Every track in Shift 2 can be played at night, but some of the tracks are out in the middle of nowhere, with very little lighting. The track is pitch black, except for what's illuminated by your headlights.
Because there's so little lighting, your competitors become your allies. They can light the way with their headlights to give a clearer view of the road ahead. I found this interesting strategy of purposefully staying a few cars back so I could watch the taillights of the AI drivers and read the course by their movements. I've never experienced something like this in a racing game before and it's enough to make Shift 2 noteworthy.
I'm conditioned on the rules of the virtual road. In racing games, bumping other cars isn't just a natural occurrence, it's a way to sometimes save yourself when misjudging a turn. Cut inside another driver, turn and if you go wide, you nudge them and avoid going off the track and really killing your speed. That tactic totally screwed me in Shift 2.