Get ready, folks: Colin McRae: DiRT 2 will ship to North American retailers on September 8th. That’s right, at some point in early September you’ll be able to get your hands on not one, but forty different versions of Codemasters exciting new racing title. The PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS, and Atari 2600 versions are being shipped on the same day.

The notable omission (and probably only omission) is the PC version. Its date is still up in the air, however, Codemasters has confirmed that it will support Direct X11.

Below in the gallery are a few new, and particularly sharp, images of the upcoming racing title.

The press release for DiRT 2 is available below the fold. It contains a variety of exciting facts about the game if you’re interested in learning more. Here are a few quick examples:

• The game will have dirt.
• It will feature Ken Block (a dirty Team USA Subaru Rally racer) as a driver
• There will be racing events. Some probably have dirt.

We kid. This game is looking hot. We hope to get our hands on it soon.

PREPARE TO GET DiRTY AS CODEMASTERS® ANNOUNCES COLIN McRAE: DiRT 2 SHIP AND STREET DATES
DiRTY dates for the diary announced as September 8th (US), September 10th (EPAC), September 11th (UK)
Thursday 16th July/... The dates for the DiRTiest drive of the year were confirmed today as Codemasters® announced that Colin McRae™: DiRT™ 2, the next chapter in the legendary racing game series, will be shipping on September 8th in North America and release on September 10th across EPAC territories with a UK street date of September 11th.

Developed by Codemasters Studios, creators of the BAFTA Award-winning Race Driver™: GRID™ and powered by the third-generation of the award-winning EGO™ Engine, Colin McRae: DiRT 2 will be published for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. A Games For Windows® LIVE edition will follow with support for DirectX® 11.

Colin McRae: DiRT 2 is set to take racing games to a new level with thrilling new race types, striking locations, big event atmosphere and a peerless line-up of super-charged speed machines, each selected to deliver spectacular, fast paced racing.

Taking players on an exhilarating World Tour, Colin McRae: DiRT 2 will deliver over 100 stunning events, including aggressive, multi-vehicle races and intense solo challenges, set in the most diverse and demanding real-world environments. From the muddy tracks of the Malaysian rainforest to spectator-packed stadiums in London and Los Angeles, racers will compete in contemporary off-road race disciplines covering Rallycross, Trailblazer, Raid, Landrush, and Rally.

Embracing the culture and new heroes of modern off-road racing, Colin McRae: DiRT 2 will feature an exciting line-up of the best new rally drivers - including the multi medal-winning Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block alongside Travis Pastrana, Dave Mirra and Tanner Faust who help players build their racing career.

Complete with full head-to-head competitive online play, get ready for the ultimate off-road competition when Colin McRae: DiRT 2 launches September 8th (US), 10th (EPAC), 11th (UK). For the latest news and videos, powerslide over to www.dirt2game.com.