 bool player_relative = false;
 bool track_ready;
 
-static const int LENGTH = 50;
+static const int LENGTH = 250;
 static const int TWIDTH = 6;
 static const int DROP = 1;
 
+int ghosts_to_show = 5;
+int ghosts_to_save = 10;
+
 struct race_cellinfo {
   cell *c;
   int from_track;
@@ -95,8 +98,9 @@ void hwrite(hstream& hs, const ghost& gh) {
   }
 
 bool read_ghosts(string seed, int mcode) {
-  fhstream f;
-  f.f = fopen(ghost_filename(seed, mcode).c_str(), "rb");
+  string fname = ghost_filename(seed, mcode);
+  println(hlog, "trying to read ghosts from: ", fname);
+  fhstream f(fname, "rb");
   if(!f.f) return false;
   f.get<int> ();
   hread(f, race_ghosts[{seed, mcode}]);
@@ -446,9 +450,7 @@ int readArgs() {
   else if(argis("-racing")) {
     PHASEFROM(2);
     stop_game();
-    shmup::on = true;
-    racing::on = true;
-    timerghost = false;
+    switch_game_mode(rg::racing);
     }
   else return 1;
   return 0;
@@ -580,10 +582,7 @@ void track_chooser(string new_track) {
     dialog::addSelItem(XLAT1(linf[l].name), s, let++);
     dialog::add_action([l, new_track] () {
       stop_game();
-      specialland = l;
-      racing::on = true;
-      shmup::on = true;
-      track_code = new_track;
+      if(!racing::on) switch_game_mode(rg::racing);
       start_game();
       popScreenAll();
       });
@@ -626,6 +625,27 @@ struct race_configurer {
   
     dialog::init(XLAT("Racing"));
   
+    dialog::addSelItem("track name", editing_track ? dialog::view_edited_string() : new_track, '/');
+    dialog::add_action([this] () { 
+      editing_track = !editing_track;
+      if(editing_track) dialog::start_editing(new_track);
+      });
+    dialog::addItem("play the official track", 'o');
+    dialog::add_action([this] () { new_track = "OFFICIAL"; });
+    dialog::addItem("play a random track", 'r');
+    dialog::add_action([this] () { new_track = random_track_name(); });
+  
+    dialog::addItem(XLAT("select the track and start!"), 's');
+    dialog::add_action([this] () { 
+      if(race_ghosts[{new_track, modecode()}].empty())
+        read_ghosts(new_track, modecode());
+      else
+        println(hlog, "known ghosts: ", isize(race_ghosts[{new_track, modecode()}]));
+      pushScreen([this] () { track_chooser(new_track); }); 
+      });
+    
+    dialog::addBreak(100);
+
     dialog::addBoolItem(XLAT("player relative"), player_relative, 'p');
     dialog::add_action([] () { 
       player_relative = !player_relative; 
@@ -674,22 +694,23 @@ struct race_configurer {
       }
     else dialog::addBreak(100);
     
-    dialog::addSelItem("track name", editing_track ? dialog::view_edited_string() : new_track, '/');
-    dialog::add_action([this] () { 
-      editing_track = !editing_track;
-      if(editing_track) dialog::start_editing(new_track);
-      });
-    dialog::addItem("play the official track", 'o');
-    dialog::add_action([this] () { new_track = "OFFICIAL"; });
-    dialog::addItem("play a random track", 'r');
-    dialog::add_action([this] () { new_track = random_track_name(); });
-  
-    dialog::addItem(XLAT("select the track and start!"), 's');
-    dialog::add_action([this] () { 
-      if(race_ghosts[{new_track, modecode()}].empty())
-        read_ghosts(new_track, modecode());
-      pushScreen([this] () { track_chooser(new_track); }); 
-      });
+    dialog::addBreak(100);
+    
+    dialog::addSelItem(XLAT("best scores to show as ghosts"), its(ghosts_to_show), 'g');
+    dialog::add_action([]() { dialog::editNumber(ghosts_to_show, 0, 100, 1, 5, "best scores to show as ghosts", ""); });
+
+    dialog::addSelItem(XLAT("best scores to save"), its(ghosts_to_save), 'b');
+    dialog::add_action([]() { dialog::editNumber(ghosts_to_save, 0, 100, 1, 10, "best scores to save", ""); });
+    
+    
+    if(racing::on) {
+      dialog::addItem(XLAT("disable the racing mode"), 'x');
+      dialog::add_action([] () { 
+        stop_game();
+        switch_game_mode(rg::racing);
+        start_game();
+        });
+      }
 
     dialog::addBack();
     dialog::display();
@@ -706,9 +727,13 @@ struct race_configurer {
     }
   };
 
+void configure_race() { 
+  pushScreen(race_configurer());
+  }
+
 auto hooks1 = 
   addHook(hooks_o_key, 90, [] { 
-    if(racing::on) return named_dialog("race mode", race_configurer());
+    if(racing::on) return named_dialog(XLAT("racing menu"), race_configurer());
     else return named_functionality();
     });
 
@@ -745,12 +770,19 @@ void race_won() {
       part(*x, 0) >>= 2;
       }
       
-    race_ghosts[{track_code, modecode()}] [specialland].emplace_back(ghost{gcs, ticks - race_start_tick, time(NULL), current_history[current_player]});
-    write_ghosts(track_code, modecode());
+    auto &subtrack = race_ghosts[{track_code, modecode()}] [specialland];
+
+    subtrack.emplace_back(ghost{gcs, ticks - race_start_tick, time(NULL), current_history[current_player]});
+    sort(subtrack.begin(), subtrack.end(), [] (const ghost &g1, const ghost &g2) { return g1.result > g2.result; });
+    if(isize(subtrack) > ghosts_to_save && ghosts_to_save > 0) 
+      subtrack.resize(ghosts_to_save);
+    if(ghosts_to_save > 0)
+      write_ghosts(track_code, modecode());
     }
   }
 
 void markers() {
+  if(!racing::on) return;
   if(racing::player_relative) {
     using namespace racing;
     cell *goal = NULL;
@@ -760,7 +792,10 @@ void markers() {
     queuestr(H, vid.fsize, its(celldistance(cwt.at, track.back())), 0x10101 * int(128 - 100 * sintick(150)));
     addauraspecial(H, 0x10100, 0);
     }
+  int ghosts_left = ghosts_to_show;
   for(auto& ghost: race_ghosts[{track_code, modecode()}][specialland]) {
+    if(!ghosts_left) break;
+    ghosts_left--;
     auto p = std::find_if(ghost.history.begin(), ghost.history.end(), [] (const ghostmoment gm) { return gm.step > ticks - race_start_tick;} );
     if(p == ghost.history.end()) p--;
     cell *w = rti[p->where_id].c;
diff --git a/system.cpp b/system.cpp
index ddb9571e..3f4a4a79 100644
--- a/system.cpp
+++ b/system.cpp
@@ -1192,6 +1192,7 @@ void switch_game_mode(char switchWhat) {
       peace::on = !peace::on;
       tactic::on = yendor::on = princess::challenge = 
       randomPatternsMode = inv::on = false;
+      racing::on = false;
       break;
     
     case rg::inv:
@@ -1199,6 +1200,7 @@ void switch_game_mode(char switchWhat) {
       if(tactic::on) firstland = laIce;
       tactic::on = yendor::on = princess::challenge = 
       randomPatternsMode = peace::on = false;
+      racing::on = false;
       break;
 
     case rg::chaos:
@@ -1207,6 +1209,7 @@ void switch_game_mode(char switchWhat) {
       need_reset_geometry = true;
       chaosmode = !chaosmode;
       if(bounded) set_geometry(gNormal);
+      racing::on = false;
       break;
 
 #if CAP_TOUR
@@ -1219,6 +1222,7 @@ void switch_game_mode(char switchWhat) {
       shmup::on = false;
       need_reset_geometry = true;    
       tour::on = !tour::on;
+      racing::on = false;
       break;
 #endif
 
@@ -1230,8 +1234,19 @@ void switch_game_mode(char switchWhat) {
       princess::challenge = false;
       randomPatternsMode = false;
       chaosmode = false;
+      racing::on = false;
       if(!yendor::on) firstland = laIce;
       break;
+    
+    case rg::racing:
+      racing::on = !racing::on;
+      shmup::on = racing::on;
+      peace::on = false;
+      tour::on = false;
+      inv::on = false;
+      chaosmode = false;
+      princess::challenge = false;
+      break;
 
     case rg::tactic:
       tactic::on = !tactic::on;
@@ -1240,6 +1255,7 @@ void switch_game_mode(char switchWhat) {
       inv::on = false;
       randomPatternsMode = false;
       princess::challenge = false;
+      racing::on = false;
       chaosmode = false;
       if(!tactic::on) firstland = laIce;
       break;
@@ -1247,6 +1263,7 @@ void switch_game_mode(char switchWhat) {
     case rg::shmup:
       shmup::on = !shmup::on;
       princess::challenge = false;
+      if(!shmup::on) racing::on = false;
       break;
     
     case rg::randpattern:
@@ -1266,6 +1283,7 @@ void switch_game_mode(char switchWhat) {
       yendor::on = false;
       chaosmode = false;
       inv::on = false;
+      racing::on = false;
       break;
     
 #if CAP_DAILY