Backers are the sponsors you sign with during the campaign of Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and the rating they give you at the end of a planet decides how many Credits you walk away with. An Excellent rating is also tied to the Star Racer trophy and achievement, so it matters to both completionists and anyone trying to fund vehicle upgrades.
Quick answer: Place first, second, or third in most races on a planet and fully complete your Backer’s Contract. Doing both earns an Excellent rating and unlocks the Star Racer trophy.
When Backers unlock and how they work
Backers only appear once you reach Act 2: The Galactic League. From that point, arriving at a new planet lets you pick one of three Backers, each offering its own Contract objective. The Backer you choose stays with you until you either win or lose the current tour, at which point you can sign with a new one.
A Contract runs for the length of a single planet. You are handed the objective when you land, and you cash it in when you reach the next planet. For example, a Contract to complete four Pre-Race Checks on one planet is handed in as soon as you move on, rewarding you with Credits.
Contracts do not affect League Tokens. You cannot gain or lose a League Token from a Backer objective, so chasing a Contract never directly knocks you out of a tour.
The two conditions for an Excellent rating
Your rating is driven by two things at once: your race placements and whether you finish the Contract. To reach Excellent, you need to satisfy both across the planet.
- Finish first, second, or third in most of the races on that planet.
- Fully complete the Contract objective your Backer set.
Contract requirements differ: one may call for a certain duration of Afterburner or Ramjet use, while another may require airtime over the planet’s races. Keep reaching the podium and complete the assigned objective to receive an Excellent rating from your Backer. A better rating pays more Credits, which you can spend on vehicle upgrades.
Pick the Backer with the easiest Contract
Because you choose from three Backers on each planet, the simplest route to Excellent is picking the one whose Contract fits how you already race. Each Backer leans toward a different set of challenges, and the exact objective you receive appears to be randomized within that Backer’s pool.
| Backer | Typical challenges |
|---|---|
| The Hutt | Overtake opponents, complete Pre-Race Checks, spend time in first place |
| The Pirate | Perform Advanced Maneuvers, trigger opponents’ System Malfunction, spend time in last place |
| The Broker | Spend time at very high speeds, hit opponents with Abilities, spend time airborne |
The Hutt’s challenges tend to be the least demanding, since overtaking rivals, holding first place, and completing Pre-Race Checks happen naturally while racing well. The Pirate and the Broker lean toward stunt-based and opponent-based tasks, which carry more risk when a crash can cost you a race. If your priority is the Excellent rating with minimal fuss, the Hutt is usually the safest pick.
How to confirm the Excellent rating unlocked
When you reach the next planet and hand in the Contract, the Backer displays your rating. An Excellent rating awards extra Credits and pops the Star Racer trophy and achievement. If the rating comes back lower, you either missed too many podium finishes or left the Contract objective unfinished.
Getting the Poor rating for Poodoo Racer
The opposite rating has its own trophy, and it is far simpler to earn. A Poor rating comes from ignoring the Contract requirement entirely and finishing last in every event on a planet. That deliberately throws the tour, so you will earn almost no Credits and may fail to advance past the planet, but it reliably unlocks the Poodoo Racer trophy and achievement for anyone chasing the Platinum trophy or full completion.
